10.28--JC Blair Hospital (THURS)

GOING HOME!!

I got the OK to go home! I have to go back Monday to get the stent out! It's painful, but soon the stent will be out and the pain will go away! Here are my last pictures from the stay...WAHOO!!

My nurses...excited I'm leaving...wait what?

More happiness!

Uncle Chucky stopped to visit!

Green Light...LET'S GO!! YAY!

My dry erase board!

We got the ok to go home, Chucky was with me so he offered to take me home. Not sure if he regretted it...taking my loads and loads o' bags and presents from my stay. He carried them all down to his truck and then gave me a ride home!
Lots and lots o' bags!

Home I go...ready to rest and relax!

10.19--JC Blair Hospital (TUES)

TUESDAY

October 19, 2010.

My procedure was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. When I woke up this morning feeling achy, a pretty high fever (103.5), and extreme chills. Like to the point where my whole body was convulsing with chills. Terry Snare and Joyce Brubaker stopped by around 8:00 a.m. so that I'd have someone to comfort me right before I would be going into surgery. They stopped by and visited with me. Helped me get completely ready before transport team came by to pick me up. Because my temperature was high, they were scared if I should even have the surgery done, so they drew a few tubes o' blood, and 3 blood culture bottles, and finally a urine C&S. All the tests looked good enough, so I was on schedule...and away I went.

Joyce & Me.

Terry & Me.

They took me down to the "holding tank" or so I called it. They asked me a few questions, had me sign a few papers, and then gave me something to relax me...and relax me it did. Then they took a marker and marked up my right side. I scooted from the gurney to the surgical table, where they hooked me up to a few things, and there were two metal circles they placed on my side and belly. When I woke up, I had the feeling, that I had to pee incredibly bad. The nurses and my doctor were talking about me as well. They also kept taking my temperature, shaking their heads, and more talking. Finally, they asked me what my mother's number was that they could reach her. So I gave them my mama's cell phone, which they called her to get an ok to take me back into surgery. The first surgery, they went in and did a lithotripsy on my big stones (9-10mm) to break them up into pieces so that I could pass them on my own easier; however, even the smallest stone was too big for me to pass. One o' the stones got obstructed making urine back up into the kidney causing an infection, resulting in a fever o' 103.5! After getting the ok to operate, the doctor's took me back to the table, put me back under, and placed a stent (or tube) in to help keep my ureter open.

So I left my room at 9:30, and I didn't get back from surgery till 4:30 p.m.!! What a L-O-N-G crazy day!! They want to leave the stent in for a week; however, the last times I've had stents it just made me more miserable, and I usually ended up pulling them out. So this has caused me a whole lot o' pain, but I'm trying to leave it in! Even though the stent is in, I'm still in a great deal o' pain. As if the pain wasn't bad enough with the stones trying to make their way down, now when I pee...I pee blood. It literally feels like I'm peeing fire!! Then it hurts so bad I don't even want to pee! Hopefully this all passes quickly, b/c I don't know how much longer I can handle all o' this stuff.

THE END!!!

10.18--JC Blair Hospital (MON)

MONDAY

October 18, 2010.

Dr. Spencer Long and Dr. Buza both met with me. They figured out a good pain regiment for me to be on so that I wasn't in too much pain. Kidney stones vary in size. Stones 5 millimeters in size or less can usually pass on there own. I had 3 stones, and the one they were able to determine was 9-10 millimeters. Obviously I couldn't pass that stone, so we discussed our treatment options.

• Operation, they can make an incision in your back and remove the kidney stone from the kidney, but that's a real surgery surgery.
  
• They discussed lithotripsy--the least invasive and most commonly used. After the stone is located, ultrasonic sound waves are used to shatter the stone into fragments small enough to pass.
  
• Another option, ureteral stenting uses a small metal tube inserted through the bladder into the ureter to keep the ureter open so a stone may pass through it.
  
• Lastly, ureteroscopy, in which a small scope is inserted through the urethra into the bladder and looks into the ureter. Once the stone is seen it is either grabbed with a small cage like device or shattered with a laser.

Because my lab work that was drawn that morning showed severe malnutrition and other various concerns, Dr. Spencer Long recommended the less invasive procedure cause my body might not handle a full-out surgery. He also explained to me that I was scheduled for surgery tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 9:30 a.m.

GUESTS!

It's so nice to know that people are playing for me and thinking about me, but it really means the world when they stop up to visit. Especially since my stays are every other month, it can get very depressing, but having visitors really cheers me up! So thanks to all those who made/make an effort to see me!!

Some visitors.

My li'l brother...EARL!

Mama B, Earl, Anna Jo, and Me.
(Please note, Anna Jo is smiling! She likes me!)

Rachel & William Lane.

Rachel was sitting on the bed, Liam pressed a button. It the flashed Rachel's weight across the screen so all could see. Ahhh, yes, Rachel was all worried because we could all see how much she weighed! Haha...yes and now I'm posting it on the internet so everyone can see that she weighs 86.9 pounds!!
Rachel! Look how much you weigh!

Liam took this picture o' me!!

Rachel and William Lane stopped by to visit me and to cheer me up, and cheer me up they did! Haha...William had prepared a few songs that he wanted to sing for me, which he sang them so gorgeous. He sang: The B-I-B-L-E!! and Jesus Love Me! Liam can't say his "s" sound, so that just made the songs all the more priceless!! I'm so glad they stopped by, makes me mis

Rachel & Liam...What a blessing!

The Watery Eyes Story

Bobbi Jo: "Your eyes look watery."
Mama: "See mine aren't watery."

(Picture o' my eyes...)Mama: "Yeah, your eyes are kinda glassy."
Bobbi Jo: "They do look glassy."
Me: "So you're telling me that I look stoned?!"
Bobbi Jo and Mama chime in together: "Yeah." "I wasn't going to say that!"

See the description above for this picture:

Bobbi Jo has been such a great support!

So...lithotripsy tomorrow (Tuesday) morning!

THE END!!!

10.17--JC Blair Hospital (SUN)

Proud Parents o' TRIPLETS

SUNDAY

October 17, 2010.

At 4:00 a.m. I woke up in excruciating pain in my back on the right side-ish! After we'd tired every relaxing technique in the book from back rubbing, singing, deep breath in and slowly let it out, closer your eyes and go to a happy vacation place, etc...nothing worked! So after about 30-45 minutes, we left to the ER!! They took me back without too much o' a wait. After getting an x-ray, they couldn't get an IV in my arm or hand, so they ended up giving me an IM shot.

The Doctor's diagnosed me with three kidney stones, but because they couldn't get an IV in, they said we could leave if we wanted too and I would just need to drink lots and lots o' water. We left the hospital, got home and crawled into bed only to get up and get ready for Sunday School 45 minutes later. As Sunday School was over and we were walking from our class across, the pain stabbed me in the back. I gave Adam "that look" and we were off to the ER...again. This time, we waited in the ER for three grooling hours when I was seen and they decided to admit me so that my pain would be managed better. The first night o' my stay, the pain was so incredible I wanted to die. Because I hadn't met with my doctor yet, my pain medication wasn't set up yet, so it made for an incredibly l-o-n-g night!

They had to wrap my hand with HOT washclothes and then wrapped them in a blue plastic heater to try to get my veins to pop out. I have the worst veins, so they had already stuck me 3 times with no success. So that what this picture is showing.

The Heat Wrap...in the ER...getting an IV.

Finally...success, broke my wrist, but it's in!!
Ok, so the true story is that they didn't really have to break my wrist. They were able to get IV in; however, they had to use a 24 gauge needle (the size they use in newborn). You know that really tiny vein that is on the bottom o' your wrist? Well, that's the vein they used. They put a splint on the wrist so that it wouldn't lose it's place.

My brother's stopped by to visit me!
Never a "Dull Moment" when we are together!



My silly brothers...

Love Jesse's expression in this one!
It looks like he doesn't have any top teeth.

In the middle o' a contraction...
we weren't quite ready for this one.



Strike a Pose?



One...Two...CHEESE!!



Grrr...we're dragons!


So thankful my brothers stopped by for a visit before they left for Grove City for the week. Of course you know it was a great visit. They are out o' control!! (:


THE END!!!