Sunday 2nd December 2012

5:30am, what am I doing awake, it so early. Oh, that’s right! As I chuck in my bucket for the hundredth time, I think to myself that it going to stop. It’s got to stop.

As I just lay there in bed, exhausted and tired, I tried to wake Steve. “Honey, I know you didn’t come to bed till really late last night, so I’m going to ask Dad to take me to Flinders. I think I need to be admitted again.” Steve then opened his eyes and told me to do whatever I had to, to get better. I rang Dad and asked him to pick me up and drive me to Flinders. Within 20 minutes, he had the car reversed in the driveway ready for me to get in. As we drove to Flinders, I noticed that Dad didn’t look well. I asked him if he was ok, and he replied saying that he spent the night at Noarlunga and only got back home when I called him. I felt so bad. Here was my Dad, driving me to Flinders while he hasn’t had any sleep and was still feeling crappy. Dad drove up the Emergency ramp and dropped me off at the Emergency entrance. I stumbled trying to get my handbag out of the car, and as I got my balance back, I noticed 2 ambulance officers watching me. “Oh no, not the chuck bucket” one of them said to me. I just gave him a little smile and said, “Its my best friend” and walked inside and checked in. Dad came in 5 minutes later and sat next to me, and started rubbing my back. I was hunched over my bucket, vomiting over and over again. I didn’t care who was watching me in the Emergency Department. It was about 7am, and the nurse came around to check my temperature, blood pressure and to see if I needed anything. They always took good care of me. I decided to call Mum and let her know what was happening. Once I got off the phone, the nurse called my name, and with Dad holding me up, we walked to the Emergency beds. As soon as I laid on the bed, I had to vomit, so Dad gave me a vomit bag and started rubbing my back again.

The doctor came around and told me the usual, that I was severely dehydrated and that they would be putting in a gelco and giving me a few bags of fluids, as well as some IV Ondansetron. I passed out after they left. I remember waking up to Dad sitting on the end of the bed, rubbing my foot. I told him to go home and get some sleep, Steve would be here soon. He just sat there and watched me, with tears in his eyes. I’ve never seen my Dad cry or get emotional before. He didn’t want to leave, but he had to. As I gave him a little wave goodbye, and I saw tears start to roll down the side of his face, and then he was gone. It got me started. I laid there, in and out of consciousness for about 3 hours. The nurses came and checked on me, to see how my blood pressure was going etc. Steve came in at about 1pm, and gave me a kiss on the forehead. “How are you feeling, honey?” he asked. I replied with a sigh. By 3pm, the doctor came in and told me that the ward was ready for me, so off we went to 4SMG again. I got comfy in my bed and went to sleep.

I was discharged on Wednesday 5th of December 2012 and returned home again, with more medication and more scripts.

Friday 7th December 2012

It was my birthday. The big 2-1. How am I meant to be excited about my birthday when I feel like this? Steve rolled over to face me in bed, as I laid there tired and exhausted. “Happy birthday my love!” he said, kissed my forehead and handed me a card and a box. I opened both of them, to find a gold diamond heart pendant and chain that he had bought me. It was gorgeous! As Steve left for work, Mum came round and helped set up for my party, for the following day. She cleaned the inside of the house and the outside, set up all the chairs and tables and brought food over ready for the BBQ lunch. I felt so bad that I couldn’t help her.

Saturday 8th December 2012

I couldn’t believe how many of our family members where present at my party. It felt amazing to see them all again. The BBQ was going, snacks were on the tables and everyone was engaging in conversations with each other. As I sat in a chair with my chuck bucket, Steve whispered in my ear, if we should tell everyone that we are pregnant. I nodded in response. As we got everyone’s attention, Steve and I stood up and announced that we were expecting our first child together. Everyone started cheering and clapping. We then told them all about how sick I've been and that’s why I was carrying around a bucket, just in case. As everyone left, they all came to Steve and I and congratulated us and gave us big hugs and kisses. What a day, I actually ate food, saw our families again for the first time in months and I didn’t even vomit once! Awesome!

Monday 17th December 2012

9:30am, and I’m on my way to Noarlunga, again. I couldn’t stop vomiting for the last week. 7.5 hours later, a number of bags of fluids, more IV Ondansetron and I was on my way home again.

Monday 24th December 2012

It was almost Christmas, and I was in Noarlunga, again. 6 hours later, more fluids drained into me, more IV Ondansetron and I was able to go home.

Monday 31st December 2012

New Years Eve, and I was on my way to Flinders. I couldn’t stop vomiting, just one after the other. I couldn’t keep a lollypop or water down, for the last couple of days. As Steve and I waited in the Emergency Department, we noticed that it was rather quiet, for a New Years Eve. As the nurse called my name, we walked over to the beds and she got me hooked up to the drip and gave me some IV Ondansetron. She then took my blood sugar level, and within a few seconds she walked out to see the doctor. The doctor came in and said that I’d be having a pure glucose drip, due to my blood sugar reading being 1, when its meant to be around 6 or 7. After a few hours, the glucose drip finished and then I was back onto the normal fluids. I just tried to sleep as much as I could, I was so tired. The doctor came around and said that I was going to be admitted, and that 4SMG would be closed for the next few days. So at 1:30am, I was moved to ward 5D to where they had a bed waiting for me. Steve tucked me in and gave me a kiss goodnight and said he will be back tomorrow. I’m so lucky that I’ve got him in my life. I then fell asleep within minutes of him leaving. 


I was discharged from Flinders on the 10th of January 2013. I ended up going in and out of Flinders and Noarlunga for the next 4 months for the same treatment. 

Tuesday November 13th 2012

I’ve had enough. I can’t keep going like this. I’ve been constantly vomiting for the last week and a half. I can’t keep anything down. Not even water. This is it, I need help.

I remember waking up, and as soon as my eyes opened, I vomited into my chuck bucket. I slowly got up out of bed, and walked to the toilet to get rid of it. I sat on the bathroom mat, in the frog position, with my bucket in between my hands, and vomiting again and again. I can’t do this. It needs to stop. I walked back to the bedroom, and shook Steve until he was awake. “Honey, I can’t keep doing this, I need to go to hospital.” Within 10 minutes, we were out the door and driving to Noarlunga Community Hospital. Walking to the Emergency Entrance was like walking through the desert. I was hunched over, clutching my bucket and going to pass out at any moment, I could feel it. We stood in line at the window and said to the nurse that I couldn’t stop vomiting and I’m 6 weeks pregnant. She then asked me how long has it been since I had gone to do a wee, and I replied at least a few days. She then took me round the back, behind the desk and told me to lie down on the bed, and someone will be with me shortly. Within about 15 minutes, a nurse was in front of me, asking me about my symptoms etc. I told her. A few moments later, she came back with a bag of fluids, some IV Maxalon and a gelco, that she was going to put in my arm.

She put the gelco in my arm, and started taking my bloods. Once she got all the blood she needed, she hooked me up to my first, of many, bags of fluid and gave me the Maxalon. I was still vomiting an hour and a half later. The doctor came in and said told me that the “morning sickness” would stop when I’ve reached 12 weeks. He then gave me some stronger anti-nausea medication, Ondansetron. The whole time I was there, I couldn’t keep my eyes off Steve. He was my rock through everything, still is and always will be.

8 hours later, 4 bags of fluids down, 2 lots of IV anti-nausea drugs down, I was allowed to go home. We left Noarlunga and headed for home, but half way down the road, I started vomiting again. I just started crying. I just want it to stop! Once we got home, I went straight to bed and slept for a few hours.

Thursday 15th November 2012

Not again! Ever since I left Noarlunga on Tuesday, I couldn’t stop vomiting. Off to Noarlunga we go, again. 6 hours later, 3 bags of fluids down and more IV anti-nausea drugs, we left and went home. On the way, you guessed it, I started vomiting again.

Friday 16th November 2012

Blood, how? I started vomiting up pure red blood and I knew I had to see my GP, cause this isn’t just morning sickness. I rang the doctors and made an appointment. I ended up calling mum and asking if she could take me, cause Steve was still recovering from the night before, as we didn’t get home till really late. She came and picked me up and took me to see my GP. As I left the car and started walking to the front door of the doctors, I vomited, right in front of the receptionist. Great. They saw how sick I was and took me to the treatment room, out the back. We waited and waited, for my GP. All I did was zoned in and out on the bed. I was so exhausted. She finally came in and saw me. Mum ended up telling her that I just came out of Noarlunga, that I haven’t been able to stop vomiting for the past week or so, and that I was 6 weeks pregnant. She looked at my tongue and saw how dehydrated I was. She then told me to go to Flinders Medical Centre immediately and go straight to Emergency.

We got home after the appointment and Steve stood at the door, with a concerned look on his face. “What’s going on?” he said. Mum filled him in as I went back to bed, which Steve had made. I started vomiting again, and mum came rushing in looking for a bag, to pack a few things in that I might need while at the hospital. Steve ended up bringing in all the things I’d need, and mum put them in the bag. After 20 minutes, I was in the car with mum, headed for Flinders, with Steve frantically calling everyone, to let them know what was going on. We arrived at Flinders and they took me straight to a bed, where they put another gelco in. A bag of fluids was then drained into me, with more Ondansetron injected into the IV line. I was so out of it, I felt like I’d pass out. I was so exhausted and so over being so sick. Steve came rushing in, trying to find me. He then told mum to go home and get some rest cause it was getting late, which she did. Steve sat there at the end of the bed, just watching me, holding my leg and rubbing my back every time I vomited. 

Late Friday night, while still in Emergency, the doctor came in and spoke to us. He said that I am suffering from a severe case of Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). He also said that I was going to be admitted to 4SMG(maternity and gynaecology ward) and that I’d be staying a while. Steve ended up staying with me, until I got moved to the ward (cause they have a “no visitors after 8pm”, and it was almost 1am). He helped me get comfortable in the bed, tucked me in and he gave me a kiss goodnight and said he will be back tomorrow. I ended up drifting to sleep within a few minutes of him leaving. 

On Sunday the 18th of November 2012, I was discharged from Flinders and went home, for the first time in what felt like ages. I was better. I wasn’t vomiting anymore, and I managed to keep some food down while I was admitted. 

Sunday 25th November 2012

Late Sunday night, I asked Steve to take me back to Noarlunga, cause I couldn’t stop vomiting, even with all my medication and tablets in me, that I left with when I got discharged from Flinders. More bags of fluids and more IV anti-nausea medication were injected into the IV line. I ended up staying the night at Noarlunga Emergency, and I was discharged the following day (Monday 26th November 2012). 

Friday 30th November 2012

Uncontrollable vomiting again, so back I went to Noarlunga. This time, I got mum to take me. 8 hours later, and Steve by my side, after he finished work, 4 bags of fluids down and more IV anti-nausea medication injected, we went home. 

We thought that was the end of it all, but it was only the beginning…

25th October 2012

My alarm woke me up, and as I did every month before my period was due, I routinely checked to see if I was pregnant. So I peed on the pregnancy test and waited. It felt like forever to get a result! After a few minutes, I picked up the test and squinted at it. There was 1 strong line and 1 very faint line. I ran into the bathroom to show Steve and I asked him, "Honey, does it count if theres 1 strong line and 1 faint line?" He said he didn't have a clue. We both just stood there, confused and staring at each other, with huge smiles on our faces. 

That day at work, I asked my very close friend if the 2 lines counted. She said they did, and CONGRATULATIONS! I just stared at her for what felt like ages. During my lunch break, I rang Steve and said to him that it does count and that we were finally pregnant! 

That night, I did another pregnancy test, just to make sure. Sure enough, the 2 lines were there again!


26th October 2012

The next day, I went to the doctors and took my 2 pregnancy tests in to show him. He said, "I knew you were going to come in today and show me something. I just didn't realise that it would be 2 pregnancy tests! Congratulations Chloe, you're definitely pregnant!" I couldn't believe it! FINALLY! We went through my EDD, which is the 7th of July 2013(my mums birthday), what sort of birth I want, which is a waterbirth with no drugs, we went through if I wanted to go privately or publicly, and what I should be taking regarding medications etc. 

Once I got in the car, I rang Steve and told him the news. He still wasn't 100% convinced that we were pregnant, so I went to the chemist and the shops to buy more pregnancy tests. I ended up getting about 4 different brands of tests, and ended up peeing on all of them. They all came back positive! I sent him a picture of all the tests and told him that we were DEFINITELY pregnant. 

Little did we know, that it was just the beginning of something more serious and harmful, than we could have ever imagined...