ER Return, Inability to Eat, and Ongoing Assault-Like Pain¶
Day 4 · 1:19:01 · Shannon Holmes · Glen Motz · Myriam Bohémier
- 🚑 Unable to eat—food felt like glass and car-crash digestion—she had friends call an ambulance the next day.
- 🦷 In triage she described skin electrocution, stabbing, choking, and the sensation of nails and teeth being ripped out; all persist.
- 💊 Current pain runs 8–9/10 after driving to Ottawa; post-exertional malaise can bed-bind her for days or permanently.
Cascade from first night into multi-system agony and dependence on medication.
← First Night: Electrocution Seizures and Stabbing Back Pain | Life Five Years On: Homebound, Referrals Rejected →
Transcript¶
Shannon Holmes · 1:19:01
Yeah.
Shannon Holmes · 1:19:02
And that's when I developed the pain going through my back and everything. And then I also throughout the day because I— sorry, I looked at my daughter and she's crying. So I also started developing where I couldn't eat. Anytime I ate anything, I felt like I was digesting a car crash. I just felt like shards of glass were going through my system. So I actually couldn't eat anything. And I, I had called friends because my kids were still young. This is 5 years ago. And so I called friends to come over because I knew I needed to get to the hospital. And so they came and they called the ambulance and, and then I got taken to the hospital. And when I arrived, I was sort of in the triage session, I guess.
Shannon Holmes · 1:20:09
And so they came up and they're like, okay, so what else is going on with you? And I'm like, I feel like my skin is being electrocuted. I feel like I'm getting stabbed. I said there's something wrong with my back and I feel like I'm being choked. And I said I can't eat anything. And I also developed this other feeling where I feel like my— all my nails and my teeth are being ripped off of me constantly.
Glen Motz · 1:20:37
Sorry, this is another description, almost like as if you're being assaulted.
Shannon Holmes · 1:20:41
Yes.
Glen Motz · 1:20:43
And is this still going on?
Shannon Holmes · 1:20:47
Yes.
Glen Motz · 1:20:47
Are you feeling that way right now?
Myriam Bohémier · 1:20:53
Yes.
Glen Motz · 1:20:53
I'm on medication.
Shannon Holmes · 1:20:54
Yeah.
Glen Motz · 1:20:55
So you're on a lot of medication right now, also part to mitigate pain?
Shannon Holmes · 1:20:59
Yeah.
Glen Motz · 1:21:00
What's your, what's your pain like right now?
Shannon Holmes · 1:21:03
Um, probably about an 8 or a 9 because I drove in yesterday.
Glen Motz · 1:21:09
Okay, so the act of having to drive here so you could testify, you're being punished for that physically?
Shannon Holmes · 1:21:14
Yes.
Glen Motz · 1:21:16
That's another part of your condition, is if you're going to do something You get penalized.
Shannon Holmes · 1:21:23
Yes.
Myriam Bohémier · 1:21:23
Oh, yes.
Shannon Holmes · 1:21:25
And the problem with that is the more I do— there's something called post-exertion malaise, PEM. And when you do that, if you push yourself and you end up— I'll end up in bed for days. That could actually end up being my new norm. I could actually not recover from that.
Glen Motz · 1:21:52
So what, what is it like? So this happened years ago, 5 years. Um, what's your condition today? Like, are you, um, are you able to live independently?