(no subject)

[tree_and_leaf]

Heard fairly late last night that a good friend of mine is in the gynacological clinic with the results of a burst ovarian cyst - internal bleeding and the loss of nearly a litre of blood (which is a lot given that she is five foot nothing, birdlike and can comfortably wear children's clothes). She had spent most of the day in severe pain and either unable to stand or sit up, or blacking out, but her idiot housemates didn't think that this was serious enough to merit medical attention, even when she couldn't get to the bathroom without collapsing, and her abdomen was so swollen that she couldn't button her trousers, until her boyfriend turned up in the evening and panicked.

Have been to visit her this morning, and took her 'Whose Body?', which is just as well, as while her flatmates had brought her a book, it was Rilke's 'Collected Poems', which is a bit heavy going; she's still extremely uncomfortable, but the doctors think she won't need an operation and can probably be discharged at the end of the week. Could have been worse. Nevertheless, prayers/ thoughts would be appreciated.

Today is also turning into a total dead loss workwise (and I've got meetings and classes from 1600-2200), but that's not really important in the greater scheme of things.

Comments

[dr-biscuit.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, that sounds awful. I hope she's recovering with appropriate amounts of pain relief.

But, is Whose Body the best reading material, given the nature of the medical professional described ;)?

[wuglet.livejournal.com]

That sounds scary... I'm wishing all the best!

[dameboudicca.livejournal.com]

Very sorry to hear about your friend - I really hope she will feel better soon!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

That sounds very nasty - and what idiotic housemates!

[el-staplador.livejournal.com]

Yeech. Hope your friend recovers quickly; it sounds very nasty.

[oxoniana.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. I know it's frightening but this happened to me in my 4th yr at St Andrews. My cyst burst too and it was pure torture, but it only took me a couple of weeks to get properly better again :-)

Nice that you went to see your friend; probably cheered her up more than you know.

[anna-in-the-sky.livejournal.com]

That must have been so scary for her, I hope she has a quick recovery now. Idiot housemates indeed!

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Eek! We'll be thinking of her.

[tree_and_leaf]

She seems to be getting better, though not exactly comfortable...

is Whose Body the best reading material, given the nature of the medical professional described ;)?

Oh, I think she'll cope. It's not as if she's in with head trauma! (also, it was the only Sayers the bookshop had, other than Gaudy Night, and it's no good reading that before you've read 'Strong Poison')

[tree_and_leaf]

Thank you... it must have been really scary, though I think she was too out of things to realise how bad things were.

[tree_and_leaf]

Thank you - she seems to be on the road to recovery, but it was a bit of a shock for everyone!

[tree_and_leaf]

It looks - fingers crossed - as if it was more dramatically unpleasant than anything else, but she could have done without it!

I was moaning about the housemates to another friend, who said, 'yes, but they're very young' - to which my response was that most of them are second or third years at a decent university, and frankly, I had more sense than that when I was in the Brownies!

[tree_and_leaf]

More nasty than serious, hopefully, but definitely something you don't want to have to go through.

[tree_and_leaf]

Ouch - I didn't know that. Thanks for the reassurance, though!

[tree_and_leaf]

Thank you - and the housemates are all very well-meaning, but they seem to possess a breath-taking lack of common sense ("Hm... my housemate is lying on the ground, unable to get up, and has a strangely swollen stomach. I know, I'll make her fruit salad"). I suppose that it's a good thing it wasn't appendicitis!

[dr-biscuit.livejournal.com]

Fair point - I'll be sure not to give it to any head trauma patients still able to read! *Certainly* no good to read GN before Strong Poison (but then again, I belong to the liking H immediately camp, whereas I believe there are people who don't like her very much in Poison).

[tree_and_leaf]

Thanks. I'm going to see her again this evening, and am crossing my fingers that she'll be better (though she's going to be uncomfortable for a while, as the doctor told her that really all they can do is wait for her body to reabsorb the fluid by itself).

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Indeed the story “Toddler Phones for Ambulance” may be unusual enough to make it to the news, but still happens every year or so.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I read Thrones, Dominations first; followed by Gaudy Night; followed by Strong Poison; followed by Have His Carcass.

[tree_and_leaf]

That's an interesting way to do it!

[dr-biscuit.livejournal.com]

A case of 'things can only get better'?

[rivrea.livejournal.com]

Oh dear.

I am not a praying person, but your poor friend will be in my thoughts. I wish her a speedy recovery (and some common sense for her housemates).

[tree_and_leaf]

I went to see her this evening; she's very much better and definitely won't need an operation, which is really good news.

Common sense for the housemates may require a genuine miracle, though.

[rivrea.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear that your friend is feeling better already.