Weekend Vibes: My Hospital Stay (pt.2)

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS TMI INFO. IF YOU CANNOT HANDEL PLEASE STOP HERE. IT MAY GET GROES

Welcome back to pt. 2 of my Hospital Stay! If you have not read pt. 1 just scroll to the bottom of this post and click on the back arrow button. Again I did spend my weekend in the hospital due to an infection and a possible bowl obstruction.

The nurse came in to take me to my CT scan which luckily was directly across the hall from my ER room. They scooted me onto another stretcher where I laid in the middle of this cushy like body frame thing. She hooked my IV up to another tube that would disperse the syrupy liquid that would be the contrast dispelled into my blood stream. (I was disconnected from my other fluids at this time) She informed me before she did all this what it was and what was going to happen. Apparently contrast is very warm and it makes you feel like you peed yourself!! And she was definitely right lol!! (I DID NOT ACTUALLY PEE MYSELF) Before she started the contrast they put me through the CT 2 times to make sure that I was laying in the correct position and so they could get a clear picture. She then pushed saleen into my IV before the Contrast to make sure that the line was still open and that it did not bubble. This was PAINFUl! I actually was screaming OWWWW!! OOOWWW!! Apparently the IV was placed very close to the nerves on the top of my arm so when she was pushing in the saleen it caused my nerves to act. Finally the Contrast was in and I was rolled into the machine and the shoowwiisshhiiinnggg sound of the machine started to take the pictures needed. It lasted just a few seconds and then I was taken back to my room. As soon as I was in there Brandon goes, “ I heard you screaming over there” And my nurse came back in the room and asked, “Was that you screaming over there?” Yes, lol It hurt!!

Finally the doctor came in and gave me the results of my blood tests they started me on some fluids and antibiotics to hopefully kill that infection and get my white blood cell count back to normal. I was already freezing and I had made Brandon get me another blanket (I had 3 in total!) and the IV fluids were very cold and I could feel that as the water entered my veins and ran up my arm. Chills broke out everywhere! My body sucked in the antibiotics pretty fast and I had downed almost an entire bag of fluids within that hour. I was extremely dehydrated so this helped tremendously.

A little bit later the doc came back in to go over the diagnosis with me and told me what they were going to do to resolve the issue. Thankfully the CT scan showed that it was not severe enough for me to have to have surgery. He said that I was extremely compacted and that they were planning on preforming an Enema on me. Which if you don’t know what that is… Let’s just say you don’t wanna know lol. But the nurse came in with the bags of fluid and the other things needed to help do this action of treatment. I told Brandon and my mom to leave the room while this was happening because it was about to get REAL!! Disgusting! I even joked to Brandon about giving him back his ring because I was grossing myself out. Thankfully he said NO! I turn to my nurse and say, “Me and you about to geeett REAL CLOSE…” We are gonna skip over what happened behind this closed door. Let’s just say I became a PRO at clenching my butt hole!

About 45 minutes later I was cleaned up, the bed-sheets were changed and I had, for the most part, gotten myself cleaned out. Over the next few hours I would continue to “RELEASE THE CRAKIN”. Because my Nurse was the best she left the movable toilet, if you will, in my room so I could continue to utilize it as the need arose. My doctor came back in and informed me to continue to take miralax and stool softeners on a regular basis and to follow up with a doctor in 2 days. At this point I told him that I was going out of town on a work trip the next day (Sunday). When he heard this he became a little skeptical and asked me if I would be willing to stay overnight for observation, this would be the safest choice and what he was more comfortable with. Hearing this I became even more worried because I knew this was going to cost a lot more!! And again I do not have medical insurance! I know some of y’all are calling me stupid, but I have not been to the doctor in 3 years and up until this point, I never really needed it. Ultimately I decided to stay because it was the safest and my health needed to be put first. He said alright and began getting the admitted paperwork ready.

At 7pm shift change began and I got a new doctor who came in and asked all of the same questions that were asked by every other nurse and doctor that day. She goes into more detail about what I need to start eating and adding to my diet, which was very helpful. She suggested dried prunes in my oatmeal and some prune juice to drink as well as some other helpful tidbits. I then asked my mom to go ahead to the house and get me a few things for the night before Brandon had to head back to work. She did and 10 minutes later the Gold Cross truck Brandon is working on got to the hospital so the EMT’s came and hung out with me until they got their next call. At that point Brandon had to leave and get back on the truck. At the time I was actually kind of grateful because I felt like I had to “GO” and I needed some privacy! So I took care of business and my mom got back about 5 minutes later.

An hour passed and I am still in the ER waiting for a bed and I surprisingly start to get more hungry. Now remember I have not taken anything orally today. That includes food and drink. The doctor at the prompt care place informed me not too and at that time I was not even thinking about food! But by this time the problem had been somewhat fixed and my stomach was ready for some kind of nutrients. Even some water would have been fine and I was dying for some water!! But my nutritional menu had not yet come through, until my new nurse came in and checked me out, got my blood pressure, felt on my stomach, listened to my stomach, and all that good stuff. She looked up my info. On the computer and gave me the go ahead for some food. At this time I was watching the Jungle Book on TV and sent my mom to get me Subway from in the hospital. When my mom was on her way back the nurse and the transport guy came in to take me to my room for the night. My nurse explained to me that she was going to hook up a portable heart monitor to me and that I would continue to get more fluids and another bag of antibiotics when I am taken to my new “home” Since I had the enema my IV had not been hooked to any fluids or anything because they were waiting for me to get to my room. So I am wheeled to my new destination through a few hallways and turns and I am placed in this really tiny like rectangular box with a curtain for a door. At first I was Thinking I preferred my ER room, but when my new nurse came to talk to me I became more comfortable and I actually liked my little cozy corner. The nurses station was pretty much directly in-front of me and it was a very small unit so whenever you needed something it was very easy access and they were more personable to you and your needs because there were not a lot of patients. Unfortunately when you are moved everything changes and new orders are put in therefore I had to wait before I Could eat my Subway because even though I knew I was aloud too the old orders could not be transferred, new ones had to be put in. Which I guess was okay because my nurse was an older lady and extremely sweet and loved to talk lol. She filled out my chart and went to check the computer to see if anything was put in. A few minutes later she comes back and tells me I can eat. I was still a little nervous because I was terrified that my stomach was going to do something stupid, but I turned on my Jungle Book and ate my “samich”.

The nurse gave me some time to eat and then came back and told me that my orders had finally come through and that she needed to take some more blood for the labs (check on my White Blood Cell Count) and that I was prescribed miralax and a stool softener. Which I did already know. She then gave me my pill and brought me some Apple juice mixed with my miralax. After all of this I told my mom that she could go at anytime because I was not going to make her stay and be uncomfortable when we got all the information we were going to get for a while and as soon as I finished my apple juice I was going to sleep. She kept asking me if I was sure, but I had plenty of people around me to watch me and take care of me if something were to go wrong. Eventually she went home and then Brandon started to chime in about how he felt horrible and should never have gone back to work and stayed the night with me, I again had to explain to him that it was alright and I had plenty of capable people around me. I told him goodnight and tried to get as comfortable as possible and get some sleep.

Around 2 am. My nurse woke me up to check my blood pressure and to take some of my blood for the Labs. The order had just come through. After this I texted Brandon and gave him an update and fell instantly back to sleep. Around 5 am she woke me back up and gave me the results of my blood test and hung another bag of fluid. Which YAY!! My blood test showed that my White Blood Cell Count was back to normal! Sometime after that I suddenly heard a loud beeping noise that turned out to be my IV machine because I had my arm bent so the fluids were blocked from flowing into my arm. I was half asleep and barely remember, but the nurse said, “honey you gotta keep your arm straight.” The next thing I knew it was a little bit after 7 am and the nurses had changed shifts and I remember hearing another beeping sound and I blurrily saw 2 new people in my room up against my IV machine and my patient chart. I remember squinting really hard at the lady who’s back was toward me because I thought that it was Brandon at first and then the fog cleared and I remembered where I was lol. (I did not have my glasses on BTW) They introduced themselves as my 2 new nurses and told me what today’s orders were. Which were again Miralax, a stool softener, and this time I had to take 2 HUGE potassium pills because of how much sodium they pumped into my body through the fluids. Around 8 or a little before a new doctor came in and did his normal routine check and asked me questions about my bowl movements and he then told me that he felt comfortable to discharge me because the infection was gone and I seem to be cleaned out nicely. I was so happy and ready to go home! I told Brandon the results and called my mom and waited for Brandon to get his car and come to me at the hospital.

Brandon was only with me for about 45 minutes before the nurse came back with the discharge papers and told me that I was free to go after I was disconnected from all of my medical appendages and I signed a few documents. I was sent home with a packet containing all of my info. Pertaining to my stay at the hospital and some helpful tips on how to treat Constipation.

That is the story of my Hospital Stay, my diagnosis, and resolution. To this day and for a long time I will be taking a few medicines to help in this area as well as adding more fiber to my diet and staying hydrated!! Lots of WATER! I was referred to getting a primary care doctor and going to see a GI specialist about my intestinal tract to see about getting a better source of treatment to better prevent this from happening again. As well as the source behind the cause of the problem.

Thank you so much for following along on the journey and will check back in with health updates as they come. I hope this wasn’t too in-depth and I didn’t gross you out too much, but hey “SHIT” happens… GET IT!! Lol

Have a goodnight!