Sunday, April 11, 2010

being in the hospital...

Being in the hospital stinks. We came to the ER on Friday morning after a migraine since Sunday. I missed work on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Talk about feeling like a complete loser there. I was totally out of it all week, but refused to miss on Wednesday and Thursday. We went to the doctor on Thursday, after five days of the migraine, and they gave me a shot for pain and nausea. The doctor also told us that if the pain wasn't gone the next day to head to the ER. So, by Friday morning when the pain was not only gone, but worse, to the ER we went. I just wanted some relief. They tried various pain meds, while sticking me a total of 8 times for an IV, and NOTHING worked. NOTHING. After a CT scan, some blood work, and me begging to just forget it and go home, the doctor told us I'd be admitted. I was very upset at that point. No meds were working, so I didn't see the point in actually staying here. Before leaving the ER, my IV blew, so they had to stick me again. They couldn't find a vien anywhere but my right breast, so in the IV went. Is that too much info? If so, sorry. It hurt so bad. The nurse didn't use gloves. Uh, that's against policy I'm thinking. Anyway, she brought me to my room, mentioned where my IV was located, and the nurses up here went crazy. Told me how dangerous that was, called the doctor, and then they decided I needed a picc line. I was even more upset at that point. I just planned to stay here ONE night, why did I need a picc line? Those things are for people staying for multiple nights or weeks. They finally convinced me, and the picc line is now in. They then said I needed to be tested for MRSA. When I told them I did have it, they all freaked all, put on some special gloves and gowns, and got all worried. I now have some sign on my door about being careful when you come in here and wearing isolation gear. The ER didn't seem to care about me having MRSA. I guess they have different standards. The pain meds continued not working until I had a complete break down yesterday afternoon. I felt like the doctor wasn't listening to me, so I had to go a little crazy on them and freak out. They finally did change my meds. The pain did go away (for the most part) and it's manageable now. The called in a new neurologist to talk with me, and he also thinks the blackouts are totally migraine related. If we can control the migraines, we can control the blackouts. He is upping my preventative medicine, and he is giving me a new "rescue" medication to take if I get a migraine. They originally scheduled an MRI and MRA for me. That was supposed to be yesterday, but they never showed up, so they are coming today. However, the neurologist said he didn't think I needed it since I've had them in the last year and a half. I'm hoping I don't have them. I'm afraid I'll be here until tomorrow if they do the test. If they don't, I hope to go home today.
Here are a few things I've noticed:
1. You can't get any sleep here at the hospital. They are constantly in and out of our room, which I understand. They are either cleaning my room, checking vital signs, getting blood, giving me meds, etc. It gets old.:(
2. The ER and the regular floors have different standards. I guess the ER is just trying to save lives. They left needles everywhere, didn't use gloves, weren't concerned about the MRSA, just stuff like that.
3. The food here isn't so good, I only eat the sides. I'll eat the carrots, roll, dessert, and stuff like that. I won't eat the meat though, it's questionable.
4. Everyone is pretty friendly and always asks if I need anything else. When I say I need to go home, they don't do anything about that.
5. How did people survive in the hospitals before laptops and phones with internet??
6. There is NOTHING to watch on TV in the middle of the night, unless you like commercials that are trying to get you to buy the latest mop, shoes, or shower head. I'm currently watching amazing animals on Animal Planet. Makes me miss my own pets.:(
7. I'm super thankful for my family and friends that have come to keep me company.

That's it for now. I'm not rereading or spell checking. I don't think it would help, the pain meds are kicking in! :)

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