Emergency room adventures

*warning, don't read if you are afraid of TMI*

So, yesterday morning, I woke with some... familiar symptoms. Oh yes, ladies, you know it: the dreaded UTI. It had been months since my last one, so I guess it was my time. I was only feeling mild discomfort when I left the house early to go and get an oil change, so I figured I could call my doctor and get a prescription called in. Well, while waiting for my car to be finished, the pain began to increase and increase, to the point where I was almost doubled over in pain. I went to the restroom to try and tough it up and pee.... and it came out red. I was bleeding somewhere inside, and it definitely freaked me out.

So, I decided to take a trip to my friendly neighborhood emergency room. The nice thing about being an MD Anderson patient is that it gives you access to their emergency room, which only patients are allowed to use. I signed in and got a room pretty quickly, but of course the process of finding out what is wrong with you is long, long, long. I checked in at 8am, and I got out around 3ish. The good news is that it wasn't a kidney infection or something more serious (which I was scared of), it was just a very serious hemorrhagic bladder infection (ew). On top of that, I got to spend a day hooked up to an IV with drugs that made me feel better, AND I got to watch Family Feud. It was basically like a day off of work!! :) I got discharged with a couple of prescriptions, and I went and got ice cream and french fries. Not really helping with my weight loss efforts, but I was feeling puny and vulnerable after a day at the hospital, so I needed some comfort.

So, when I went to the emergency room, I opted not to tell anyone. I, of course, called work to let them know I wouldn't be in, but I didn't inform my family or D until I knew things were okay. To be fair, my mom and sister were out of town in Austin, so a phone call when I was in the hospital would have only served to freak them out, and maybe make them drive erratically. D was working on about 6 motions that were due to the court yesterday, so telling him would have caused him to be distracted, and probably drop important things to come and be with me. Frankly, at this point, I am a hospital PRO. I'm not afraid to be there by myself, I'm not afraid to handle the doctors and nurses, I'm not afraid of (most) of the procedures they do there.... it really didn't occur to me to interrupt other peoples' days for my minor medical emergency.

But man, do you ever hear about it when you tell the people you love that you spent the day in the hospital. It apparently displeases them.

Anyway, I'm back at work today, feeling a lot better, and excited about a short week and a long holiday weekend. Tomorrow night is D's fancy birthday dinner, so I'll letcha know how it goes. ;)