Sunday 15 April 2012

Spontaneous Epistaxis.....

One of the very few advantages of living with MS is that your body gradually loses the capacity to surprise you.  On a daily basis, bits that were working an hour ago can suddenly pack up, nerve pain can erupt anywhere and weird sensations come and go without so much as a by your leave.  I used to be constantly on the alert for new and diverting symptoms but that level of vigilance is exhausting to maintain, so I've settled down to a more laid back attitude which can best be described as benign neglect.

Which is why, when I started having spontaneous nosebleeds a few days ago, I wasn't too fussed and treated them as minor inconvenience.

However, this morning, while I was in the shower, I looked down at my feet to see blood swirling down the plughole in a manner shockingly reminiscent of that scene from Psycho.
Having swiftly discounted being stabbed by a madman dressed as his mother, I traced the source of the bleeding to my nose, which was running like a tap.

Holding a face flannel to my nose I managed to exit the shower, and towel myself dry with one hand, all the while aware that the flannel was going from merely damp to saturated.  Safely over the wash basin I attempted to survey the damage, which only resulted in the backlog of blood spattering everywhere, as I floundered around, trying to locate a wad of tissues, with which to plug the offending orifice.

After a full 10 minutes of nose-pinching and continued spattering, the shower room resembled  a scene from the Texas Chain-Saw Massacre,  and since I had dismally failed to staunch the steady flow, I enlisted the help of PP, who calmly viewed my blood-stained surroundings and quickly took over.

A further 10 minutes later we were no further forward, except that I'd moved my nasal sprinkler system into the bedroom.  Small Dog took one look at me and promptly made herself scarce.  She hates the sight of blood, although usually only her own.  She's normally fairly sanguine about anyone elses.

I tried to make a rudimentary nose plug from a twisted tissue, but within seconds it was saturated, so we hit on the damn fine idea of using a tampon, cut in half, then rammed up my right nostril as far as it would go.

Thankfully this did the trick.  The end swelled up and formed a blood-tight seal, preventing the flow from running down my chin and soaking my clothing.

Useful it might have been.  Dignified it was not.  

Pottering around the house this morning, with half a tampon sticking out of my nose I was extremely careful to stay away from the windows, in case I was spotted by a neighbour or passer-by.

It also brought a whole new dimension to my morning cuppa, as I had to avoid the end going into my mug and sucking hot tea up my nose.

It seems to have stopped now, although I'm wary of sneezing, coughing or bending down, just in case it erupts again.

Never a dull moment in this house........

12 comments:

KT Miniatures said...

Blimey Sandra...you don't do things by half do you? Gives a whole new dimension to having a "bloody awful day"! Look on the bright side...at least you only had to have half a tampon up one nostril. Could have been worse, you could have had half a tampon up each nostril....or better still, a whole tampon up each nostril! Seriously, hope you feel better soon me dear!X

Neen said...

I am so sorry you have to go through this. I hope you have a wonderful, symptom free week!

Anna said...

i always enjoy your blog and admire your work of course! Reading your post, i just wish to say, how admirable it is how you describe all happenings! And even more admirable is the fact, that inspite your illness, there is strength to chuckle and smile about hard times! May God bless you and give you new strength and power every day!Through the MINI blogs i have "met" amazing people with amazing and beautiful work ...and often it turns out, that the quite a few of most wonderful people are seriously stiken with one or the other illnesses! It seems that great hardship can also lead to great beauty, which perhaps othrwise we would not have seen! Thank you for your courage! Best wishes, Anne

Robin said...

Crumbs missus!!!!
I hope all is now well and you've stopped dripping - on the bright side - I really think you could patent the tampon idea!! Smart!!
Rx

Unknown said...

hi Sandra, you made me laugh with your story of the bloody nose and the tampax, I will have to put tampax in my med chest for any nose bleeds I may have, like you I have a condition that can be very diblitating and does not have a regular course it follows, just does what it likes and lets you try and work out whats happening, well done for your humour, never lose it as that what keeps me going and its the best mediciene I can reccomend, take care

Sandra Morris said...

Celia....
I'm all for looking on the bright side!
Rather difficult when sporting a tampon nose plug though ;-)
Sx

Sandra Morris said...

Neen....

Thanks, I hope so too!

Anna....

Thanks too. There may well be something in what you say, about overcoming adversity and creating something new because of it.

Sx

Sandra Morris said...

Robin....

Cheers matey... Hadn't thought about patenting the idea. Would need some clever marketing though ;-)

Sx

Sandra Morris said...

Debbie....

Sorry to hear that you suffer a similar condition. I too tend to subscribe to notion that

"You've got to laugh"

Sx

Karin F. said...

Sorry Sandra, I know it was all written to be funny and make light of the situation but it sort of scared me. Should you not have gone to a medical clinic and should they not cauterize the blood vessels?
Stay well! I enjoy your posts and your humor too much to want to forego it.
big hugs ~K

Sandra Morris said...

Karin...
Thanks for your concern. I had a spell of similar nosebleeds a few years back and I did go to see our doctor about them. He said that if a nosebleed doesn't stop within 30 minutes I should go to the hospital A&E dept as it is possible to lose a lot of blood and in extreme cases people have died! That scared me too so I do take them seriously and thus far, none have exceeded 30 minutes.
He also said that if they became a regular occurrence that it is possible to have the weak blood vessels cauterised. Not a prospect I relish though!
Glad you enjoy the blog :-)
Sx

Bev said...

Arrgh, bad nosebleeds hideous. I know a Finnish boy once who suffered terribly.
But on another, yet related, MS wise note, can you e-mail me - seem to have lost your email address please?
Ta
Bev