My Hospital Stay, Part 2: Growing Misery

And counting . . .

My sugar numbers continuously dropped since they began giving me insulin instead of oral meds to regulate it.  The insulin always did work better, but after Obama changed the health care system, I had to switch because I no longer qualified for it, and couldn't budget to pay for it out of pocket.

The antibiotic kicked the infection pretty good although they said it was moving from my lower urinary tract to my kidneys and that's probably where all the back pain was coming from.  So by Monday, the antibiotic was discontinued.

However, other problems escalated.

First, I had terrible back pain.  No position eased the aching for long:  laying in bed, sitting, standing, walking around.  It just kept getting worse.  Laying on my back was horrible.  And of course that's where they wanted me for most of the things I had to do.(8)

Then, a massive headache which got worse with those bright lights over my bed. (9)  They continuously left them on when they were done with the procedures done on me and every half hour it was something:  BP, finger stick, insulin shot, meal ordering, social services representative, bloodwork, meal delivery, pill time, dietician consultation, tests.  The only pain relief I was allowed was acetaminophen or norco, which have never worked for me.(10)

Also, missing Bryan.  (11&12)  He had to keep working, of course, and as is normal for most people, wanted to come visit after work.  Unfortunately, since he works afternoon turn, he had to come in through the emergency doors and the security guard kept looking at him as if he was suspicious and stopped and questioned him once.  So he just called me instead.  That was only mildly satisfying since there was constantly someone in the room with me:  visitors, nurses, aides, another patient, her visitors, more nurses, more aides, janitor, etc.   It was very inhibiting to talk freely when you knew everyone could overhear everything you said just like you could overhear everything they said.  He is a terrible texter or that could have helped more.  I couldn't share much of what I was going through.

Also heartburn, (13) I think maybe from that contrast dye.  It got so bad one day it made me throw up.(14)  That was three times in three days, and I haven't done it but once in years.  One contributing factor is probably that I couldn't get anything myself.  I had to have authorization from the nurse or at least an aid had to bring it.  If I wanted the Maalox that the doctor had written an order for, I had to buzz for the on duty nurse to verify the order, scan it into the computer, and administer it between everything else needed on the floor.  If I asked for milk, I had to buzz for an aid and they had to go get it.  Sometimes it took so long that I was in agony before relief came.

Next, swelling.(15)  They gave me so much saline fluid that my whole body swelled up.  My feet were so bad I couldn't wear my shoes.  I hated to walk to the bathroom in bare feet and the socks were really hot and hard to get on & off.  Bryan stopped at the dollar store and bought extra large crocks so I could get my feet in them. 

I'm getting tired, so I'll continue later.