Hospital Adventures

Around June 10th I got a migraine. I get them every once in a while so it wasn't surprising. I took my rescue medication and waited for it to pass. Unfortunately, it didn't. I can't remember if it started on Monday or Tuesday, but by Friday I knew something was wrong. Migraines are normally only one day affairs for me, and on occasions where they last two days it's because I failed to take my rescue medication quickly enough. So I called the doctor and got an appointment for Monday, June 16th.

The doctor wasn't sure why it had lasted that long but didn't seem that concerned. She gave me a shot in my hip and some new, stronger rescue medication. I got some lunch and then took a nap as the different meds had made me tired.

This is the part where things start to get a little TMI, so consider this your warning.

I woke up later in gastrointestinal distress you might say. My first thought was actually food poisoning. Then I started noticing blood. I checked the information on my new rescue medication and bloody diarrhea was listed under CALL A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY so that's what I did. I was then told to go to the ER.

At the ER I gave a bunch of blood, a sample, and was hooked up to an IV for fluids. Later I had a CT scan. Results came in and my white blood count was crazy high. They decided to admit me and started me on IV antibiotics. I had all the symptoms of something called c diff but I was missing a distinctive smell.

They decided I needed a colonoscopy, but not in time to do it Tuesday morning so I had to wait till Wednesday. I was on IV antibiotics all that day and a liquid diet. The blood stopped at some point on Tuesday but I was still having problems. I don't even want to go into the torture that was consuming the liquid for the bowel prep. I almost wasn't able to do it and I still have Viet Nam flashbacks about it as my mom would say.

Wednesday I had the colonoscopy and they were going to release me but I still couldn't eat anything without rushing to the bathroom. My migraine also returned and has remained off and on since. The doctor was confused. I definitely had some kind of colitis and an infection but cultures say no c diff. Could be some other infection causing the colitis or could be Crohn's, "we'll know if I get better." Thursday I was able to eat a little without rushing to the bathroom immediately so they let me go home that afternoon. I started a GI soft/bland, dairy free diet and was given a week's worth of two different antibiotics. That was the 19th.

I've finished the antibiotics now but I'm not any better than when I left the hospital. Any attempt to eat "real" food has seen a return of urgency and pain. Even eating permitted foods makes me uncomfortable. I'm worried. Either my infection hasn't gone away completely, which means it is now making a come back, or the infection was only part of the problem. My follow up appointment isn't until the 7th. I just want to be better.

Punday 06/16

Punday 06/09

Are you superstitious?

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Something happened to me tonight that made me think of TTC superstitions. I was wearing my white pj pants, unstained underwear, and had just gotten out of the shower when I started having breakthrough bleeding. It's also on a Saturday at 1am so I can't even call the doctor. It's not the worst possible time, but it's up there.

I remember when we were actively TTC and the superstitions we had or heard of. Wearing white underwear or taking a pregnancy test is a sure fire way to get AF. Standing on your head after you BD helps the boys swim. Buying baby or maternity items is bad luck. Sacrificing kittens to the fertility goddess is good luck. Okay, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea.

In the end I don't actually believe. When things seem to be true it's just confirmation bias. But at times like this I still find myself having little "I should have known!" moments. What about you? Are you truly superstitious, just play along for fun, or think all of it's dumb?

It's Not You

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My sister's baby was born yesterday. I still haven't gone to see her and I don't really want to. My mom and little sister are really pushing me to go today before they leave the hospital and go home. Even though they live about 60 miles away (which could be over 2 hours easy in the summer traffic) she gave birth here. I know it probably looks bad that I haven't gone to see them and aren't in OMG I'm an AUNT! mode on social networks, but I honestly don't care what people in general think. My mom and little sister have a little more sway since we live together but I still don't know if I will go or not. Our grandpa's birthday is in a little over a week and I figure I'll see them at his birthday dinner anyway.

I really don't have anything against my niece. I'm sure she's a sweet and wonderful person. It's her parents I have a problem with and until she becomes a teenager they are kind of a package deal. I can't have any sort of meaningful relationship with her without also inviting them into my life. Becoming emotionally attached to her is going to cause problems for me that I can't deal with right now. I am still feeling very fragile. Being chronically ill is hard on my mind, not just my body. I don't feel as depressed as I was but I'm in no way emotionally stable. It doesn't help that our baby's due date is coming up. Right now she is this abstract idea and I'm scared that if I go and spend time with her (not just seeing her at an event) I'm going to worry about her in a way I can't handle.

I've thought a lot about writing her letters. I don't want her to think her aunt hates her. I don't want her to think she's the problem. I know that is a distinct possibility even if it couldn't be farther from the truth. So I thought maybe I could write her a letter explaining why I've distanced myself. These are my thoughts and feelings on the day you were born. This is why I couldn't come to your birthday party. This is why I didn't want you and your mom moving in with us that weekend your dad kicked you out of the house again. And then when she's older I could give them to her and maybe she'll understand but maybe she won't. I don't know. Is that dumb?

Punday 06/02