The Scare of a Lifetime: My Story Part 2

This is the continuation of my last post, The Scare of a Lifetime: My Story.

When they finally got me to the emergency room, they had to roll me over to a different bed. At this time, I thought "Oh no! Please dont!" It was really hard as everytime they had to roll me I could feel my bones clicking and grating like crazy. My body started shaking as if I was having an epileptic fit.

In the ambulance I was given a cannula and now in hospital they give me another... and this was because they wanted to give me a button to give me some medication and that I could press it when ever I wanted provided there was a five minute limit till I could press it again. 

The medication they gave me, Fentinel I really don't know how to spell that but since I am allergic to Morphine and sadly large doses of Codeine, which sucked so bad. I was in a bad shape and there was nothing I could do about it.

After some time they decided I needed an X-ray, I told them I had metal on my pants  they decided that that was totally fine. After having plenty of X-rays in my time I thought that was completely outrageous. You are not allowed to have any form of Metal on your body otherwise it would come through on the X-ray and could ruin it in away that it would make it harder to see if there is in damage.

So I went for the X-ray as I cried out in pain... but they were able to work around me and try to make it easier by putting the film under the draw sheet I was on. When I was taken back to the emergency room, they then decided yes I had broken but it was difficult to see all the damage due to my pants. I'm there going "wow, you just figured that out" of course I said that in my head, they asked me to if it was possible to take off my pants... 

How the Fuc* was I supposed to take off my pants!!! I broke my pelvis, I couldn't sit up!! I couldn't even move my legs properly!! 

I said to them, no, you have to cut them. I can't take them off, you will have to cut them. Around about 10 - 20 minutes later they decide to cut them off. They said I needed to have an MRI because my bones are so delicate they couldn't see it and this would allow to see the damage that was done..

That was just as painful! I had to be moved again on to another bed type thing so they could put me in the machine. Fantastic. 

By the way guys that was sarcasm!

After all of that, they said I had multiple fractures of my pelvis and hip. I am there thinking to myself: wow, I knew that already! I mean the pain wasn't enough for them to realise I broke. They didn't seem to worry about the fact I couldn't feel my legs because I could move them, they just said to keep an eye on the colour. Yeah, that's really what you tell a person who is already scared to death.  My head was just rattled with the thought was I going to be able to talk again?

The night still wasn't over, since I couldn't sit up or really move I had to have a catheter or what americans would call a "Foley". I felt violated, I had to demand female doctors do it due to recent experiences but still the worst experience ever.

They couldn't get it in properly. I had to try and move my legs so the could get it in and then tape it to my leg... As I said, worst experience.

Around 2am, they move me from emergency to like an orthopaedic ward or something, I broke around 6pm. It took them that long to actually look after me and for a bloody X-ray and MRI at this point I was so exhausted from crying and so in pain that made it hard to want to sleep. 

This ward they move me to, I had over five nurses around me, shouting out ways to get me to yet again another bed. I had been moved over 6 times from bed to stretcher to bed again... I thought to myself I wonder because I was moved so many times if they caused more damage than good. And now I was proved right, the next incident made it more dramatic and so painful. They finally suggested that they use a lifter, as I have told nurses about this, they said that they shouldn't have done that.

So they slide panels up and down my body trying to what they called "slowly" slide them underneath me without me moving. But they missed one...

Under my bum, support my bum, when they started to lift me I started to fall through, I screamed as my mother and a friend was terrified, they and other patients in that long room could hear my bones crack and snap. They lifted me down back to the bed I was on before, going crook at me telling me "why are you screaming, you have had your medication we can't give you anymore", "stop crying your waking up the other patients". At this time my whole body was shaking, my mouth to, my teeth were chattering as if I was cold.

They tried again after they put another panel under me near my bottom to support it...making sure I don't fall through. After this, I didn't trust the nurses that night... as I was in so much pain, I could only sleep two maybe three hours.

This was considered the worst 8 hours maybe more of my life. Breaking my pelvis I actually broke, my sacrum, pubic bone, front and back as well as my left hip. But that wasn't all, Severe nerve damage to my left leg. I was in Nepean hospital for a week when they finally decided I needed an operation. I was then sent to Weststmead Hospital on the 5th. But thats another story...

The scare of a lifetime: My story

Hey Bloggers!

Wow, I've been really slack! I haven't been on here for ages. Well, don't worry because I have stories to tell you!!

So, for all new readers, I will start by saying; Hey, my name is Peyton Richardson. I'm 25 years old and have a disability known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta so basically, brittle bones. I was diagnosed with O.I when I was 6 weeks old. Right now, I have broken my bones over 200 times and lost count. Seriously, it's kinda hard to keep count all the time. Especially when you have so many operations and hospital visits, you end up knowing the hospital staff very well at the end of each visit and which staff and doctors to avoid.

So now the real story begins;

I was sent to Nepean Hospital's emergency ward on Thursday 27th of February, 2014. 

My accident, I was at Blaxland McDonalds and was walking to the car in the wet and rain when I suddenly slid and slipped on the tactile pavement (for the blind) and fell on my lower back and pelvis. As I screamed out in utter shock I tried to sit up but couldn't. I was in so much pain, until I realised I couldn't feel my legs, apparently I could move them a little but I couldn't feel them. The sudden urge to panic and cry out in pain, screaming out "help me!" and "call an ambulance". I had to lay there for almost half an hour, soaking wet from the rain and being stuck in one position on the ground, barely unable to move.

At this time, a staff of McDonalds has come to try and help by just putting her hand to support my back. The other staff member takes her time and comes out basically demanding me to fill in an accident report, a customer who has been by myside says that it was not a real good time right now. The staff member did not give up and asks a 15 year old who was with me at the time of the accident but did not really see how I fell, so her discription she gave to them was actually inaccurate. 

I was so angry and scared also in pain, how was someone able to give them detailed discription of what happened when fearing for their life that they could loose the ability to use their legs.

When laying there I found out by other customers that I was not the first to slip and that the tactile pavement was glossed over - apparently that is not allowed. Well, I can see why that isn't allowed. Some say I should sue, leave your comments and tell me your opinion.

If you want to know more about my story give it a like and follow my blog!

Who's afraid of the working class?

Who's Afraid? was a small production that took place at Actors College of Theater and Television Directed by Glen Hamilton. My group, known as CORE 3 worked together as this was our last performance and part of our completion of a year's work.

We performed for three nights and had fun stepping into the world of our characters and getting to explore them like we got too. Our performance contained small parts of different working class people, so there was enough roles to go around as we were a really small group and all had major parts to play. I wont lie to you it was definitely a lot of work, we had to do our own lighting and sound tech for the production which we, the class, took turns of doing but it was an enjoyable experience for each of us.

As for my part in the play, I got to work with two amazing people Eva and Genevieve. Both extremely talented and a pleasure to work with. As Genevieve and I were the youngest out of the class, we got to play school girls who were good at causing trouble, they get caught for shoplifting and end up in a cop station for hours waiting to be released only to find out that it ends badly for them.

Our part of the play was definitely the comedy, we made people laugh each night, and had to really try to maintain our characters on stage which we did find really hard. Our characters were still seen as the innocence and the light of the performance, as other parts of the play were under the drama category. It was an amazing experience and I enjoyed every moment of it.

The cop was played by Eva, Katina played by Genevieve, Peyton as Trisha.

My views on discrimination for disabled people

Hey Viewers, I just read some blogs on my friends website which I recommened you should look at: http://www.candoability.com.au/CDA/Blog when i read some of the articles that she found, I could not believe my eyes. My stomach churned at what these articles were saying. One definately had me going, about: http://www.candoablity.com.au/CDA/Blogs/The-Disabled-Should-All-Be-Sent-To-Siberia-To-Freeze-To-Death_121.html And a more recent article: http://www.candoability.com.au/CDA/Blog/Cop-Confuses-Cerebral-Palsy-With-Drunkeness_131.html I think its disgusting and disgraceful what some of society has become, we as a society should be advancing and beoming more accepting. As time has gone by there have been struggles on colour also same sex couples and now people who are disabled are getting the same treatment as these other groups have. Our society is suppose to be moving forward, but it seems we are stuck in the past, we as a community do not like change, or anything or anyone to be different. Everyone in Australia is different, some come from different backgrounds, cultures, some have blue eyes some have brown, tall, thin, short, fat. It shouldn't matter because in the end you are judging everyone by their covers, but that is not what really matters. Move forward. Move on and show Acceptance and Respect.

O.I Conference - Beyond the Breaks

A beautiful video/slideshow of the memories we had for the O.I conference 2011. Photographer: Sara.

Hey all you bloggers,

I decided to upload pictures on here of the O.I conference that went from the 25th - 27th of March this year. I was totally surprised by how much were involved and suffer Osteogenesis Imperfecta as I grew up not knowing anyone, I felt quite at home after the first hour as I started to get to know others. I no longer felt alone.

Shandelle, Peyton and Jared

As the second day went on, we all knew it was going to be jammed packed with different talks, we had Professor David Sillence talking to us about O.I and what was new, there was talks on spinal complications - which I might add had a lot of long words in there that I cannot pronounce. Talks of the Basilar Impression, O.I issues in preschool and primary school children, wish they had that around in my day. There was talks on Northcott with Andrew Longhurst, practical living tips and Fiona Winters talked to us about women with O.I and having children.

Jodie and Kristian releasing balloons in the memory of Celeste Bonetti who suffered O.I Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

in the Background, Jared, Kate, Abby and Mel.

With all the information and talks that were done over the weekend, I was amazed. It also felt good to know all this information for me so that I can take it into the future. I was also amazed by these people who have suffered O.I and yet there all inspirational people who definitely have a fun and cheeky side. I was blessed to be able to come to this conference and get to be able to exchange details and talk to them on Facebook. They are truly amazing people who will always help out each other and support each other as family.

Julie and Peyton

Ace, Peyton and Shandelle

My Story - Growing up with O.I

"I was always determined to follow my dreams with dignity and passion. I wouldn't let my disability get to me" - Peyton

My story started on the 3rd of January in 1989.

I was born at the Royal Women's Children's Hospital in Melbourne, where no doctors ever thought I could have been born with a disability, not even realizing that I broke my ribs and collar bone in that minute I was born. My mother was the only one who could tell something was not right, she noticed signs through my cries, sadly, the doctors kept telling my mother that I was perfectly healthy. It wasn't until I was six weeks old I was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type 1.

When I was a baby I was constantly in plaster, I would break every six months maybe even shorter than that. When I reached three years old, I broke over 104 bones. I would break my ribs just by coughing or sneezing, but I guess what made my mum so proud was that I would always have a smile on my face, that I was brave in the face of the unknown.

Growing up was definately a challenge for me, I was not only disabled but went through child abuse due to my biological father. My family, mother and siblings, found this was hard. We managed through it when he left and my mother became the single parent of three. I was constantly in hospital getting re-rodded and breaking it was a lot on my mother and siblings.

During primary school it was definitely hard making friends. Although I don't remember a lot, I loved playing sports, I was in to swimming, basketball and baseball. All I can say was I was a little bit of a dare devil.

In my teens I got sent to Westmead Children's Hospital and was to be started on Permidronate, to strengthen my bones. In the first year of this I was then starting to walk again, feeling stronger and happier. Although there were some days where I felt sore and fatigued I managed it better than before. The doctors at Westmead noticed a major change in me as I became more mobile and had a lot more strength. Friends and family even started to notice.

As I broke my leg for my sixteenth birthday, everything started to go down hill, I was socially and emotionally unstable and I went through a major depression. I was in plaster for six months so I decided to go back to Westmead to fix the problem in my leg, which they then started me on Hydrotherapy and took me off the Permidronate. Within weeks I was becoming stronger; and became one of the highest level of achievers at the Westmead children's hospital I was to model in their 2006 Kidz Kalendar.

Time has passed since then, I have broken over 200 bones now but able to now ride a bike, play active sports and be a normal 22 year old. Although I still must watch out for breaking, I have become stronger both emotionally and well as physically. I know that I have a challenging but adventurous life ahead of me but now I know, I am not alone.

Right now, I am studying at Actors College of Theater and Television, hoping to get my diploma and to be an actress, I also would love to even start my own studio to teach disabled children and people of all ages, acting and dancing. Also right now, I am currently writing a book which I hope will be a big success and still would like to even keep modeling as well.