Dealing with the symptoms

I have continued to get the chills before the onset of pains but I hasten to add that the intense pains have not been as regular. 

However, in the last couple of weeks I have observed my stomach grow and in addition to that the growth appears to be around my waist and lower back. We have good laughs about the 'new' shapes my lower torso has been taking. Since I can no longer lie on my sides the back has begun to get shaped by the special cushion I sit or lay on. It is amazing to observe how the body changes its shape and  I am sure one of the contributing factors would be the fluid retention and perhaps growth of the 'mass'.

I have observed in the last week or so that I cannot eat too much because at least 20-30 minutes after eating a meal I feel a tightening of my stomach and then discomfort and sharp pains. As I write this entry, I have a half filled glass of mango juice which looks so tempting but because I am currently feeling the after meal pains, I will need to wait until they subside before drinking it.

Another observation I have had and this has been for a few months now is the swelling which occurs every night to my upper thighs and the pelvic area. Usually it wakes me up as I feel very stiff and swollen. During the day this problem subsides and that is even with bed rest and my feet being elevated. 

The other night it happened, I woke up and went to the kitchen to fill my hot water bottle. Not a soul in the house heard me and I did not have the heart to wake them as their snores signified their deep sleep.

I did go to hospital for a tap but a few minutes into the procedure I felt much discomfort and the staff nurse removed everything off me. When the doctor finally arrived to check whether I would like the procedure continued on another side, I decided that it was late and I did not want to sleep in hospital. I have been home since that last visit, just taking panadeine forte on a 6 hourly basis to manage my pains.