Uphill Battle

Yesterday afternoon I got to the hospital around 5 pm.  I had to wait a little less than an hour before being seen, but considering I was a rather last minute fit in, I suppose that wasn't too bad.

While waiting, I was really uncomfortable.  I was sweating profusely, my back was killing me, and I was ... in general ... not at my best.  I finally told them I knew they would want a urine sample for my culture and couldn't hold it anymore (hello people, I have a UTI which basically means I NEVER think I can hold it).  Giving a sample stinks when you have a UTI because it hurts so darn much to go (and for a couple hours after), but I knew it was something they'd want.

I gave the sample and went in to "triage."  Once in triage, we had a HORRIBLE LVN assisting us.  She was RUDE ("ok, where you put your pee at?")  Ummm ... really?  I left it in the restroom.  Where else would I have put it?  Turns out, they did the urine analysis on it and it came back negative.  You don't say!  REALLY!  I've been on antibiotics for 3 days so OF COURSE it came out negative.  Evan had already joined me by this time and just about lost it.  He told them that with antibiotics in my system, they might as well have rubbed the swab in dirt b/c an analysis isn't what he wanted, but instead a urine culture.  (I joke with him that when I hear him at work in his capacity saying "Dr. Lacefield" it's super sexy, mainly b/c he's doing so much good in others lives, but somehow, when it involved my pee, it became so not sexy)

It gets worse though.  After we realized they wasted time doing the urine analysis, we heard that they THREW IT AWAY instead of doing the culture.  So to get the culture that he wanted, what do you think I had to do?

That's right.  Pee again.  (sorry this post is full of nasty topics.  Deal with it.  I'm going through lots.)

I was so frustrated at this point.  Frustrated that they weren't thinking about their patient.  Frustrated that they just didn't think ... period.  I have no medical training like this nurse did and even I know not to do that!  Like Evan later told me "you never throw away pee until you're positive you're done with it!" haha ... again, sexy Urologist talk.  Funny thing about it is he said it with a very serious face.  Looking back on it, that might be one of the funniest sentences I've ever heard.

This is another blog topic for another day, but quick side note: You can't be shy if you're married to a Urologist.  Fortunately, I am NOT a private person at all.  Some people are turned off about that.  It's just who I am.  With two parents as physicians, I learned that the human body is what it is, and you shouldn't be shy about something that happens to so many women (such as this issue for example).  A few of Evan's family members are really shy (weirded out) about what he does for a living ... the way I see it?  It's all part of your body!  And if you have testicular cancer, or penile cancer, I am SO thankful we have people in this world to help us with that.  I always tell Evan "they'll think it's gross until god forbid, one of them gets prostate cancer etc. and then they'll realize just how darn useful you are!" And something as simple as this UTI/ possible kidney infection ... he made my life from practically unbearable to seemingly normal in the course of one day.  MY HERO!

Part of my problem when I go in to triage or other places is that I stay very stoic throughout.  I seem like nothing is hurting and nothing is affecting me, when in reality, I felt like crap.  The thermometer wouldn't even take my temperature (in my armpit) because it was so sweaty.  I was miserable. When they left the room and the Doctor came in, he apologized for them having thrown it away, told me Gloria looked great on the monitor so that concern was gone, and did a pelvic exam to make sure my cervix was still closed (which it is!).  I'm really fortunate because my OB happened to be the one on call last night so once he knew we were there, he took great care of us! 

When he left, the water works started.  I don't want it to sound like I cry at the drop of a hat.  When I was pregnant with Liliana, I did.  The hormones were INSANE that pregnancy.  This go around?  Not so much.  I can't remember the last time I cried.

This time, I cried out of frustration, out of anger, and because I knew that using the restroom again would hurt like the dickens.  I finally gave them another sample and Evan was VERY adamant to make sure that they labeled it etc.  We decided to switch the medication I was on since this UTI is obviously resistant to the first type of medication I was on.  They won't really know what the best medication is until they've had the culture for 48 hours, but we knew my being in this pain for 48 more hours wasn't an option.

Evan called the medication in while we were leaving the hospital and I already have two pills in my system.  I am glad to report that on that end, I am feeling MUCH better.  My back, however, is still in an excrutiating amount of pain.  I didn't bring the heating pad to work with me, like a big moron.  I think I will be using it constantly until this UTI is officially gone. 

The good news?  Likely not a kidney infection, and likely just a couple more days of yuckiness before I'm back to 100%!  The other good news?  Glee comes back tonight after a really long hiatus!  If that doesn't make me feel better, I don't know what will.