Well, I woke up still in pain and blood in my urine. All my research says the blood in the urine is normal as long as it isn't accompanied by fever. I ddn't have a fever so was just waiting for it to stop! At least I slept pretty well! I woke up I think twice but didn't get up and went back to sleep pretty quickly until around 6am - so that was a pretty good night's sleep! Tim was leaving around 6:30 to get tires put on his vehicle and meet with a corporate client, so before he left he asked me how I was doing. I told him the pain was really bad in my vaginal incision and there was still blood in my urine, so he prayed for me and I continued resting. When I did get up my vaginal incision paid was basically GONE!!!! Woohoo!! And my pee was completely clear!! Woohoo!! But I've learned my lesson and so I rested pretty much all day long. I took a short walk with my daughter right about sunset, and rested the rest of the evening. Hopefully, I learned my lesson and this rest will pay off in better healing! I did clean my stoma this morning, so I think I'm getting the hang of it. I just lean over the sink and get some gauze and clean it up and snap the bag back on and then rinse and wash the sink with some hand soap and voila - all done! I was planning on changing the phlange today as it's been on there a week, but my home health care nurse is coming tomorrow for his last visit and I've only changed it once with him there to give me instructions, so I'd like to do it one more time with him before I have to do it all on my own. So I texted him and asked if he thought there would be any problem with waiting an extra day to change the phlange and he said no, tomorrow should be fine! So hopefully, no leaking tonight and tomorrow - new phlange. I had been using the phlanges the hospital gave me, so I'm wondering if they were older or something and that's why they seemed to only last a few days. This phlange has been rock solid, even after I took my shower yesterday. It's one of the new ones that the home health company ordered for me, so I'm thinking that may be it. Regardless, I'm really glad it lasted a week because I don't enjoy changing them - it still makes me nervous - I'm sure that will change as I do this a bazillion times over the rest of my life! But for now, I'll gladly wait an extra day to do it!
So shortly after I typed all of this I took my temperature and I had a low grade fever. I called the Home Health Nurse hotline and the nurse on call called me back. I explained that I was having blood in my urine (it was completely clear this morning but this afternoon there was some more blood) and I was having pain in my left side, and now it appears I had a fever. She instructed me to go the emergency room. I REALLY didn't want to go, but also felt like I couldn't ignore my symptoms, so I made my husband stay home because he has a big day tomorrow - LOTS on his plate and he's had his life on hold for the past month, and I asked my daughter to go with me. She was an absolutely angel! I was crying most of the way there saying, "I'm so sorry I've been such a drain on my family" and "I feel like this is all my fault because I overdid" and I was just feeling awful! She spoke truth to me and helped me reject lies, and then when we walked into the emergency room I started crying all over again saying, "I don't want to be here!". This really nice lady handed me a box of tissues - so sweet! We got to the emergency room (of the same hospital I had the cystectomy at) at around 9:30pm. They took my temperature and I didn't have a fever, so I was thinking about turning around and walking back out right then, but my daughter convinced me to stay. They took my blood and a urine sample - that part was interesting. They handed me a urine cup with the wipes and start instructing me on how to do a clean catch even though I told them I had a bag. So I point out the bag fact again, so they said I need to empty the bag and then stand there with the bag drain open and let the new pee drip into the cup. Well, that sounds like fun. He said they only needed a little bit, so it was a little bit they got! We kept waiting and waiting, and after 2 hours I was ready to turn around and walk out again. I told the guy who had taken my temp I was going to leave, and he said they had the results of my blood and urine and he really felt like I should stay because of the results of the urine. I asked if there was anywhere I could lie down I was getting so tired - it was about 11:30. So he showed my daughter and me this section of the waiting room behind a wall that had all reclining chairs! I was such an emergency room virgin - I had no idea! He said I was about 4th in line. So they called the 1st person, and then the 2nd person, and then the 3rd person, and then a 4th person, and then a 5th person, and then a 6th persond - hmmm - guess not the 4th person in line. So Nicole and I settle in and actually fall asleep. To be continued tomorrow....
So shortly after I typed all of this I took my temperature and I had a low grade fever. I called the Home Health Nurse hotline and the nurse on call called me back. I explained that I was having blood in my urine (it was completely clear this morning but this afternoon there was some more blood) and I was having pain in my left side, and now it appears I had a fever. She instructed me to go the emergency room. I REALLY didn't want to go, but also felt like I couldn't ignore my symptoms, so I made my husband stay home because he has a big day tomorrow - LOTS on his plate and he's had his life on hold for the past month, and I asked my daughter to go with me. She was an absolutely angel! I was crying most of the way there saying, "I'm so sorry I've been such a drain on my family" and "I feel like this is all my fault because I overdid" and I was just feeling awful! She spoke truth to me and helped me reject lies, and then when we walked into the emergency room I started crying all over again saying, "I don't want to be here!". This really nice lady handed me a box of tissues - so sweet! We got to the emergency room (of the same hospital I had the cystectomy at) at around 9:30pm. They took my temperature and I didn't have a fever, so I was thinking about turning around and walking back out right then, but my daughter convinced me to stay. They took my blood and a urine sample - that part was interesting. They handed me a urine cup with the wipes and start instructing me on how to do a clean catch even though I told them I had a bag. So I point out the bag fact again, so they said I need to empty the bag and then stand there with the bag drain open and let the new pee drip into the cup. Well, that sounds like fun. He said they only needed a little bit, so it was a little bit they got! We kept waiting and waiting, and after 2 hours I was ready to turn around and walk out again. I told the guy who had taken my temp I was going to leave, and he said they had the results of my blood and urine and he really felt like I should stay because of the results of the urine. I asked if there was anywhere I could lie down I was getting so tired - it was about 11:30. So he showed my daughter and me this section of the waiting room behind a wall that had all reclining chairs! I was such an emergency room virgin - I had no idea! He said I was about 4th in line. So they called the 1st person, and then the 2nd person, and then the 3rd person, and then a 4th person, and then a 5th person, and then a 6th persond - hmmm - guess not the 4th person in line. So Nicole and I settle in and actually fall asleep. To be continued tomorrow....
RSS Feed
