Yes, 53 hours in a hospital. It was so unpleasant only because on the outside, I felt SO normal!! It all started on Wednesday at 8:15am, an appointment with my primary care physician. (I had black stool with a large amount of fresh red blood on Tuesday, and I, of course, freaked out.) So I made it to my appointment and was sent across the highway to get my blood drawn and then to get a Catscan. (I had been instructed by my doc to go straight to the ER if I had another episode.) I got my blood drawn, then went to the "little girls' room" before going for my CT. And what do you know, I had another episode :(. I called my doc and they told me to go straight to ER.
*side note: it's quite frustrating because I had to sign something stating that I agree to pay the bill, a maximum of $309, if my insurance doesn't cover 100%, for my blood work. And right after getting my blood drawn I was sent to ER, where they drew blood again for the SAME EXACT test!!! So Now I will have an ER and hospital-stay bill AND a bill for my lab work that my doc ordered. Boooo!!!!
I was admitted on Wednesday morning and I was immediately "NPO" (nothing by mouth). I hadn't had breakfast and I knew it was going to be a very long day. Around 3pm, my nurse finally gave me great news, that I was on a clear-liquid diet, and brought in some jello and juice. :)
Thursday morning, I had an "Esophagogastroduodenoscopy" (EGD). I was sedated (the best sleep I've had in years!) and they used a scope to go down to my stomach, and the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. They had already assumed that I had a bleeding ulcer -because of stomach pain I had been experiencing for a week and a half (which i really didn't think much of until a few days prior) tied with the black stool.
They found two ulcers and some inflammation and irritation on the stomach lining; but nothing that showed to have bled or caused the blk stool. So they kept me on a clear liquid diet and ordered a colonoscopy for the next morning.
They were determined to find the cause and I didn't mind at all. I was really concerned. However, I was extremely mad when it took about 3 hrs to even receive my first sip of water (since my last sip of anything had been 15 hrs prior!) and then when I asked if I could have one very light meal and THEN "prep" for the procedure and was ignored the first few times...and then Chris finally went to ask once more for me and the response was "she'll get her tray of clear-liquids in a little while". I was so extremely upset that I actually told Chris that I could punch someone!! That is SO out of my character!! Chris didn't even dare to eat in front of me. He waited with me for a few more hours and then went out to get some food with his dad. Lol!! Poor guy!
I felt like a kid, throwing a silent fit --when the lunch tray arrived, I very quietly and politely said "thank you."but I let it sit there for a good 15 mins or so before I thought to taste the popsicles before they melted (lol). *i ended up eating/drinking almost everything I was served. But it started with a huge pout and grumpy attitude. :(
Then came the nasty "prep". It was an entire gallon!! Who drinks and entire gallon of anything in one sitting?!?!! Much less when it tastes horrible and triggers the gag reflex and nausea??! It was plain horrible. I knew I had to do it for the procedure; however, I only managed to drink five cups of it (out of the approximate 12-15!). I finally fell asleep but then between trips to the bathroom, vitals being checked, blood being drawn, and get this -being woken up to sign the paper that says I don't have a DNR and that says I fully understand the risks involved with the anesthesia (really??! I just HAD to sign it at 5am...it really couldn't have waited until at least the sun came up?? --and then it didn't even get used!! The anesthesiologist had already pre-signed another one that I was given to sign at 12:30pm...ugh!!) so, I only had little cat naps between midnight and 7am.
*oh and another side note: I already didn't want to be there -I felt that I could have easily been at home and driven to each procedure- but on top of everything else, the one who checks my vitals decides to tell me I "need to wake up" because it's already morning, 7am...and then tries to have a conversation about, of all things, infertility!!! She said that some nurse also had trouble conceiving and used some kind of "patch on her arm" and took some shots and she got pregnant with twin boys... And then she proceeds to tell me that I just need to "stop thinking about it and it will happen". (oh, I forgot to tell you that she is about 6 months pregnant with her FOURTH boy.)... Let's just say "I'm sure she meant well."
So, Friday morning, I was told that since I couldn't finish my prep, you know, the entire GALLON of liquid, that I had to drink a bottle of magnesium citrate. I had originally asked if I could drink that because I have done it several times before and I am able to tolerate it. So I chugged it down in two gulps. I had my procedure moved to 1pm and my stomach was so food deprived that my mind was somehow fooled from feeling any amount of hunger. I made it to my procedure and again had the best sleep ever! The procedure showed some small internal hemorrhoids (that they said could be from having kj 7yrs ago that just never went away) but, again, nothing that caused the bleeding.
Then, I heard the best news ever!!! --I was back on a normal diet! :D I ordered my food wisely, since I hadn't eaten a meal in two and a half days. It was delicious! And then as I was enjoying my first meal, a doc came in and told me she was able to discharge me!! :D
It took us a whole 10 mins or so to pack everything up and get ready to walk out the door. I was so relieved to get out of there but also quite frustrated to have been there for those days and NOT have any explanation to the bleeding I had experienced. Although, I did find out why my stomach had been in so much pain, the ulcers and stomach inflammation and irritation were more than likely from the Advil PM I had been taking for the last three weeks (oops!!)
I'm currently on a med to help with my acid reflux and I was told to stop everything else except for my Levothyroxine. (so no vitamins, evening primrose oil capsules, calcium tablets, or flaxseed oil capsules until I see the GI again in one week...).
I am just so thankful to be back home, with my kj by my side! That was a very long time to have to be away from her.
 |
| My first meal after 2.5 days. |
 |
| My hospital stay, summed up. |
 |
| Finally discharged and on our way to get KJ from my mom's. |
No comments:
Post a Comment