Riding the Hallway Gurney

Spending my Thursday from 2pm to 8:30pm at the Kaiser Emergency Room is not my idea of excitement, but that is exactly what I did with my afternoon and evening. Let me be one--of countless numbers of people--to tell you::Chronic Illnesses are like vampires and they suck! They steal your life, your joy, your friends, your family, and--if that isn't enough--your money. 

I digress...

I have had left side abdominal pain for a couple of days now--my left side hates me--but I didn't know if it was due to my recently Gastric Neurostimulator adjustment or something else, so I ignored it. Today the pain was so HORRENDOUS I was wanting to double over while at work--can't exactly do that in front of a bunch of teenagers. I gave in and drove myself to the ER thinking "it's the middle of the school day. People will be at work. Kids will be at school. I'm golden!"

WRONG!!

I checked in pretty much at 2pm on the nose; I didn't get put into a bed--a gurney--until 5:25pm! Sweet Mother Of Pearl! My gurney was also in the
hallway...next to the nurse's station...a filing cabinet...and a stone's throw from the check-in area. I know what EVERYONE'S shoes sound like!

Finally, the doctor came (one I had around Christmastime) and we talked about what might be going on. He ordered blood and urine samples--the usual. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER the nurse came to start the IV and ask me to go change into a gown and do the sample. I think everyone was just working in slow motion. 

Around 7:45 the doctor came back to let me know I have a kidney infection...again. There doesn't seem to be a way to tell WHY I've gotten another one, but because there's pain with Gastroparesis, it's hard to discern the kidney infection pain from the Gastroparesis pain. He ordered for me to get a little more morphine before I was released and he sent me home with antibiotics, Phenergan, and pain meds. 

Being home now in my comfy bed feels nice. My tummy still feels painful, but I'm in a bit of a blissful fog still. I highly desire what I call a "left-ectomy" as that is the side that always gets the kidney infection, has Alfred my Gastric Neurostimulator, and is close enough to my stomach--haha. Any takers on giving me that left-ectomy, give me a call!