A VERY WORRYING WEEK

This past week has been a very worrying one as my darling son, Mark (37), has been in the Maroondah Hospital after waking up one morning with the whole right side of his face swollen and very, very red. He had severe pains in his stomach, diarrhoea and where his face (and his eye was swollen shut) was extremely painful to touch.

We went straight to the hospital on Tuesday, they had no clue what it was, "maybe shingles, maybe not!!" They did lots of tests, ECG, CAT scan, blood tests, eye tests etc etc and eventually they sent him home with antibiotics, anti-virals and pain killers. For that day and night all Mark wanted to do was sleep, and then he developed a higher temperature but just wanted to sleep so I left him alone even though I was very worried.

When Mark awoke on Wednesday morning the left side of his face was now also bright red and swollen. His eyes were both swollen shut. To say I felt panicky is to put it mildly. I took him straight up to see our local GP and he was even shocked to see the state of Mark's face. Our family doctor, too, wasn't sure what the cause was because if it was shingles they don't usually go past the mid point of the face where the nerves end. So he sent Mark home with some stronger antibiotics - penicillin, anti-virals & stronger pain killers, saying that he was very concerned because the infection (unknown cause) was so close to Mark's brain and of course his eyes.

By Thursday morning a few tiny spots of his normal colour was coming through on the right side of Mark's face but his eyes were still swollen shut and he still had a high temperature and was in a lot of pain. Mark slept all day again and was not the least bit interested in eating. By 8pm that night I was getting very concerned because Mark was barely rousable so I insisted we go back up to the hospital.

After seven hours in the emergency department the doctors, still be-fuddled, decided to admit Mark to the hospital and to put him on some stronger intravenous antibiotics, anti-virals & pain killers. Luckily Mark still has his sense of humour because when describing his face I said the only way I could describe it is looking like a baboon's bottom! and he laughed at that.

So that is where he has been since then and today we are hoping that he will be able to come home. The swelling has gone down, his face is still a little red, and the pain is almost gone thank God. Our cat, Meesha, will be very happy to see Mark home because Mark is her favourite and she has been walking from one end of the house to the other for days now howling because he's not here.

After blood tests each day he's been in hospital they are still no wiser as to the cause of all this. I have a theory about that though, because, a week prior to the rash appearing Mark went into the city (Melbourne) on the train and I believe that he touched a railing or something on which the virus' that caused this lay in wait.

Anyway, I am just so grateful to God that He has given the wonderful doctors and staff at the Maroondah Hospital the knowledge and wisdom to assist in His healing work on my precious son.

The photo below I took just after Mark had his right eye tested at the hospital on our first visit and you can see how badly his right eye is swollen shut.