Facing another hospital stay as a crash survivor is difficult to put into words but so important to share. While I was out walking one evening in June, I felt something bite me on my calf but I immediately brushed it off. In Ontario during the summer months, we are so accustomed to being bitten. I was wearing jeans and although I noticed the bite the next day, it looked as though the insect had taken a small part of my skin which is very common with a deer fly bite. Three days after the bite, I found myself in excruciating pain and could clearly see my skin being aggravated and the redness developing. It was warm to touch and the redness was spreading fast. I found myself at a clinic where I was prescribed oral antibiotics.
After starting to take the meds, I found that by the end of the day it was just getting much worse and for the next two days, I found myself going back and forth to the hospital as doctors were completely baffled as to why the antibiotics were not working. By the third day, I had finally found a doctor that knew exactly what he was looking at and diagnosed it as a bite from a brown recluse spider. Because the venom had caused a severe infection, surgery was immediately booked and the bite site was cut out. Homecare was put into place as I would need wound care as well as I.V. Therapy which I could all do from home. Wound care was something I was very familiar with as I had two months of daily wound care to treat my seatbelt wound from my crash.
I Was Experiencing Flashbacks Again
Well, within a couple of days, my veins started to collapse and the nurses were having a hard time re-starting a site that would not be compromised. By the third day, I felt uneasy and my calf felt like it was on fire. When my nurse arrived in the evening, I shared my concerns and he told me I would need to go to the hospital immediately. As I was alone at the time and couldn’t drive, he called 911 and as I sat there waiting for EMS, my anxiety immediately started to rise and my triggers started to hit me in waves. As they rolled me out in the stretcher, I instantly started having flashbacks of being transported from my motor vehicle crash as I heard the wheels of the stretcher hit the pavement.
Once I arrived at the hospital, I was immediately admitted. As a crash survivor, when I heard the words “we are going to admit you to the hospital” the words rang in my ears like a huge clap of thunder. Facing another hospital stay, I instantly felt trapped, vulnerable, anxious and scared. The same feelings that I experienced when I was admitted to the hospital after surviving my motor vehicle crash. After a five day stay in the hospital, I was finally discharged but would still need wound care and antibiotics that would take place at home.
If you find yourself suddenly facing another hospital stay as a crash survivor, it can be extra challenging especially if you suffer from PTSD. Here are some suggestions to remind you how to cope.
Make Them Aware
Make sure EMS, doctors and nurses are aware that you are a survivor of a motor vehicle crash and explain your past injuries to them and what you may be dealing with emotionally. I told EMS about my crash as well as the injuries I sustained while I was being transported to the hospital. I wanted to make sure that they were aware that I may have been experiencing flashbacks and/or triggers.
Speak Up
If you suffer from anxiety or you feel a sudden wave of anxiety hit you when you are in the hospital, speak up and ask for medication. If you are currently taking meds and you forgot them, alert the staff immediately. After a couple of days in the hospital, I expressed my concerns about my anxiety rising as I was trying my best to fight it and was immediately prescribed medication.
Do Not Isolate
People will be checking in with you to see how you are doing either by phone, in person or text. Try your best to respond to each individual and pay close attention to these people. These individuals are your tribe and these people care! You may expect some people to contact you and those well wishes may not come. Try your best to not let this bother you. You need to look after yourself.
Respect
Nurses are our gateway to getting the healthcare that we need and while facing another hospital stay, I will shamefully admit that I lost my temper with one of my nurses in the hospital as I was frustrated, anxious and scared. The nurse was doing everything right relating to my care but because my pain level and anxiety were in over-drive the night before, I took my emotions out on her and it was mis-directed anger. I recognized my behaviour and owned it by going out of my way to apologize to her the next day. We instantly become our own advocate by staying on top of our care but try your best to remain calm and always remember that they are doing the best they can.
Communication
If something doesn’t feel right, make sure the nurses and/or doctors are aware. Do not try to hide anything and never take for granted that a health issue you may be experiencing will just go away on its own. Although I did not want to be admitted to the hospital, I shared my concerns with the homecare nurse and as it turns out, it was the best decision for me because I cannot imagine if I did not go back to the hospital on that particular day as the infection was spreading very fast.
Side Effects
Members of our Crash Support Network Group have often mentioned that they experienced hair loss due to prescribed medication. I was one of the fortunate ones to have never experienced any hair loss up until my most recent hospital stay. It was heartbreaking to see such an excessive amount of hair loss due to the medications I was subscribed and I mentioned this right away to my doctor. He advised me that it would eventually correct itself once the medication wore off and he was right. Over the last couple of days, I have seen great improvement as my hair brush is no longer filled to the brim! If you experience anything different in your health while taking medications, it is so important that you inform your doctor and that you review the side effects carefully.
Pay Attention
When you experience a bite, please do not brush it off and always try to see what it was that bit you. I made the mistake of not looking right away and if I had looked sooner and perhaps seen the spider, I could have given the doctors a better indication as to what bit me. Keep your eyes on the bite. If you experience swelling, redness, stinging, pain or nausea, you will definitely need to have a medical professional look at it.
As a crash survivor, one of our worst fears is facing another hospital stay for an injury as we already deal with so many daily struggles. I am happy to share with you that I had my last visit with my homecare nurse and the wound has healed beautifully which coincidentally was the same nurse that looked after me while I was recovering from my injuries sustained from my motor vehicle crash. It was a bitter sweet reunion as she was such a wonderful help to me years ago. Many thanks to the surgeon, doctors and nurses that helped me recover from such a rare incident.
From recently becoming a caregiver to facing another hospital stay, the last few months have been extra challenging and I think I have had enough surprises for this year. Brown Recluse Spiders tend to hide in dark places and usually do not attack unless they are startled just as I must have done while it had already found a snug place in my jeans. Odds at getting bit by a brown recluse spider is one in a million so my luck can improve anytime soon please! These days you can find me not only continuing to recover from my crash but also shaking every piece of clothing before I put it on.
S. Dawne McKay is a survivor of a horrific crash that changed her life forever. Dawne shares her personal journey as a Crash Survivor Blogger and also collaborates with crash survivors as Guest Bloggers allowing them an opportunity to share their stories. Dawne is also the author of the book, “Talk Crash to Me – What to Expect After Surviving a Collision and How to Manage Your Recovery” which is available for purchase on Amazon.
