Monday, June 18, 2012

Week from Hell

So the past few weeks have been a crazy ride. I think the pain I have experienced has brought me to a new level of insanity.

It started in Bellingham where my family returned from our getaway. I was at home in pain and unable to walk, my little guy was in child care and I had no idea how the rest of the day was going to play out. I needed to pick up my little guy and carry on with my day.

So Mom to the rescue. She drives up and takes care of me. Picks up my little one and offers to take care of us down in Seattle. My scan was a week a way and I could use some rest. My husband could use a break from his care taker duties too. We went to Seattle that evening.

The next day my pain continued to escalate. We visited the ER and I got a CT, X-ray and blood tests. I learned that my right ureter was obstructed. However my pain was a lot of left flank pain and some bladder pain. The plan was to get my stent replaced a fast as I could. The earliest I could get in was Thursday the 14th. The day after my PET scan. I said I would take the appointment. I would take whatever I could get. I was doing ok and taking my pain meds to cope. I was still on crutches and limited to what I could do. However the pain continued to escalate even more.

So here it is the night before my PET scan, June 12th and the pain was unbearable and so it was back to the ER where my records lived. So we checked in to the ER and had a similar run down except this time I was treated with some IV antibiotics for a possible UTI which was never diagnosed. But I couldn't help believe there was something going on with my bladder. The pain was intense and real every time I peed. I took solace in my fentanyl lolly pops that gave me quick relief that helped with my temporary pain. I was overwhelmed and tired of being told what would work and not work. I took brief naps during my ER stay and had to eat some food at 3:00 am which killed my opportunity for my PET scan the next morning. Of course I didn't want a bum scan so I was happy to reschedule. I remembered a medicine I was once prescribed to help with bladder pain and I got an Rx and boy did it help. So my job was to make it to Thursday afternoon, my surgery time. I was scheduled for 1:45pm. The case before went late and I didn't get in until 4 or 5 something. This is nothing new. The waiting was just part of my job of being a "patient ". Finally I had a new stent! My bladder was bruised and the previous stent was curroated and disgusting. There was some concern about the health of my kidney tissue on the right side and further testing is planned. My scan was rescheduled for Friday the 15th of June, the day after my stent replacement. So I had 30 minutes to eat dinner before I was NPO (couldn't eat for 12 hours prior to my scan.) I had a fantastic salad and gourmet chicken pot pie. My life seems so surreal. Going out to dinner does not feel like a normal activity. It feels like a moment in time where I enjoy a meal in between freaky healthcare appointments in my life. I would like to have less freaky healthcare visits and more dinner dates, specifically with my hubby! In the past week I have had a urology pre-op appt, stent replacement. 2 ER visits, a primary care set-up appt. a PET-CT scan. And this upcoming Friday I have my oncology appt. Oh and let's not forget I am waiting for my scan results! May the chips fall where they are meant to fall, in my favor!

Sent from my iPhone

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad you received some relief from the pain. Sending prayers and strenght your way.

Kathy said...

Sending prayers your way for relief of the pain that all the chips fall your way in the best way possible. Yes!

Anonymous said...

wishing you all the very best today and for everyday after.

Dunn said...

Glad you received some relief from the pain. Sending prayers and strenght your way.