My little hospital adventure

Let me just say this upfront: DRINK YOUR WATER PEOPLE!!!!!  Seriously, it hurts if you don't!

Okay, so earlier last week the Little Big Fella had a bit of a temperature at night, then the next few nights had a bit of a cough.  So on Saturday morning, when I started feeling achy in my joints, I thought I'd either pushed too hard in my workout, or was coming down with a flu.  My throat was a bit sore as well.

Even with the aid of ibuprofen, by that night I was in a fair bit of pain.  The Big Fella's parents were staying with us for a couple of days (to hang out with the Little Big Fella before school starts) and his mum found me crying because of the pain and exhaustion.  Eventually I got to sleep and thought it would all be okay.

The next morning (Sunday) I woke up feeling okay.  The Big Fella's parents left and we went next door for a playdate.  I sat around talking with the other mums all morning and mostly felt fine.

When the others had all left the Little Big Fella still didn't want to go and was invited to stay and play for a while.  I was chatting with my neighbour and suddenly felt quite faint.  I told her I had to go and practically raced over the fence and upstairs, dumped my stuff on the bench, told the Big Fella I thought I was going to faint and sat on the couch.

The next thing I knew, I was having a whole bunch of pictures flashing through my head and I was attempting to focus on the Big Fella.  Apparently I'd turned white as paper, my eyes rolled up and I passed out, stopped breathing, and my arms flapped around a bit.  I only knew I was really tired and just wanted to lie down on our beautifully comfy couch.

The Big Fella called the hospital and asked them about what had happened, then spoke to our neighbour, asking if the Little Big Fella could stay while he took me up to the hospital.

I felt nauseous on that drive!  And I'm pretty sure the Big Fella was speeding at least the first half of the way there.

We got to emergency and went in to triage where my blood pressure, heart rate and temperature were checked and all the standard questions asked.  He also pinched my skin in a few places, which apparently told him that I was dehydrated.

Then he went off to talk to the doctor.

We waited.

And we both fell asleep.  The Big Fella had done a night shift and still hadn't been to bed, so he was exhausted.  And I'd gotten straight on the bed and laid down as soon as we arrived.

We both woke up, possibly an hour later, because we were cold.  That room was kind of icy!  About another 20 minutes later the doctor came in, asked a few more questions, checked a few more things then told me that I probably had an infection in my liver, bladder or urinary tract and that I was dehydrated.  They were admitting me to receive antibiotics and fluids by IV.

"Okay", I said, "can I please have a blanket?"

But instead of a blanket, they took me to a room, with the heater on, and a relatively comfy bed, and a blanket.  My teeth kept shivering for a couple of minutes though.

Has anyone been in hospital recently?  They have these beds, the nurse called it an airbed, and they blow up and down in different places depending on how you lay/sit on it!  It's kind of freaky!  So when you lay on your back, it adjusts, then if you move your legs, it adjusts.  If you put the head up a bit or move it to sitting position, it adjusts.  And sometimes the adjustment isn't that comfortable either.  It's to help reduce the chance of bedsores.

Well, after I stopped shivering, the nurse came in to put in my canula (the thing they put in your arm that the IV fluids go through).  And let me say it again; DRINK YOUR WATER, PEOPLE!!!

Normally I don't have any trouble having blood taken for tests or whatever.  I don't like needles, but it's not normally an issue.  But because I was dehydrated, the veins were hard to find and kept moving around, so getting the canula in was really hard.

The first nurse tried twice on my right arm.  The second nurse tried twice on my left arm.  And then they got the doctor in, who got it in my left arm first try.  But each of these were more painful than the last, and when the doctor got it in, it really hurt.

The Big Fella headed home to get some things for me, as we'd been told I'd be staying overnight by this time.  He came back with the Little Big Fella after they'd had their evening meal.  The Little Big Fella had eaten jelly with berries in it.  I knew because it was all over him!

By the time they got there I was starting to feel much better.  I could even sit up without feeling dizzy!

After a bit of a chat and a big hug each, my Fellas headed back home.  Poor Little Big Fella started to get a little upset that I wasn't coming home with them, but settled well enough with another hug and a bit of a chat.

I put a status update on Facebook and immediately had half a dozen friends offer to help me, or look after the Little Big Fella, or bring whatever I needed.  I am honestly SO lucky to have found such wonderful friends in our little town.

The night was long and uncomfortable.  Keeping your arm straight all night is tricky, and led to me sleeping in pretty much the same position all night.  And despite my "air bed", it got uncomfortable.

During the night a helicopter landed outside my window (well, not right outside but it was definitely loud enough to seem like it).  And the old man in the next room was rather loud, with moaning and groaning and talking to the nurses.  Thankfully I was in a room by myself though, so that was helpful.

In the morning I got a visit from my Fellas, which made my day!  There's nothing like visitors in hospital, and nothing like your two favourite people visiting.

When the doctors did their rounds I was told that, as long as I drank at least four 600ml bottles of water a day, I could go home when my final bag of fluids was finished.

Unfortunately, the Big Fella had to start work before then, so the Little Big Fella went to his best friend's house and I got a ride home with another friend who happened to be in town having lunch.

Being home was SO good!  Being able to move around without having to ask a nurse to disconnect me and then drag the IV stand around was absolutely awesome!  And sleeping in my own bed... heaven!

So now I need to take some tablets for a few days and see my doctor next week to follow up.  And drink lots of water!!!!  I don't think the Big Fella will let me get away with not drinking water ever again :-)