Infection
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Suddenly I’m shivering, suddenly I’m shaking
Fevers and chills, sweats in the making
Onset of infection is a roller coaster
Trying to stay warm as toast in a toaster
Temperature rises, no surprises
I’m desperately hoping it stabilises
Hot water bottle and plastic thermal heat pack
Practical tactics as I’m trying to bounce back
Here is a patient who wants to get better
Doing as I’m told, I’m a real go-getter
Here is a nurse who looks after me
Calling for a doctor to come and see
Here is a doctor who does lots of checks
Prescribing medication to see its effects
Each play our part and my temperature drops
After several days the fever stops!
This poem is based upon the poem “From a Railway Carriage” by Robert Louis Stevenson and the rhythm suits the pattern of a typical infection cycle of shivers and shakes followed by fevers and sweats that continuously repeated itself. The infections were hard work, exhausting and resulted in several stays in the ward having antibiotics continuously pumped through my body for hours on end. The other unnerving thing was the speed of onset. One moment I’d be fine and then literally the next I’d be shivering, shaking and feeling very unwell. Following chemotherapy, my blood counts would be low and I would have little or no white blood cells, particularly neutrophils to tackle the infection, so a risky situation where sepsis can easily set in.
Flynne’s Barn is a place where young people living with cancer can come together and find connection in beautiful surroundings and provides a range of immersive outdoor and creative experiences. I am sharing one poem per day during September 2022 to raise money for this charity. To DONATE, visit my GO FUND ME page. Many thanks.
MDS UK is the only charity in the UK focused solely to Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) which is an umbrella term for a range of rarer and less well known blood cancers. The organisation is been dedicated to provide support and information to families affected by the disease, and running campaigns to ensure access to the right care and treatment for the patients, with emphasis on quality of life. MDS UK is also supporting research towards a cure for MDS.
