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Sunday, January 29, 2012

He asked me to take my clothes off....


...and I did.
No, no, no, not for Dr. Phil. But, I would have...lol.
Wednesday, the 26th, I realized I was freezing when it was 74 F outdoors. I kept a heater on even as I despaired of not being able to afford the heat. I had 102 F temperature. Not only that, but the not-so-economical diarrhea and vomiting were still plaguing me, just not as often.

At 7 pm Thursday night, I made a 50 mile drive, one way to an ER. Charlie agreed to drive me to the hospital when I arrived at his house, so was waiting for me. It was raining and I almost had a wreck as I pulled out of the gas station to leave town. It was a hairy drive in the dark, the rain, and in a feverish condition.

I finally made it to his house, 1.5 hours on the back roads to get there. He dropped me off and parked the car. He left me in the ER while he ran back and got my Schweppes Ginger Ale. I was called to triage before he returned.

The triage nurse was really nice, taking all my info. I had with me a Tupperware glass with two lids, a lid on a lid. It held ginger ale. When Charlie and I pulled out of his driveway, the lid popped off, sounding like a gunshot. "What WAS that?"

I explained, showed him, and then tried to mop the ginger ale from the inside of his car. He was not really concerned, but I hate to have blasted the interior with sugar drops. So, while with the triage nurse, the top blasted off again. Now, it is the middle of the night, downtown, in a hospital with some unsavory characters waiting with loved ones. Three policeman are in the ER. "OH , $%*T! What WAS that?" Sheepishly and apologetically I retrieve the lid and show her, apologizing. "$%*T! Excuse me, I am sorry, but that scared me!" Yeah, both of us and I knew what it was. Seriously, the pop could have been gunfire.

From triage, I was shown a room...aha...fast, lucky me. THEN, the male nurse asked me to remove my clothing above the waist and put on a hospital gown. SHOCK! I have not been to a doctor in four or five years who has wanted me to remove a stitch except the ob/gyn. I told the female nurse that my confidence was restored now.  We both howled over that silliness to cover up my nervousness.

Another nurse came in said excitedly, "Am I too late? I need a urine sample." Almost too late, but I obliged her.

Immediately, the nurse put in an IV, the kind with two places for fluids or drawing blood. She offhandedly mentioned something about my being admitted. See my wrinkly dehydrated fingers? I got plenty of fluid that did not come right back up. They put something in the IV to control nausea. Thanks!
Then, miracle of miracles, Lino handed me the remote above, and explained it. The red button is a call button. The last few ER visits I made, I was left alone for hours at a time with no way of getting help or finding out if I had been abandoned, forgotten, or if the Rapture had occurred. Lino is a nice male nurse. He said he was born in the hospital. I kidded around, asking him if he like it there too much to leave, to move on. Lino was very agreeable. Lino is an Italian name and not short for anything. Pronounced- LEE no.

Then, she pointed out that the TV controls were on the front and the sound control on the side. I fairly shrieked and acted like I was not ill. Hallelujah! TV! That contraption on the wall made my stay more palatable. I watch Dr. Phil and Law & Order and the Bob Newhart Show. Fun times in the ER! I know I could watch this on my laptop. However, having the screen at a distance really helped my viewing pleasure.

In the same breath as all this, she told me the phone was on the wall and I could dial '9' and any local number. Please, someone tell me if you have a phone in each ER room.


Finally, someone said my friend wanted to come back. So, Charlie came and sat with me. Then, since we had been there since 9 pm, he said he was going home at midnight, to call him when I was ready to leave. I was not happy at being abandoned! But, the TV took my mind off the fact he left me alone.

A bit later, a nurse brought in two Sierra Mist cans and put 1.5 cans in a huge Styrofoam cup and put about a small container of something for the contrast the doctor ordered.  Yes, the doctor was afraid I had cancer since I had uterine bleeding, a copious amount when I was throwing up and having uncontrolled diarrhea.

He said I could have all the time I needed to drink this concoction poured over ice. But, I had to let them know as soon as I finished it because they had to time the CT scan for when all the contrast stuff was in my system. I did sip and sometimes more than sipped and toddled off to pee often, unhooking the IV and taking it with me. I notified them when I finished to liquid, and they started timing the occurrence of the CT scan. I think all the contrast liquid pooled on the bottom. The last few sucks of the straw yielded me some nasty, bitter stuff.
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There was a face, okay two faces, on the CT machine as I went in. They were gray. One turned green and the mouth was open. That meant I could breathe. The other was red and had a closed mouth and bulging cheeks--hold your breath.  Then, right beneath those faces, about 6 inches from my face was a little window that had written underneath it a warning--Do not look at this window. Laser ray inside. So, I covered my eyes and hoped for the best.  Granted, I had only looked at it once, but I had been put inside about 6 times with my eyes close. I am not blind, so I suppose all will be well!

I had to have a sonogram (I think, or was it ultrasound) of gall bladder and pancreas. The sonogram/ultrasound was painful because the woman pushed really hard. The last time I had a sonogram/ultrasond of my gall bladder, it did not hurt at all!

About 3 am or a little later, the doctor returned. She said that I had an infection, a uti. From the looks of the sonogram, CT scan, and blood tests, it appeared I did not have cancer. Uterus, gall bladder, and pancreas were fine. I asked if she tested for e Coli. She said there was no use. The antibiotic she was giving me for the urinary tract infection would take care of it.

For this visit I carried the records from visits with the other doctor that included allergies, medication and dosage, and blood tests that the doctor here in town refused to review unless I made a second, fully paid visit. He also refused to replace meds that I threw up and might do so if I came in to the office. Having all this information on hand made the visit less stressful for me.

Charlie picked me up at 3:30 am. I arrived here at 5 am.  I had to sleep because I could not safely stay awake until the pharmacy opened at 9 am. I fed the hens and slept from 7:30 until 2:30 and got my two meds--antibiotic and nausea medication. I was able to let them out for about an hour Friday night.

I feel, rotten, horrible, want gravy and mashed potato. Coke tastes rotten. I don't have money to buy anything. Charlie lent me the money for gas. I gave him a check to deposit on the 1st. I may make some jello to drink. Or, just to eat. I am having a hard time getting enough fluids in me, so anything works. Yes, I am getting fluids in the form of tea. I really love water, but it is too hard to swallow. I think all the throwing up as has caused temporary damage.

So, that was my night in the ER--6.5 hours and entertained by TV. I was gone from home for 10 hours.

After Charlie retrieved me and we were driving to his house, I said I was surprised I was called back so soon to the triage since there were other people ahead of me, and I did not have to come back out and wait for two hours. He said he had asked when I was coming out to the waiting room. The nurse said I was not coming back at all because it sounded like I had a contagious disease that they did not want to spread to the 50 people in the waiting room. Imagine!

Oh, I have lost 16 lbs. I was trying to cut back in 2012, so maybe 2 or 3 lbs could be attributed to my efforts. Probably another 13 or 14 lbs has been lost in the last thirteen days. I feel bruised from my breast bone down.

Your turn
Does your ER have a TV in each room? A telephone? Have you been in an ER lately for yourself or someone else?

13 comments:

  1. I'm glad that you have been to ER and been seen to. I really hope you get better soon. Proper better not just a bit better.

    Barb.

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  2. What's your pay pal? Let me give you $5 towards gravy and mash.

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  3. I'm glad you are okay. I just did the CT Scan and didn't have faces. I had a voice telling me to hold and then "You can breath". Gee, thanks! I've been living in radiology the last few days. No t.v., bad magazines. I hated that liquid! I had to drink two jars of it! You got off easy:)

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  4. Hope you're feeling better soon! No tvs or telephones in the ER rooms here, just in the waiting room. You know you're going to get called in soon when something decent finally comes on tv after sitting there for hours watching crap, lol.

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  5. What a night! I'm glad you received proper care and hope you feel better soon.

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  6. Barb,
    Thanks. I am still waiting on better,as I am just a bit better still.

    FDU,
    I am still in the midst of getting the PayPal button. Mashed potatoes and gravy is just so good right now...lol.

    LindaM,
    No faces! Yes, I had someone telling me to breathe, too. Even if Charlie has to come get me, I will never go to any other ER.

    Wendy,
    If I did not feel like I was punched in the stomach, I would be feeling better. You are so right about finally getting to watch something good and then being called in.

    Hops,
    Thanks. I was not too dizzy when I got up this morning at the crack of noon. I still feel weak.

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  7. I'm so sorry you are still sick. I've been really sick and all alone before. After my cancer surgery I didn't have anyone here and it blows. Feel better and keep drinking fluids even if your sick of drinking.

    When I took my son to the hospital in January, there was no tv in his tiny little room.

    http://paythebillsorfeedthekids.blogspot.com/2011/12/trip-to-er.html

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  8. you have to be kidding on the NHS!

    Take care though - I had to have two NMRI scans on my head in the past - not comfortable I hate them

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  9. Free,
    I would be in the same boat if I had cancer. It is a horrendous thought! Sorry you had to go through that. A tv would have made life easier for your son and you.

    Furtheron,
    Thanks. They warned me that I would feel hot and feel like I had peed on myself. But, I felt nothing. They techs were surprised, but said it does not always happen.

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  10. Linda - have you tried drinking soups instead of tea or water? sometimes i find that helps keep the liquids in. you can soak some bread or crackers in it to help with the nausea.

    i am so sorry to hear that you have been sick. so very sorry. but you are always in my thoughts and prayers and i will pray that you get better as soon as possible.

    please take care of yourself, hon!

    your friend,
    kymber

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  11. I have had more chicken noodle soup in the last two weeks than I have had in the last five years. It is hard to swallow, so I don't want to add crackers. Water just tastes nasty right now, but the tea is okay. Tea and crackers are good. Coke is too fizzy for me...lol...didn't think I would ever say THAT! I think the potatoes and gravy is a good cure...lol. Hey, I said I lost 16 lbs, so I may just keep eating potatoes and gravy to lose weight...just kidding.

    Food is no longer exiting my body as fast as it goes in...knock on wood. I ate bacon tonight!

    Thanks for thinking of me.

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  12. try putting some fruit and/or honey in your water. honey is a natural antibiotic. and if coke is too fizzy, try some gingerale but take the cap off and let it go flat for a few hours. i have snacked on gingerale and crackers when i have been sick and found it worked ok. make certain to have some honey! promise?

    and yes - bacon, mashed potatoes and gravy fix every body ailment! teeheehee!

    we'll keep you always in our prayers, my friend!

    your friend,
    kymber

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  13. kymbe,'
    Hmmm, honey water? Sounds good. Promise! I feel like having peanut butter. I may put some honey in that, too. It has been almost 30 years since I have been this ill. That was the last time I ate crackers because I was ill other than the last two weeks. Ginger ale fizz is okay, but something about a Coke just makes me fell worse and is so unappetizing. I think I am going for salty food...lol. Believe it or not, I am still dehydrated! I need more tea, I suppose. I will drink it weak so it will work fine and with lots of ice.

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Okay, hoping the annoyances have gone away.