Author: James O'Brien

Born: Lismore / Widjabul Wia-Bal - Bundjalung Live : Sydney / Gadigal - Eora Also : Brisbane, Bourke, Renmark, Wagga, Perth Pronouns : He/him/his.
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Drink Fluids

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My head was spinning, my vision blurred, and I even experienced a bout of vomiting, when I woke this moring. Thankfully, the vomit was limited to a nearby t-shirt. This was a far cry from my previous hospital visit when my niece exclaimed, “there was vomit EVERYWHERE.”

For a good half hour, I was genuinely frightened, uncertain about what might unfold next.

Last night, my blood sugar levels had been well within the normal range, but my first thought naturally gravitated towards the possibility of high or low blood sugar levels.… Read the rest “Drink Fluids”

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Back on my own feet

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There is something oddly liberating about being able to pee in a bottle during the middle of the night instead of having to put on my prosthetic leg. “That’s one advantage you guys have,” a number of women have pointed out in recent conversations.

While emptying my bladder into a bottle felt quite natural in a hospital setting, it took a bit of mental adjustment to do it at home, in the comfort of my own bed.… Read the rest “Back on my own feet”

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Lessons learned from a weekend at home

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“The way she took control, she must have been a nurse or school teacher,” my friend and I concluded after a brief encounter with a woman at today’s “Yes” march in Sydney. “Excuse me, excuse me, there’s a wheelchair coming through,” she declared, and like Moses parting the Red Sea, she found us a clear path through the bustling crowd.

“Everyone is incredibly kind,” my friend observed, noting not only people’s willingness to make way but also their eagerness to engage.… Read the rest “Lessons learned from a weekend at home”

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Countdown

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Tears welled up in my eyes, a rare occurrence over the past several weeks, as I found myself in the company of Michelle and Karran at Sydney’s Beecham Hotel, formerly known as Beauchamp Hotel.

Michelle was sharing the details of the phone call Pat had received on that fateful Saturday morning, right after I had been admitted to the hospital. “Oh, no, no,” Pat had said, before taking charge of the call. Michelle, being a nurse, was uniquely positioned, grappling with the emotions of a close family member in distress, while comprehending the gravity of my condition.… Read the rest “Countdown”

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