A Mommy Blog About Raising Men, Not Boys.
RSS

Sunday, November 23, 2008

How to Get Immediate Attention in the ER - Bleed All Over Them

*I'm only sitting up right now, because my back is screaming from so much laying down. I promise not to sit up long. But It's killing me.

Okay........the miscarriage update.......

Well, I have several posts I was about to write - one went something like blah blah blah I'm so stressed I can't take it anymore I need for this to be over. Another one went Oh Yay heavy bleeding and cramping I'm doing great, even though this feels like labor and I want to kill someone this means we're moving along. There was going to be another one about a fist sized clot.....just to gross out the boys.

But then I had to go to the ER.

The short version of the story is that I was soaking 3 pads an hour. And I thought that this was heavy bleeding. So off we rushed to the ER where the lady who checked us in was casual about my massive bleeding and gave us forms to fill out. Seriously - I was clearly boring her with my tales of completely soaking 3 pads an hour. 3 BIG pads, just for a point of reference.

The Triage nurse was actually super sweet (I almost always love triage nurses, they are usually such kind people) - taking lots of time to listen to me as I explained ALL the steps of this process, of the drugs I had taken.....when suddenly I said "Oh my god I just soaked your chair with blood."

I stood up and blood just starts shooting out of me - soaking my jeans - and not to be too grotesque - leaving an actual puddle on the chair. It occurs to me that I am hemorrhaging and I feel panic. This part I remember VERY clearly. I remember lots of really sweet nurses, and a lot of "honey" and "sweetheart" talk....people getting towels, but I must've blacked out because then next I'm in a little curtained off room and they were suiting me up in hospital gear.

The weird thing was - there was no pain. The whole time I was there, probably from the blood loss - I was just sort of floating, zombie, sleeping. They came in and hooked me up for IVs, drew blood, did the WORST PELVIC IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, and then whisked me off for the longest ultrasound ever.

A teenager came in to draw my blood. This was probably the only time I got cranky - believe it or not. She about KILLED Me with the tourniquet, spent minutes trying to figure out how/where to draw me......and then mumbles, as she takes the tourniquet off and on for the third or 4th time, "I always have a hard time with the tourniquet." At which point I called to my nurse "I'm going to need an RN to draw my blood please!" Luce, my nurse, bustled, in took the needle from the girl and dismissed her. And smiled at me and said "Yeah I prefer an RN to draw my blood to."

Apparently hours and hours passed, but the nurses were really sweet - one in particular came back to tell me she met my family, and had given the boys juice and some graham crackers. She sat in on my various procedures/tests so she could tell them I was OK.

The staff were all sweating to death with the heat on in the ER but hurried to get me blankets because I was cold and after I was appropriately hooked to every machine conceivable......turned off the light in my little area so I could sleep a little.

I slept, listened to people around me tell the doctors about the car accident they had been in, the fire they had been in, about the last time they got shot and how it was worse than this time. It occurs to me, at one point, that they've taken me back with the more seriously injured - no folks with colds or stomach flu in this crew. I heard, at one point, them call to reserve an operating room - and tell whomever that it was for me. I listened to them talk to my doctor. They came in and explained the D&C - and that they would put me in twilight sleep for it but that they were waiting on the results of my ultrasound.

Then I slept some more until they came back. Apparently the great Uterine explosion of '08 cleared the rest of the tissue from inside me. They decided, with my OB, that I didn't need the D&C and I could leave.

My pants and underwear were destroyed (I am considering just tossing them, they are still in a bag) so they gave me a diaper (which at that point I thought was hilarious) and some paper pants to wear home.

The sweet nurse who had been keeping track of my family gave me a sack lunch with a sandwich, chips and juice, on my way out - because she knew I was starving.

I came home and slept like the dead. Today I've had some cramping and heavy bleeding but nothing like yesterday. The Husband took the kids to a train show so that I could rest in peace without little boys jumping all over me. So I napped for a while, watched a little football but then needed to get up for a while.

How do I feel?

Drained.

I'm not sure I can go to work tomorrow, because I still have some pretty heavy outpours, if you follow........and I don't know if I can handle that kind of thing in the office. At least I don't have to be afraid I'll get into trouble.

Virtual hugs, positive thoughts and prayers are now officially welcome. I can use them.

9 comments:

Barb McMahon and Alan Mailloux said...

Virtual hugs and encouragement it is!

I just found you through the NaBloPoMo site - this was the first post I read.

I hope you start to feel better soon.

Gidge Uriza said...

I didn't make it through NaBloPoMo again this year, but this year I was feeling like hell both from being pregnant then from not being pregnant.

Anonymous said...

Consider yourself hugged.

I've been thinking about you nonstop for days.

Anonymous said...

I am SO glad you decided to call the doctor yesterday. Get better soon!!!!

Anonymous said...

I should have read this first... oh my! I'm glad that you followed your instinct and went to the ER. How scary! Get some rest and take it easy if you can. (I know, not easy when you have other kids to take care of)

Crazed Nitwit said...

HUGS!

I have been there. It was 14 years ago but I remember it well. Nothing like walking through the ER with gushing down the inside of your sweat pants.

It will get better. Physically, I mean. Emotionally takes some time.

Prayers and healing thoughts to you.

Anonymous said...

LOTS OF HUGS AND PRAYERS ARE ON THEIR WAY SWEETIE AND JUST STAY OFF YOUR FEET TOMORROW!!

Melissa said...

Hugs AND lots of love!!!

Rose said...

*hugs you* you poor thing I hope things settle down for you soon