Sadly we lost Betty White who they say died peacefully in her sleep sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. It was nice seeing all the various tributes made to her and how she was a champion for many disadvantaged folks. The first time I remember seeing her was on The Golden Girls. I like millions of other folks enjoyed seeing the weekly antics of four ladies in their fifties and older showing that you could still live a fulfilling life even as you get older. Now that I'll soon be 50 myself (God willing), that message resonates with me. Betty definitely made her mark on the world and now she can rest peacefully and hopefully reunite with her family and friends who've gone before her.
So how did my year end? New Year's Eve 2021 started out normally for me. Dom was off from school and I of course wasn't on the work schedule. Dom decided to make some breakfast of eggs and ham a little after 10am. Breakfast was ready and just when I was about to eat I felt a sharp pain on the left side of my stomach. The pain was intense and I was thinking I may have been constipated.
I ate a little but the pain was continuing to be unbearable so I went and got an enema bulb to try and flush myself out. That didn't help at all. The pain got to the point that I was barreled over on the sofa barely able to focus on anything else. Dom did his best to comfort me but there was nothing he could do. He later suggested I take some Metamucil to see if that would help. I decided to drink it but the pain was still there. I went back and forth to the bathroom because I felt like something wanted to come out but nothing would.
I decided to take a hot shower and then soak in the tub. Just as I was finishing soaking, I was feeling the sensation of wanting to vomit. Moments later I found myself vomiting in the trash. I went back downstairs. Dom asked if we should go to the ER. I told him to hold off for now and see if things continue to get bleak. Plus I don't have any health insurance currently so knew going to the ER would be a very expensive proposition.
We started to watch the Wiz. It's the one movie I remember my parents taking my sisters and I to the theatre to go see. I believe I was seven or eight years old. My biggest memory was the trash cans attacking the cast in the garage. As a youngster I remember that freaking me out. I tried to enjoy the movie though the pain distracted me.
So Dom boiled some water for me to have some tea. I drank most of the tea but I was still in pain. I went back and forth to the bathroom hoping to get whatever was ailing me out. But that wasn't working. I started to lie down on the sofa and felt the sensation of throwing up again. I ran to the bathroom and threw up. When I threw up again a third time, I reluctantly decided that I had to go to emergency.
That was an ordeal. We got there at 3:30 PM. The emergency room of course was busy. Dom went back to his car and then eventually went home when almost two hours past and I hadn't even been registered yet. I felt peeved when a lady came in with her husband and she complained about stomach pain and got registered maybe 30 minutes after she came in while I was still waiting 2 hours later. I know they say that it's their discretion on the priority but I felt that was unfair since I too had stomach pain.
So it was a little over 3 hours before I finally was registered into the system. I had some initial vitals taken (horrible blood pressure) and then was directed to the register area. I had the fun task of explaining that I didn't have insurance and having to go through all the particulars of my hours at Amazon. Even with the little I made I didn't qualify for Medicaid so I was given a number with the financial office to make arrangements for my upcoming expensive ass bill.
An hour later I was called in for a CAT scan. There was a secondary waiting area that had outlets. My cell phone had less than 12% charge left so I plugged it in. I didn't have enough time though to charge it properly before I went in for the scan.
I went back and then was called again about 30 minutes later to get an IV inserted. I also provided a urine sample for analysis. After getting the IV inserted, I was shot me with some anti-nausea medication. I remember feeling an immediate sensation throughout my body when given that. Thankfully the sensation went away and then I was given morphine. I was placed in a wheel chair and rolled back to the waiting room.
This one busybody lady waiting in the emergency room with a family member noticed my IV wasn't sending anything. I realized that I needed to not bend my arm. She also spoke up when my IV ran out to let the nurse know since apparently it can form a dangerous clot I'm guessing from air being pushed into the vein.
While waiting and waiting I found an outlet near the restroom to charge my phone. After getting my phone to at least 50%, I messaged my sisters to let them know what was happening. Tasha mentioned that she knew something was wrong because Dom posted a cryptic message on Facebook about our New Year's Eve not going as planned without giving details (details of which I really didn't want shared...*LOL*). Trina made some joke about thinking Dom and I were off having sex...*LOL*. Speaking of Dom he was patiently at home waiting for me to update him on status. I still didn't know what was happening.
It wasn't until two hours later just after 11:30 pm when I found out I had a kidney stone (though I may have more). Dom is dealing with kidney stones himself but the diagnosis shocked me. The main doctor came in to explain everything and gave an apology for the long stay (almost nine hours in all) They gave me some Tylenol and then began the process of discharging me. So the good news was that I didn't have to stay overnight.
I rang in the New Year in the emergency room. Actually I recalled that it wouldn't be the first time I spent New Year's in the ER. I believe it was New Year's 2005 that I wound up in the ER as well for blood pressure issues. It's not a habit that I want to have. Well going to the ER anytime of the year sucks but being there around New Year's is a special kind of suck.
So now I'm continuing to drink lots of water and constantly feeling the urge to pee. I just want to get rid of this stone. I was given a prescription and signed up for a Prescription Savings card since I don't have insurance to try and reduce the cost of the meds. The main med that I'm taking is something called Tamsulosin that primarily is taken for an enlarged prostate. The med also is supposed to help relax the urethra and bladder. The stone was identified as being around 4mm which means that it should pass without surgery thankfully.
Thanks to my emergency and then our first major snowstorm, I had to take off from work Sunday. Thankfully the building was closed on New Year's so I didn't lose time for that day. But I'll definitely need to work this weekend even with my stone drama and needing to pee. I need some income especially with that big emergency bill coming. Heaven help me.
What a way to start 2022! Hopefully things go up from here.
One positive thing today. My Dad turns 92 years young. I'm grateful to still have him with us and also that my younger sister Trina and her husband are able to take care of him.
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