Ringing in the Fall season...in the hospital.

[John Schmidt]

Not by choice, but that's how it happened. Was feeling a bit rough most of the day last Saturday but figured a short night was probably to blame(long story). Sunday not much better but good enough to make it to church. By Sunday evening I was starting to have some kidney pain, not intense but enough to make me aware. Late evening the dry heaves started...that's always an enjoyable period in life, and now the kidney pain is kicking in pretty good. Having had stones in the past, I figured after roughly 20 years another had developed so off we went to the ER. By this time it was well past midnight and the waiting room empty so got immediate attention. After a quick checkin, they took me to an exam room and started an IV, followed by a good hit of Dilaudid pain med plus somthing to stop the dry heaves. By now the pain is really intense so the pain meds were a real blessing. Next step...a CT scan which showed no kidney stones. Great...so why the pain? A quick analysis of both urine and blood showed I had a UTI(urinary tract infection). I've never had such a thing so I'm wondering where/how in blazes did I contract such a thing. They kept me in the hospital from early Monday(about 0400) until discharge at 0100 today, Wednesday. Reason being, waiting for cultures to grow so they can determine the type or strain of bacteria present, thereby allowing them to determine the antibiotic most effective. After three nights on a bed that reminded me of stories about medieval torture, they finally sent me home with a new batch of meds to take for five days. The kidney pain was gone by Monday midday, as was the stomach upset and dry heaves, but they insisted on more time for things to grow in the petri dishes. Once home I first changed clothes, grabbed a bite to eat, then hit my old faithful recliner to try and catch up. Three hours later I felt quite refreshed, my arms are rather sore where they had inserted IV's and that area is so bruised I look like I've been in a bar fight. Last one of those was in '57 where I came in 1st, then 3rd, then 1st again...same fight(I didn't start it) when stationed in Denver. A nearby broken tree branch evened the 3:1 odds rather quickly. But I digress...this evening although still rather tired, stiff & achy from sleeping arrangements, I'm encouraged by the results and met some real sweet nurses & assistants.

Nancy had quite an experience through it all. They had moved an elderly man into the second bed Tuesday and as she and I were going for walk around the area, she told me the guy looked familiar. So upon returning she paused at his bed and asked his name to which he answered and at the same time looked a bit startled when he looked at her. He said Nancy's name like a question, turns out they had worked together at a local ad agency 61 years ago. Both are artists, he was in the top spot & she was directly under him. They had a great time going over old times, he's now 93 and was 33 when he started at the agency...10 years Nancy's senior as she was fresh out of college. He had tripped and fallen at home, hit his head quite hard on the garage floor and covered in bruises all over his left side. He's a pretty spry gent so quite sure he'll be up and about soon but the hospital was taking it rather serious. They xrayed him for breaks, and did two separate scans to make sure there was no bleeding in the head. Last I heard he's OK, just needs to take it easy so the bruising will heal. The weekend was rather busy for everyone it appears, just glad to be home. Thanks for putting up with the epistle. 

[Oss]

wow

sure glad  you went to the hospital and got fixed up

Heck of a way to start 5787 off isnt it?

[scooperhsd]

UTI's are no fun at all. Glad you were able to get treatment.

[DDT (12)]

John,

Sorry for your miseries! Happy things seem to be working out for you... Thanks for the info and progress of events... helpful for those of us who follow in your wake! Also, interesting story of Nancy and her reunion... It surely seems this is indeed a small world sometimes... Glad to have you back amongst us!!!

DDT (12)

[TJ]

Hey old man, isn't old age great..... 
get better....

[Mooskee]

Wow, John. Glad to hear you are doing well now. I have never experienced a UTI, but Donna went through much th same experience as you a while back. You and Nancy take care of each other, and may God bless you.

[Willow]

I'm sorry for the pain you endured but pleased that all has turned out well.  I, a year ago, spent some time in the hospital and I also experienced good interchanges with nurses and techs. They wrote me a personal note as I departed.  The Lord uses many circumstances to bring us opportunities to act as His children.

I'm glad you're getting better.

[Serk]

Glad you went when you needed to go and that your visit was a (relatively) brief one!

[John Schmidt]

Thanks for the well wishes, I can't recall when I've felt so tired. The IV tower kept going off all night plus they were coming in for vitals nearly as often. The nurse assistants got real irritated when I refused to let them stick my fingers for blood sugar every time they checked the vitals. I asked them to use one of the two IV's stuck in my arm, when they refused a nurse came in and did it using the IV. The nurses and PA didn't seem to mind, I told them I understood the flushing that takes place does affect the readings somewhat but it will still indicate whether the sugar is high or low. They also thought it would bother me to have an insulin shot (if needed) since I'd had other needles stuck in me. I said "lookie here(holding my right arm up), I have two IV's in one arm and you think a tiny insulin pen is going to bother me?"

While waiting on lab news Tuesday, I got permission to go to the restaurant on the first floor. Food was great and prices were reasonable. I told Nancy this was where I was going to take her for our next anniversary dinner in May. She expressed displeasure in her own special way! 

[NewValker]

I feel for ya John, I came home with a UTI when I got my second new hip. It took them 3 prescriptions before they hit the right one.
That was the longest 2-3 weeks of my life!
Hope you feel better soon.

Craig

[old2soon]

    Sounds like you iz on the road back to better health overall! And Still Walkin on the lawn and not part of the lawn!    John you may have noticed the same things I did back when I had my surgery and the 14th of this month with my annual checkup. ALL these Doctors and Nurses are now Younger than us!      RIDE SAFE.

[DIGGER]

Sorry yo hear yhis....at least its fixable.  I had a kidney stone about 3 yrs ago....not fun.   Better days are ahead

[Farside]

  Bummer to go through John but glad you recognized you needed to get to the ER. Sounds like they diagnosed you correctly and all is well. Pretty neat story that Nancy recognized your hospital roommate from such a very long ago. Glad he too is recovering. Drink your H2O

[Jersey mike]

Get well and get home soon.

[f6john]

I can sympathize John. I had a UTI hit me out of nowhere a couple of years ago, the sickest I have ever been in my life! No hospital stay for me and the meds cleared it up in short order. Having Nancy around sure must be a blessing in times like this. I don't think I could have made it to the doctors office under my own power during my episode.