The health insurance that we receive here is excellent and we can have annual wellness checks. You may remember that our first health check in 2021 found the tumor which led to me having my kidney removed and potentially saved my life. So I am a big fan.

This year I went for my tests quite happily only to be told that I had some nodules on my thyroid (the technician called them noodles- bless) These are quite common in women especially as we age. Normally these are benign but this year the clinic noticed a change. Some of the nodules had hardened and become irregular in shape. I was offered a biopsy which I decided to take because thyroid cancer is a silent killer and without these tests I would have no idea.

The biopsy was booked for Sunday lunchtime and in the absence of Kevin, my friend Leping accompanied me. This was a shrewd move as she speaks mandarin and excellent English. Even though this was an international clinic is is helpful to have a native language speaker along.

We were talked to by the surgeon in advance who told me that the procedure was quick and simple and not too painful. All good news. However I was to be careful for 24 hours afterwards and not 1. take a hot shower 2. Eat hot food 3. Play sports 4. Get angry, as these factors could increase the risk of minor vessel ruptures. Not a problem I thought.

Off we went to the ultrasound room and I lay down. The needle was very fine and I didn’t feel too much as it went in. A bit of tugging as they extracted the cells and it was all over after 20 seconds.

However when they applied a dressing to the puncture point I though ouch. THAT bit hurts. They sat me up and asked me to swallow and it was painful. Immediately they lay me back down and did another ultrasound of the area which wasn’t pleasant as it felt extremely tender. Then they said I had some internal bleeding.

The doctor produced a block of ice wrapped in a towel and suggested that I lay down on a recovery bed for 30 mins holding the ice against the site. I dutifully did this meanwhile Leping googled thyroid biopsy and bleeding to discover that this complication is quite rare. If ice doesn’t work then they can give a pill to stop the bleeding but if that doesn’t work then surgery is sometimes necessary.

Fortunately after 30 mins of a cold numbing neck I had a further ultrasound and was told that the bleeding has stopped and I could go home. Phew.

It had all been a bit traumatic and not as straightforward as I had hoped so when I got home I decided to have a rest and went to bed for a nap.

About an hour later I surfaced and decided that it was time to call Kevin who should be awake. We were having a chat about what had happened when I suddenly began to feel unwell. Swallowing became painful again and I had pain on the right hand side of my face up to my ear. Kevin has since told me that he was worried because it sounded as though I was choking.

I tried lying down but my throat felt so uncomfortable that I had to get up. I googled pain swallowing after thyroid biopsy and it said that you need to call your doctor. So I did. Eventually I got hold of the surgeon but by then I was sobbing down the phone and he said he would send a nurse in a car to see me.

I called Leping who didn’t answer as she was cleaning at her father’s place. I thought I would have to go back alone but I knew that I needed to go back. The pain was getting worse and worse. I called Shifu and (I don’t know how but) he managed to reach Leping. I must have sounded desperate because they came immediately.

I was relieved, as this was Sunday afternoon and I knew that the clinic was going to close. I put my phone in my pocket and had the presence of mind to pick up my health insurance card as I thought I might have to pay for another ultrasound. I staggered downstairs to wait in the lobby.

The 20 minute wait for the nurse was excruciating as my throat was getting tighter and more constricted. As it happened my good friend Sasha was passing through the lobby on her way out just as Leping arrived. She was shocked at how I looked. I gasped out an explanation and she very kindly stayed with me. Other concerned teachers saw me and offered help but I was in terrible pain by then and barely registered them.

The nurse arrived took one look at my now extremely swollen throat and said she was taking me to the nearest public hospital’s emergency room. At that point I realized that all was very definitely not well.

To be honest the 20 min drive to the hospital was a nightmare. I wished that we had a blue light but we didn’t. We sat in traffic and waited for lights to turn or traffic to turn right. There isn’t a central Ambulance service here unlike the UK. Ambulances will come but then take you to the hospital that they originated from. It was the best way to get there. It just didn’t feel like it at the time. The nurse used her horn a couple of times which is very unusual in China.

Once we finally arrived the nurse checked me in and paid the check in fee herself. I have no idea how much that was but I am eternally grateful. I am hoping that insurance will sort everything out at the end of the day.

I was taken to a triage doctor who I wouldn’t let touch my throat as it felt on fire. He said I should go to the international ward, being a foreigner. We set off walking down multiple corridors and up to the 23rd floor. Only to be told that there was no doctor there that day and they only had one nurse. So we had to stagger back. At that point I just wanted a wheelchair. Leping found one. You pay to unlock it using a QR code and it is up to your relations or friends to sort this for you.

Back to the triage doctor who sent me for a CT scan. They confirmed that I was bleeding internally. The doctor kept saying that this was dangerous. I think that if your airways get too constricted with the blood then you can die.

They wheeled me into ICU and sat me on a bed. They put oxygen on and I began to breath more easily. They hooked me up to a drip and told Leping that it was medicine to stop the bleeding. Everything but everything had to be translated.

I had to sit upright because lying down felt like choking. I realize now that I have an appreciation of what it must feel like to be strangled or choked to death.

The thyroid specialist at the Shanghai East hospital was at home on a Sunday afternoon but he was called in as this was an emergency!!!

Leping and Sasha were beyond great. They contacted school, my line manger, Kevin and the insurance company. I was under Doctors orders not to speak. Not that I could much. They arranged everything.

After several hours there it was decided that I needed to be admitted and given more medicine intravenously. I had 1 bag of something to stop the bleeding, 2 bags of antibiotics and 1 of glucose.

I was told that I couldn’t eat or drink anything in case the bleeding didn’t stop and I would need to be taken for emergency surgery! Fortunately for me I was stabilizing and that didn’t happen but it was a tense time waiting.

The school sent Nurse Jenny to stay with me. It is the custom here for the nurses on the wards to only do medical procedures and your family or friends do all the other care (like finding a wheelchair for you) Shifu and Sasha went home and got some essentials for me like a toothbrush, toilet paper (you provide your own) and PJs. You have to provide everything yourself here, even a spoon and a mug for your food!!!

Fortunately I was given a private room and Jenny was able to sleep on the camp cot. She had a busy night as I slept only fitfully. I was attached to the drip which made going to the bathroom a bit difficult.

I had another brick of ice wrapped up in some old hospital pajama bottoms! So I had a cold neck all night.

Nurse Jenny managed to persuade them to give me a painkiller shot. Mind you she had to ask three times. China is SO reluctant to give any pain relief.

In the morning the ice trick must have worked because I felt a little stronger. I think the big bleed has finally stopped but the swelling hasn’t gone down yet. So I am rocking a bullfrog look at the moment.

The Doctors visited and said that I have a high white blood cell count which means that I am fighting an infection. The swelling hasn’t gone down so they want me to have 4 more bags of antibiotics by IV

Nurse Jenny had to leave mid morning so when you don’t have a family member with you, you can employ the services of an Ayi. She costs me approx £30 for a day and she helps to take me to the toilet with my drip (as mentioned a challenging event) and she helps with my bed and food etc.

She doesn’t speak any English and so we communicate a lot by mime.

I wasn’t allowed food or drink until 10am this morning just in case I needed the emergency surgery if the bleeding hadn’t stopped or had got worse. So now I am back on Chinese hospital food. It’s a good job that I quite like congee (rice porridge)

Leping is coming back and will stay with me tonight. When I get discharged I will not be able to cope with the paperwork on my own as it’s all in mandarin!!!

The chief doctor from the clinic where I had the biopsy done came to visit. He said in all the times that they have done this procedure I am the only one to have these complications. So I guess I will go down in their history books!!! He was so sweet and brought me two boxes of fruit. He thinks I should stay in for 4-5 days until the swelling goes down but we will see what the doctors here think. I certainly don’t feel right just yet.

He did bring one piece of good news. The biopsy results came back as benign. Phew!

The hospital doctor has just visited as said that I am no longer in a life threatening position and can go home after tomorrow. But not back to work until the swelling goes down.

Everyone here has been so kind and supported me with prayers and good wishes.

What an end to the school year!!!