Hospital-The Ugly Details

"Did I make the right decision?" This question ran through my mind like a hamster on a treadmill. I chose to push for a procedure, hoping to alleviate pain. Now that choice has placed me back in the hospital.

Debated about posting this lovely shot of myself...but then thought you wouldn't get the full affect of my ordeal without it.             

Looking very pretty with my sexy new nose!lol! FLESH COLORED TAPE~REALLY?!

I went in last Tuesday for a Laparoscopy to look for re-occurring Endometriosis. They found tons of adhesion's and removed them. It was an out-patient procedure so I went home the same day.

WARNING: Gross Content (now's your chance not to read!)

The next morning I felt fine, so I ate a PB&J sandwich. That was it...the nausea, pain and vomiting kicked in. By 4:00 a.m., I was throwing up tons of green bile. I knew something was really wrong (having had the procedure done 4 previous times with NO PROBLEMS.) I called my Dr., he said, "You may have an obstruction, head straight to the hospital."

I knew what I was in store for me...the dreaded NG Tube! This is a long tube that required two nurses to shove up my nose (crackling and crunching) as they continued to push it down my throat telling me to take big gulping drinks/sounds while drinking ice water, to stop from gagging and choking as they slid it down to it's final destination inside my stomach. Taping the tube to my nose with FLESH colored tape, which gave me a great look (long tube nose) to add to the pain. I was given Morphin and a CT scan indicating I had an obstruction in the small intestine from the procedure (handling/removal of the adhesion's which happens in about 85% of patients.)

I waited 14 hrs in the ER bed (no beds available in a room) with some crazy patients all around me. One guy was so out of control, 5 security guards followed him as he ran by screaming, swearing and threatening. Which caused me to instantly scan the room for the nearest exit in case he ended up having a gun or knife. I can't believe what goes on in there! I was finally admitted to a room, head pounding, taken for more x-rays (4 hrs on an x-ray table waiting for the Barium to travel down.) Finally they returned me to my room, continuing to bring a portable X-ray machine up every hour, telling me that the dye wasn't moving down very quickly (ummm duh, I have a blockage!)

I was desperate to be done so they could hook the suction back up to my NG tube and drain the excess out of my stomach (it was swollen like a 6 month pregnant woman-NO EXAGGERATION!) I suddenly began throwing up HALF a bucket of green bile mixed w/barium. Shaking, needing to rush to the bathroom to clean up, I swiftly set the bucket on the table to unplug my IV. All of a sudden, behind me I heard a loud SPLASH. The weight of the swaying contents propelled the lime green bile off the table & across the entire floor. I was trapped. I couldn't slide the IV unit across the bile, so a sat on the edge of the bed, my bile holding me prisoner from cleaning/washing/brushing my teeth. I frantically pushed the red button for the nurse, who said they were coming. After 5 minutes- pushing it again. Finally 15 minutes later (turns out my little 'episode' happened right smack in the middle of a shift change.) I eventually made it, but had two more LARGE barfing episodes.

I then asked my nurse to please change my lovely 'flesh' colored band aid holding my NG tube in because it smelled like vomit (huge mistake.) She couldn't get the tape off. I held the tube as she yanked, pulled, twisted and slowly cut it. While the tube moved up and down my nose and throat, gagging me, and causing me to sneeze about 15 times in a row over and over again. I finally lost it! I'd had enough. I'm normally the type to just suck it up, I NEVER lose it when it comes to pain. My hubby got a little stressed and nervous watching me cry. I finally said, in the middle of a sneeze/gag attack, "I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE! JUST OPERATE ON ME ALREADY AND FIX THE PROBLEM!" But I quickly grabbed hold of myself again, and felt bad I let myself snap like that:(

The next morning at 7:00 a.m. They took the final x-ray. It took an entire day to get the Barium through me (it normally takes 2hrs) talk about a blockage huh?

The next day brought one more episode. My IV began to leak. When they came to move it, my veins (due to dehydration) collapsed. They stuck me 4 separate times, one time causing blood to spurt out all over the bed and down my arm, while she called the nurse to bring more gauze. They told me they had the vein & the bleeding and burning I was experiencing was due to the fact that I jerked my arm. I told the nurse that it 'didn't feel right.' When she rudely replied, "LIKE I SAID..." A few minutes later she hooked up the IV and my arm began to swell up like a balloon. She walked back in and I said, "Does this look normal to you?" Boy, her attitude changed once she took one look at my elephantitised arm!lol! I wanted to say, "From now on, LISTEN TO YOUR PATIENTS!" But I didn't, she changed her attitude after that. Finally a 4th nurse tried to get the IV into a vein in my hand and it took!YES! My arms are sore and look like a bruised up drug addict now, but I survived without losing it again (proud of myself, I must say!)

After 5 days in the hospital, I was finally released on Tuesday. All in all I had AMAZING nurses (only two bad night time nurses.) I was even able to send out a prayer request for one of the nurses, through my church after talking to her about personal stuff for a while. I wanted to try to make the best of a difficult situation. We all go through tough times, but remembering that you have a choice in how you act helped me to keep a positive attitude...for the most part:)

Right now, I'm not completely out of the woods and need to slowly ease back into eating solids and stay on a low fiber diet for a while. Just had my first 'solid' food in 8 days- Cream of Wheat & it was the best thing I've ever tasted in my life!

Somehow, I always end up having the strangest things happen to me. But I've learned to trust God in ALL things and this has helped me become stronger through each and every obstacle.

I Just Got Hit!

HERE IT IS...MY ONE TIME BEAUTIFUL CAR!

So, I left work early to pick up my friends daughter...I was going to rush home to change (not knowing how long I'd be sitting at the hospital). Got on the freeway...then remembered I was almost out of gas. I don't get paid till Monday...didn't have enough to go ALL the way home and then back to Rachell's school. I quickly got off at the first exit, had to back track and take a different route. I was in the left hand turn lane (there were two designated turn lanes) I was in the one furthest to the left next to the double yellow lines. All of a sudden I see this old blue Chrysler heading straight toward my car. I didn't have time to get out of the way. He hit me, pushed me almost into oncoming traffic and his car bounced off of mine backwords into another lane.

He bashed into the rear passenger side door. It was an old man in his late 70's or so. He came to my drivers side window and with a german accent tried to tell me that it was my fault. He was a little confused and didn't realize that there were two turn lanes. I called the police and while I was on the phone with the operator...he came up to my window again...standing in a lane with oncoming traffic swerving to miss him. I said, "You need to get back in your car before you get hit." He said, "What?" I replied kind of forceful and bossy said "Get back in your car NOW!" The operator heard all of this and said, "Did he listen to you?" "Yes...he's walking back now."

So I waited for the police...didn't move my car because I wanted them to see that it was his fault. The police got there and I told them that he seems a little confused and explained what happened. He still tried to insist that it was my fault. Then the police told him again that there was two turn lanes and he came into mine. I feel kind of bad for him because once older people lose their license then they lose their independence. But, on the other hand they become a road hazard...guess I was lucky no one was seriously hurt. They gave him a ticket and told me that their report would reflect that he had caused the accident.

MY POOR CAR...I LOVE MY LINCOLN NAVIGATOR!


I picked up Rachell and headed to the hospital. My friend had been sent over from her doctor's office in an ambulance because her EKG was irregular and her blood pressure was sky high. We sat there with her...she was hooked up to everything and had an IV. She continued to have pains while I was there. The doctor said, "You can go home now...we don't know what's wrong but your EKG has been irregular in the past so I guess that's normal for you." I said, "WHAT IS CAUSING THE PAIN SHE KEEPS HAVING THEN." "I don't know could be a bruised rib, stress any number of things." So there you have it...as we drove away, she got more severe pains. I told her to call me if she needs to go back, or if it's terrible, call the ambulance. CRAZY...I guess they needed her bed in the ER.

So I've had quite the day!!!

WHAT IS GOING ON?

My boss just ran out of the office because her father in law had a double by pass heart surgey and now they think he is having a stroke. My best friend since Jr. High left me a weird email at 2:00 am saying she was having severe chest pains and gave me all her important information. She ended up going to work, but I told her she HAD to go to the Dr.'s this AM, it's not normal for a 43 year old to have chest pains. She just called me and said they are taking her right over to the hospital...she is having a heart attack. I have to leave work, pick her daughter up from school and head over to the hospital......

Elijah Got Hit By A Car

Elijah had football practice this morning and then a beach party for the whole league. We were going home, rest for a little while and then head over. The boys decided they wanted to go surfing instead. You can only surf at certain times and areas of the beach in the summertime...they black ball (a flag with a round circle on it, hanging from the lifeguard tower) which lets surfers know that they can't surf there. The spot of the beach party was a no surf zone.

Elijah and Adam surfed and were on their way home, Adam had sped ahead because his mom was going to be picking him up. Elijah was riding alone (slowly...after a 3 hr. practice and then a 2 hr. surf session). He was on the wrong side of the rode (we all do it because you have to go across Main St. at the light before pulling into our driveway.) He had a green light, a 17 year old girl who had just gotten her license was making a right hand turn and didn't see him. He tried to swerve to avoid being hit head on. The front of her car hit his left foot and threw him off the bike. Luckily he was wearing his helmet and there wasn't oncoming traffic. He tried to stand up but couldn't put weight on his left foot. He hopped over to the grass and called Jullien (my middle son...he said he didn't call me because he didn't want me to get freaked out). I was upset because he KNOWS I never freak out when they get hurt! I've always had to be the one to stay calm and keep them calm, I lose it later when I'm all alone.

Anthony, me and Jullien jumped in the car and drove to the next block. Elijah was scraped up, had some tire marks on his feet and said his achilles tendon hurt really bad and he couldn't stand on it (that part of his foot took the first impact). The girl was trying to hold back her tears and said she had called her mom and dad. They pulled up, we talked to them, they gave us their information, but we told them we have insurance and not to worry about it. They told us to please call them and they would take care of everything and fix the bike. As we pulled out the girl had completely broke down and was crying as her mom hugged her. Jullien walked the bike back home, I got jackets, called our doctor and drove Elijah to the emergency room.

Luckily it wasn't crowded...we got taken back in 15 minutes. They took x-rays and put him in a temporary cast and crutches. They think it's only a sprain, but because of the pain and swelling they want to make sure he is checked by an orthopedic specialist to make sure he didn't tear the tendon. They need the swelling to go down before I can schedule the appointment.

I got home and called the girl's mother, I wanted the girl to know that he was okay. I left a message and told them he is fine, he might have an achilles injury but will be okay. Accidents happen, our insurance will cover it and not to worry about anything. I wanted to put her mind at ease.

Needless to say I AM SO GRATEFUL that it wasn't worse! God was definitely looking out for him today!!! When we have so many things going wrong in our life (financial struggles, stress, possible foreclosure) something like this really puts things into perspective. Family and health are the most important things. Everything else just DOESN'T matter. I am the happiest mom in the whole world today...a potential tragedy turned out to be a blessing, my son is safe!

The Hidden Danger of Endometriosis

I suffered for years from endometriosis and it almost cost me my life! Endometriosis is a silent, often undetectable problem for many women. I had been suffering from severe lower abdominal pain for a year. It became so bad that I started getting a fever and having trouble going to the bathroom. I went to the doctor who passed it off as some type of flu. He prescribed pain medication and told me it would pass. My stomach started to become severely bloated. When I went back to the doctor, he made me feel as though it was all in my head.

Finally, after eating a large meal one evening, I found myself hunched over on the bathroom floor, with a stomach the size of a five month pregnant women. The pain was excruciating and unbearable. My husband drove me to the emergency room. I was immediately rushed in and they stuck a large tube through my nose, down to my stomach to drain the contents. After endless tests, CT scan, MRI, Ultrasound and blood tests, they said they “thought” I had an intestinal blockage.

They took me up for surgery. After opening me up, they found that endometriosis had gotten outside of my uterus and wrapped itself around my intestines, thus creating a blockage. Two surgeons worked on me, one cutting away the endometriosis in hopes of saving that area of my intestines, the other performing a complete hysterectomy at the age of 34. The worst part was that if I had not made it to the emergency room that night, I would have died due to the toxins that were backed up in my body for a month.

I cannot stress the importance of listening to your body. If the doctors are unable to find anything, then ask them to look for endometriosis. I had little knowledge of the damage that endometriosis could cause to my health. I trusted my doctors to “see the signs”. I hope that my experience will help bring attention to the life threatening dangers of this hidden problem.