Ever since Kevin was born I have been having come and go back pain on my right side. I would feel something spasm when I bent down and if I did too much housework or a lot with the kids I would sometimes find myself in unbearable pain.
At times was so intense I would get sick, but since it would come and go with the amount of activity I did I was convinced it was a muscle issue that no one could do anything about. I tried heating pads and icy hot and cold packs. I'd be fine for a week but then the pain would hit again.
Sunday afternoon we were just getting back from visiting family and I was texting a friend of mine who is a doctor. I was asking her some health questions and asking if she thought I should see a doctor the next day. She said "and if you have back pain go to the ER." I was like hmph- I HAVE been having back pain and it's actually coming back right now. It was the first time it occurred to me that maybe this back pain wasn't a muscle. Maybe I had something more serious going on like a kidney infection.
Marcus was scheduled to fly out to Vegas early that next morning for work and I was gearing up to parent alone. I was running around the house preparing bottles and setting out clothes for the next day as the pain began to build.
I decided to call my OBGYN since I don't have a primary doctor and left them a message. One of the doctors called back and told me to go to the ER and that I might just need antibiotics. I played the "should I or shouldn't I?" game in my head for awhile but as the pain built Marcus and I decided I should just go.
I decided to call my OBGYN since I don't have a primary doctor and left them a message. One of the doctors called back and told me to go to the ER and that I might just need antibiotics. I played the "should I or shouldn't I?" game in my head for awhile but as the pain built Marcus and I decided I should just go.
When I got to the ER the pain was continuing to build and (I thought) as a result they were getting blood pressures like this. 202/116! Normally my blood pressure runs 110/70 except those times it when up when I was pregnant.
A little pain medicine, 1 CT scan and a few hours later I'm being told I have a whomper of a kidney stone (8mm) and will need a stent placed in the morning.
Since this was a relatively minor procedure we agreed that Marcus should still go on his trip since my mom said she could help with the boys.
I ended up spending the night in the hospital and asked them if they could provide a breast pump because other than bringing my cell phone charger I did not come prepared.
Those sterile "specimen" collection cups ended up being perfect for storing breast milk in! They had me staying in the oncology area since they had a free room for me and this place was like a suite! It was a huge room and very nice. The nurses there aren't used to having nursing mommas for patients so they were all curious about the pump and how long the milk would be good for in the fridge.
The next day while Marcus was almost two thousands miles away I went under general anesthesia to have the stone busted up and a stent placed in my ureter.
The whole time I was in the hospital my bp was way up and my heart rate was low. In fact, the alarms on the machines before my procedure kept going off because my heart rate was in the 40's.
When I was coming out of the fog of anesthesia I heard the nurses around me talk about my bp and how it was too high. The nurse said she was told to treat me for it if the diastolic number (the bottom number) got over 107. When it did she gave me some medicine in my IV and the urologist stopped by to tell me the procedure was a success.
When they wheeled me back to my room my mom was waiting for me. After everyone kept asking beforehand "who's waiting for you in the waiting room?" and I had to keep saying "no one" it was really nice to have someone there for me.
I got to go home the next day (Tuesday). I was experiencing a lot of discomfort from the stent but wasn't in pain. My mom and I were a little concerned about them sending me home since my bp was still up but the urologist didn't seem too concerned. I was told to just keep an eye on it.
I missed my babies and was glad to be home with them although I was starting to wish Marcus was home too.
It was the weirdest thing to see them again. It had only been two days but something about going under general anesthesia sort of "reset" my memories. It was hard for me to recall having Kevin although it was just a few months ago.
It was the weirdest thing to see them again. It had only been two days but something about going under general anesthesia sort of "reset" my memories. It was hard for me to recall having Kevin although it was just a few months ago.
That evening at home I noticed that I didn't feel right. My brain felt stuffy and I sort of had a "dreamworld" euphoria feeling going on. Although I had no drugs in my system other than an antibiotic I felt like that infamous post dental-work kid who said "Is this real life...???"
I decided to take my blood pressure a few times before bed and was getting readings around 175/115. Could that be right? Other than feeling a little weird I wasn't in any sort of pain and thought maybe I just needed sleep (after all everyone knows you get no sleep in the hospital).
I thought I would just rest the next day and then be back to me old self but I was wrong.
I thought I would just rest the next day and then be back to me old self but I was wrong.
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