Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day!


Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!  I used to make felt woven hearts (the photo above is an example of one made with paper, not felt) and fill them with little notes/chocolates/whatnot and give them out to pretty much anyone.

Wanted to say thanks to all of my friends and family who support me; unfortunately I have not posted anything this month other than the ramblings of the E.R. because I have still been sick which is very frustrating.  Have been to my specialist and the regular doctor plus need to get in sometime this week to have more blood drawn and tested for who-knows-what.

For everyone whose blogs I am actively following thank you for providing distraction on the rare days I have signed into the computer - I have not even been able to play my [two] pointless facebook games to keep me distracted....

Enough of bothersome stuff - today is a day that I like because it reminds me of Christmas time - it is another opportunity to offer thanks for the people I know (or have yet to meet) in my life, and a time to look for the positive things in life!

I have my ten-year high school reunion coming up in March and have been finding old classmates on facebook which has been fun... I have been able to spend time especially with my youngest cousin (over five months old now!)... My best friend and her husband sent tons of photos of my godson and his twin sister showing their antics during this new year (very much appreciated since they live in France - but they will be back in CA this summer!!!)... I am not in the hospital and am able to live through other people's lives when mine is sliding downhill which helps me to dig in and climb back up to health : )

Also - how could I forget to mention this?? - my neighbors had their first child, a baby girl, at 3:33am on February 13th in a home birth and the family of three (five if you include their two dogs) are all happy and healthy, plus they want me to spend a few days a week with the new baby!  Did I mention enough how much I love children?

Alright, wrapping this up because I'm heading out to buy my books for the spring semester (another child development course - turns out I have two left before being able to complete my second degree - and an online women health course for fun) and then am planning to watch tv after a lovely home cooked dinner.

Hope everyone smiles about something today, and thanks again to all of you who help lift my spirits even when you don't know it!

Saturday, February 5, 2011

E.R. = frustration!!

Home for about two hours now, but today turned out to be insanely frustrating instead of the relaxing Saturday I was hoping for.  Thankfully a family friend and his buddy were willing to drive me to the E.R. - I of course was quite concerned and freaked out because I have never been told I was not allowed to drive myself - not to mention the cost of an ambulance...

(Warning - if you ate a good meal, wait to read this post, and I'm sorry for the detail!)

Pulling to explain - I had tried an over the counter medicine for the first time, and apparently my body really disliked it.  I woke up just after 2am to rush to the bathroom where I threw up and had diarrhea.  I then put my pj's in the washer, cleaned the bathroom, and collapsed on my bed immediately falling asleep.  End of story, right?  Nope.  I called the number on the side of the box after I woke up and the lady said throwing up was very abnormal and I needed to contact my doctor immediately.  Since I had slept until about noon then talked to her, Kaiser was closed and I had to talk with an after hours nurse.

The after hours people put me on hold - after an HOUR of listening and waiting I was given the option to hang up and they would "save my place in line."  Another hour and a half went by, then the phone rang.  I started to describe what had happened, but with my past medical stuff and the projectile vomit (apparently orange is a serious concern as a vomit color??  I have not thrown up in over five years so I have no clue about that), the after-hours advice nurse insisted that I shouldn't drive myself but I should show up ASAP (taking no more than three hours to arrive, and to call for a taxi or an ambulance if I couldn't find a ride).

First of all, if it was so urgent why did they put me on hold/not call me back for two and a half hours?  Secondly I am so thankful that I had a family friend jump on the opportunity to help me when I needed it - they rushed and less than ten minutes later I had a ride waiting outside my door.  Traffic getting to the hospital, but within minutes of arriving I had been checking in and passed over a half-full waiting room, given my hospital gown, and was laying on a gurney waiting for my second-ever IV.  (I really hate needles, and IVs scare the hell out of me - most of the time I faint when I have to get my blood drawn).

Those five minutes were the most relaxing of the entire time if that's possible.  "My" room was needed, so I was put in the hall "just for five or ten minutes" - which turned out to be the entire duration of my afternoon/evening in the E.R.  So fun!  Lots of boring stuff went on, I read a bit of another book, and finally hours later the doctor dropped by to say my blood work had come back, everything was fine.  A few minutes later the nurse came by to take out my IV and I asked what exactly my diagnosis was - "you are nauseous"... WERE THEY KIDDING??  Five hours and all they could say was I was nauseous and to call/come back if I threw up again??

Yep.  That's it.  Got my discharge papers, was given a cup of orange juice with potassium powder in it (apparently the only thing they found was that my potassium levels were just a *tiny* bit low so they figured it wouldn't hurt to give me some before sending me home) - and I very, very luckily had my ride waiting for me to drive me home to take care of my dog who was feeling very abandoned.  I am tired and can't believe I let the after-hours person convince me to go to the E.R. (after I had only thrown up around 2 in the morning, nothing after that!) and give them a lovely $50 co-pay.  Thank God I have insurance - I am going to bed now and hopefully shall fall asleep the minute I hit the pillow and just sleep for hours and hours. 


Not trying to complain, just can't believe the stress of what was to be a simple day - and then having the doctors decide there was nothing wrong - why did I go again?  Oh, right, I didn't want it to be something worse like the after-hours nurse implied.  So very, very tired right now :/  Anyone willing to give me a hug or a back massage?  Even a kind phone call would help...

::HUGS:: Off to bed - sweet dreams world!