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In the hospital
First, some of this is a little gross so sorry if it's TMI. Mostly posting for support.
And I thought 2007 could not get any worse. On Christmas Eve I was going to go out to a fancy dinner with my immediate family and my brother's girlfriend. Everything was going pretty well until I started to get nauseous. By Christmas day I was vomiting uncontrollably. I stocked up on Pedialyte and assumed that it was gastroenteritis—I was hospitalized with the alleged "stomach flu" only last month and thought maybe it was back. I was supposed to fly out in the afternoon yesterday, but I was doubled over in pain and vomiting about every ten minutes. If I did not drink a bit of liquid or chew on ice, I would vomit brown and yellow bile. My parents and little brother flew out early morning to go to a grand vacation to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Maui—my other brother and I were not invited and they didn't even tell us about it until the 23rd—so I asked my brother to drive me to the ER. He was yelling at my mom on the phone because she was yelling at him to just get me to the airport. She told me just to go to the hospital in Oregon. Thank goodness I did not get on that four-hour plane ride and especially thank goodness that I purchased health insurance after my last hospital stay.
It turns out I had a kidney infection that spread to my blood—septicemia. I have been in the hospital for two days now and I am doing a lot better. My pain level is virtually gone thanks to generous doses of dilaudid (which feels pretty damn good I must say) and I'm on an antibiotic drip as I type this. My brother (the one who is still in town) came to visit with my laptop, my toothbrush and some toothpaste and also paid $5 on his credit card for me to have cable TV and some Hollywood movies to watch. He has been uncharacteristically sweet.
I guess I'm posting this for a few reasons—
1) I really need some kind words. It's kind of depressing to be in the hospital while my family is off to Maui. Now, I definitely did not expect them to cancel their vacation, and in fairness my mom asked me if I wanted her to come back and I said no. Bluntly, I feel like I will probably have a quicker recovery without her here.
2) Please watch out for kidney infections, ladies. I think the huge level of stress I was feeling plus lack of sleep and bad eating habits contributed to the escalation of a simple UTI. I knew something was up, but it felt really minor at first and I didn't think it was going to turn into a big deal. Luckily I went to the ER instead of flying; had my condition been appendicitis, I might have had a very uncomfortable/embarrassing/potentially tragic flight.
3) I have decided to not put myself in stressful situations with my family ever again. You guys might have seen my LO thread about the holiday stress. I 100% believe that this stress contributed to a weakened immune system. I'm just not going to do it anymore. It's not worth it. I'm going to visit my grandma myself several times next year, but not with my family.
4) If you don't have health insurance, get it. I am so glad I have it now; it's made the hospital stay much more pleasant. When I was in the hospital last month, I was having panic attacks thinking of the cost, which turned out to be over 10K. This stay is probably going to cost a pretty penny, but at least I'm covered. I also got a CT scan with no qualms because I knew that my insurance would cover it and I wouldn't have to pay the three grand myself. I wonder if I had a kidney infection last month, too. It's possible. They never really gave me a diagnosis, and I left the hospital a bit too early because I knew I was burning jet fuel there with no insurance. anomar recommended ehealthinsurance.com to me; that's where I got my insurance and I'm so glad I did.
5) I have the utmost respect for nurses. Kaylinn, Hatshepsut, greenidlady and all the other nurses and nurses-in-training on this site I am leaving out—your work is so important. The kindness, warmth and generosity I have experienced since getting to the hospital has been very comforting.
(sun child cues "I will get by")
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Re: In the hospital
Oh, honey, I am so sorry about this! How scary and awful. Thank goodness for your brother.
This is something to watch out for -- one of my other coworkers came down with this about a year and a half ago and it's very dangerous. I hope you have a speedy recovery!
:hugs:
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Re: In the hospital
I'm so glad you're okay! I had a kidney infection a few years back and I still owe $3-4000. I had a job that wouldn't let me have pee breaks when I needed them, so it spread up.
Rest up and get better hon!
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Re: In the hospital
I am sorry to hear you are sick and alone over the holidays. I'll keep you in my thoughts:hug: :goodvibes
Btw, did you have any symptoms at all of a UTI or kidney infection?
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Re: In the hospital
wow. How scary!
I'm glad your ok...
Do you know yet when you'll be discharged? and can go recover in your own home?
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Re: In the hospital
Oh hun you went Septic and got it in time...GOOD FOR YOU! ;)
Hope you are feeling better very soon. Who ever said there is a stomache flu...Don't EVER buy that shit. No such thing.
Glad you are doing fine. Many hugs and warm feelings.
PS i'm not a nurse but work trauma, i take notes and try my best...HUGS.
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Re: In the hospital
Oh that is so horrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through that, especially after everything you've been through in recent times! Jeez.
I agree that stress is a killer. A weakened immune system is the worst. I'm very glad you had the good sense not to get on the plane so sick, and I'm glad you're on the mend after such a serious illness.
I hope your New Year is a million times better for you! Also, I am so glad I live in Canada sometimes. I couldn't imagine having to pay for a hospital stay. I mean, I guess I pay through taxes, but anyway. Feel better, Sun Child!
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Re: In the hospital
Im so sorry hunny. And Im another advocate of health insurance! I will never again not have it! I hope you get better soon. Im sorry your Christmas wasnt all you expected it to be but there are many many more to come so dont let that get you down! Just relax and get better soon!
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Re: In the hospital
Wow, how scary. Get well soon!
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Re: In the hospital
Oh wow that's scary.
Wishing you a speedy recovery
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UTI's are DANGEROUS!!! I was hospitalized for a week when mine turned to a kidney infection. I was puking just like you, I thought I just had the flu.
When I was put into the hospital it was at the very start of my college orientation and move ins. I was devastated. Try to keep your spirits up! I busted into tears the second the nurse would walk out of the room, I was so depressed. Focus on how lucky you are that you ARE there getting better. Also, once you can walk around I suggest doing so. Just get out of that little room for a while. Try to find a waiting area with a big window. It'll be refreshing.
I wish you a speedy recovery. I'm glad your brother is treating you well and try to take the stay as a time out from the stress. You're all taken care of there! Also, yay for health insurence, that was a very smart move. Get well soon hun, :)
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Re: In the hospital
Hey, thank you so much everyone. Pamela, I bet you are an excellent, compassionate trauma worker. UTIs are dangerous. Today was probably the worst day. I dealt with the following annoyances—
1) Even though I told the hospital I had no religious affiliation, a chaplain came into my room early, woke me up and asked me if I wanted to pray with him. He also asked me what I did for a living. When I said "no" to the initial prayer question, he reached out his hand to touch my hand (or arm) and I almost yelled, "No!" I would almost want to complain about this, but it's not worth the effort right now.
2) My IV started leaking and blood/saline was running down my arm. This is after the IV machine was making noises for over thirty minutes almost every second, I had tried to call the nurse three times, etc. I finally called and let them know it was leaking, and a nurse showed up and obviously had not been told that I was having issues with the beeping noise.
3) Another nurse came in to put another IV in my other arm. She asked why I was in the hospital and I told her kidney infection. She said, "Wow, why did you let it get this bad?" WTF—I was so fucking pissed. I told her that it didn't hurt when I peed at all, I had some slight discomfort but I thought that it was some stomach/gastrointestinal problem because of all the vomiting. Anyway, it was pretty annoying that she asked me about this, as if it was somehow my fault that I let the kidney infection progress, like I'm a total idiot.
4) This morning they gave me another shot in the stomach and drew blood from my hand.
5) The doctor let me know this morning that he wanted to keep me here tonight.
6) My parents (or someone) called my hospital room like seven times this morning. When I told my mom that I wasn't feeling well (this is during the whole IV leaking thing) she said, "But you told dad you were doing better. I wonder what's wrong." Uh, I don't know, maybe it's the kidney/blood infection. I told her I would call her back, and as usual, she ignored my request and called me back in five minutes and bitched at me. Fucking bitched at me for not wanting to discuss it with her. I told her that I was in a bad mood and she should leave me alone. I'm still pissed that she wanted me to get on a plane when she knew I had been vomiting for three days straight just so she, my dad and my little brother wouldn't have to worry about me as they took off for their Los Angeles/Las Vegas/Maui trip. Yeah, I'm a little bitter they only chose to invite one child, and didn't even tell my other brother and me about it.
Last night I had a male nurse who decided to tell me that kidney infections were caused by UTIs (duh) and that sometimes UTIs were caused by STDs/STIs. Uh, thanks dude, for your information I get tested for STDs/STIs frequently and I've NEVER had one. So keep your opinions/information to yourself—if the doctor was concerned this was caused by an STD/STI, I'm sure he would have ordered a battery of tests. I wanted to tell him to STFU—just like the other nurse who asked me how I let it get this bad. I am already sick. Already here. So don't fucking lecture me about my health. I haven't had sex in a while either.
I think the dilaudid is making me a little edgy. I just don't get why they need to WAKE ME UP to have this old guy in a suit (apparently the chaplain) come in and ask if I need to pray and ask me what I do for a living. I didn't appreciate the other male nurse asking me what I do for a living, either. I dunno, I'm moody, I'm on opiates, I'm in pain when I'm not on opiates, it's the third day of this shit, and I don't feel like answering personal questions.
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Re: In the hospital
I hope you feel better soon. I cant even imagine how scary that must have been!
(((((((HUGS)))))))))
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Re: In the hospital
Yeah, the pain killers can effect you different ways. If they don't make me loopy or knock me out then I turn into mega bitch. Vicodin does that to me every time. Percocet makes me itch and bitch together, lol. Demoral is a decent pain killer. I know you are in pain but if you get a shot of it in your muscle it will last a lot longer. Ibuprofen is a decent pain reliever that isn't a narcotic so is Toradol.
You are not only a patient there at the hospital but a consumer as well. Even though you have insurance, it and you pay very dearly for the care/supplies/meds/ you receive. I would write or voice a complaint to the proper person or patient advocate. If you are not affliated with any religious group than no clergy member should be paying you a visit. Also it doesn't matter why or how you got this infection to your nurse. Her job is to not let your IV leak or get infilterated. She should also change your fluids within a reasonable amount of time. It is your doctor's responsibility to ask you questions regarding sexually transmitted diseases and order the proper tests if necessary. Once the tests are negative on your lab work and you are being properly treated it isn't your nurses place to bring up the possibility of that again as your are not getting laid while in the hospital.::)
Also you can turn the ringer off on your phone (the side of the phone is where the ringer can be turned on or off) or tell the lady that answers your nurse call button that you aren't up to accepting phone calls right now.
I hope you feel better hun, get some rest and drink lots of water.
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Re: In the hospital
You're hanging in there until the day you are discharged, great! ;)
Thanks for the compliment, that means alot to me.
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Re: In the hospital
I thought I posted here...
But, I have no hospital advice...but I do want to give you a :hug: and tell you I hope you feel better soon!!
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Re: In the hospital
Kidney infections are the suck! I used to have a bad problem with UTI's... about once a year it would become a full blown kidney infection, with all of hte hospitalization and such that you have here.
But HELL YEAH i'd complain before you leave about hte staff. Even without pain killers making me irritable, i'd TOTALLY flip if that happened to me.
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Re: In the hospital
I got out of the hospital today. Thank the lord. The "edginess" is wearing off and I'm probably going to take a nap or something soon. My friend T. sent me flowers at the hospital. What a gentleman. Things can only get better at this point. :)
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Re: In the hospital
Im glad youre out and feeling better. :hug:
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Re: In the hospital
thank you for posting this. I have had two kidney infections before, one of which didn't respond to antibiotics. I was taken to the ER and hospitalized because they thought it might be appendicitis (wasn't). Horrible, horrible horrible pain.
I am glad i know about this now and can watch out for it.
Hope you continue to feel better!
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Re: In the hospital
Wow. Sorry I didn't see this before I emailed you.
I'm so glad you're okay and out of the hospital and never going to do the family thing again.
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I'm really sorry you had to deal with the beeby thing from hell. I had that go off for an hour and I ended up calling the nurse over intercom 3 times. On the third it was a full blown curse out. The phone pissed me off too. My IV came out the other side of my arm, like poked through and my arm got HUGE and I had a some kind of church person wake me up too.
Your out of there now! no more beebing and hopefully you can turn off all your phones when you don't want to deal with them. I'm happy to hear your not as edgy anymore.