Louise Thompson has explained to her Instagram followers why she spent Christmas Eve in hospital.
The former Made in Chelsea star, 35, has been open about her health struggles. Last year she revealed she has a stoma bag due to her long-term battle with ulcerative colitis, a bowel condition.
Thompson regularly has check-ups, but her most recent appointment fell on Christmas Eve.
Uploading a selfie in a hospital gown to her 1.5 million Instagram followers, Thompson said she was in hospital for a proctoscopy to examine her anal and rectal health.
“Looks dramatic but it wasn’t. I had a proctoscopy today. It’s like a colonoscopy but not as invasive as I don’t have a colon so there isn’t very far the camera can go,” she wrote.
“Still bloody awkward and a tiny bit uncomfortable but fentanyl is a wonder drug.”
Thompson then reflected on how “lucky” she felt to have the appointment over the festive period.
“These appointments are so important and they managed to fit me in quite urgently so I jumped at the offering of a 24th December date, then when it came around I realised the magnitude of it being Christmas Eve,” she added in another post.
“Despite all the chaos of what I’ve been through, I still think we are incredibly lucky to have the NHS, which NEVER clocks off in case of emergencies.”
She then joked about having “a nice little Christmas Eve camera up my bum”, and added: “The NHS was running in full swing (well not quite but you know what I mean).
“It prompted me to say a big thank you to everyone that is working as part of the NHS over the bank holidays.
“Thanks for keeping the country ticking along and for keeping our loved ones alive.”
Last month, the reality TV star said she nearly died while giving birth to her son, now four, during an emergency caesarean section.
She lost more than three and a half litres of blood and later suffered a second major haemorrhage at home. She said the traumatic complications triggered a series of long-term health problems, including the need for a stoma.
Thompson has worked with former Conservative MP Theo Clarke, who suffered a difficult birth with her three-year-old daughter, to establish the Birth Trauma All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).
