You're Lovely, but Let's Not Meet Again.

That would be me, talking to Flagler Hospital.

In the past week, we've been in the ER, THREE separate times. 

It's a quite lovely hospital  and the staff is all very nice, but I never, EVER, EVER want to see that ER again.

From my previous posts, you know that Henry broke his arm.  That was the reason for our visit last Sunday.  I am happy to report that he's doing really well.  He got his permanent  (well semi-permanent) cast on Friday- Ryan picked a blue one so we could put "Thomas the Train" stickers on it. :)  Henry's done remarkably well with it.  It doesn't bother him at all.  I thought he'd be ripping at the thing, or fussing to get it off.  He has just gone on with life as normal- very resilient!  And we did get some good news at the orthopedist- he only has to wear the cast for 4 weeks, not 6! :)  YAY!  He actually gets his cast off the day before we go to Disney ;)

So... back to the ER.  Me.  In the ER.

Thursday night I went to bed feeling like a million bucks- I had a hair appointment the next day and Ryan was getting out of work early to help take Henry to get his cast on.  Friday was destined to be a good day!  I woke up around 3 AM with what I can only describe, as labor pains?!  Cramping and lots of back pain... if I weren't 5 weeks post partum, I'd think I was on that show "I didn't Know I was Pregnant." It was bizarre.  I got up and took a shower.  I paced and paced.  I tried going to the bathroom.  I'd lie down for 5 minutes and shoot back up in bed with this searing pain.  The pain was in my back, on my left side.   My first thought was renal failure (because... that's my hypochondria speaking).   I started to panic and around 4:30 I told Ryan I needed to go into the ER.

With 3 little ones still snoozing, we decided it would be best for me to drive myself in.  Ryan would wait with the kids until a decent hour (say 6/7) and then call my mom to have her come and watch the kids.

I got to the ER around 5 or so.  I was acting like a complete baby.  I needed pain meds and I needed them STAT.  I moaned and groaned as the doctor tapped on my kidneys.  (it really did hurt like mad when he tapped them- especially my left one).  They drew blood, put in an IV, gave me some fluids and some amazing pain medicine that made me feel like I was in a beautiful dreamland ;).  They ordered a CAT scan to check for kidney stones.  As they were prepping me for the scan, I asked to use the bathroom.   To my shock and surprise, ummm... out came a stone.  Like a STONE.  When they say kidney STONES, they aren't kidding.  They are like stones you'd find out in the flipping yard.  They had given me a strainer (to catch any stones) and I have to say carrying that sucker back, I felt proud.  The doc had talked with me a little about kidney stones and said that most of the time they were like grains of sand.  My stone, however, was the size of a pea.  NO JOKE.  I would post a photo of it (because yes, I did take a picture on my phone of it for my dad and Ryan to see) but that's just a little too gross.  Instead I'll post a picture of somebody elses' stone (from google) that look a lot like mine! ;)

Lovely, eh?

After I passed the stone, they bottled it up in a biohazard baggie for me to take to the urologist.  On top of the kidney stones, I also have a UTI.  They gave me a strong dose of antibiotics (through my IV) for that- and it was incredible how much better I was feeling after the stone and the medicine.

I was discharged, and spent the day sleeping.  Around 3 PM, I woke up with a fever.  Fab.  One of the instructions I had been given at the hospital, was if I were to run a fever, I'd need to go back into the ER. 

Around 4ish, we headed back up to the hospital. 

This time, they gave me bag after bag of fluids and some more pain meds.  They kept me for most of the night, making sure my fever was under control and I was getting enough fluids.  (they think the reason why I had gotten the fever in the first place was dehydration).

TODAY... I am feeling WAY better.  No fever, no kidney pain.  Just a little achy.

I swear its always something around here.  Lord up there?  Can we just slowwww it down a bit?  I'd much appreciate it :)

Here's to a better (MUCH, MUCH better) week!


the paper mama's photo challenge!
this week (RED)..

A friend gave me this adorable red hat when Maeve was a baby.  It's cycled through all of my kids now :)  I think initially, I paired it with a strawberry outfit, but today, I'm calling it an apple... for fall of course :)