More than you wanted to know about the last 48 hours.
October 23, 2007Well, the child recovered from his fever in time to spend the weekend at my in-laws, as we had planned. Scott and I had a great weekend, and because of this, on Sunday night, the Lord chose to strike me down with yet another bladder infection. Yea, he didst render me insensible with pain, such was his wrath, that we should dare enjoy each other's company without a child mewling and tugging at our belt loops.
It began at midnight on Sunday, when I thought, hmm, what's that mild twinge in my lower abdomen? I then made the mistake of going to the bathroom, instead of throwing myself out the window. The less said about what happened in the bathroom, the better, but I will say that I have never experienced pain like that; I would rather have given birth through my urethra, and I'm sorry I just wrote that but there it is. Do you want me to delete it? Too late! Already published!
We spent much of Sunday-into-Monday in the emergency room—and it was the cutest little emergency room you ever did see. So wee! So not spattered with blood and fear! Until I showed up! Although there was only one other guy there, some guy with a cough, CRY ME A RIVER, the ER staff still decided to make us wait for hours, or what seemed like hours. I think I heard music coming from the triage room. They couldn't hear my moaning and weeping over the music and the clog dancing—I bet there was clog dancing—or maybe they could, and it amused them. If they could have siphoned my tears into their cocktails, they probably would have. The devils!
Finally the doctor took a break from his carousing to see me, and declared that instead of giving me the medication that works for bladder infections, he would give me the medication that does not work. I thought this was an interesting strategy, but maybe one that would result in pain, instead of not-pain. He didn't seem to mind that idea. I tried to argue my point, but he had already had enough of me. He was done the moment he entered the room and asked me what was wrong, and I had the temerity to observe that I had a bladder infection. How dare I diagnose myself!
I wasn't even going to write about this. I sat down this morning and thought, "Don't write about your stupid bladder, Alice, no one wants to hear about it." But my hands keep on typing it out. I can't stop them. Anyway, the drugs didn't work, I wept and clawed at myself, the pain, oh the pain, I went to my doctor, he gave me the drugs that worked, I slept the rest of the day, my son came home and I kissed him all over his sweet head, and here I am. The sun is shining, and I have the ability to stand upright. It's a good day.
Reader Comments (65)
"You have bronchitis? We'll give you Biaxin." Uh, no, please don't. I'm allergic to it. "Oh, your allergies are all in your head." Yeah, well when I return complaining that I feel like someone is cutting my stomach out with a very dull spoon, you will be sorry when I decide to re-enact the feeling on you! Just give me the damn Zithromax which I know works!
Only you could make a bladder infection so amusing.
I have had trouble with chronic bladder infections. I even went so far as to have what turned out to be unnecessary surgery to try and deal with the problem. When I finally found a sane, woman urologist who was not trained in the 50's, she told me that the problem was the pill. Some people are particularly sensitive to hormones and the ph balance gets all wonky and blah, blah, blah, chronic bladder infections. The solution was super simple. She gave me a standing prescription for the antibiotics. I just take one pill every time. I don't know if you're even on the pill but maybe you could find your own sane, woman urologist.
End unsolicited advice.
But you know? Having had both, I'd still take a migraine over a bladder infection. Glad you're better.
Also I'd heard about cranberry juice forever, but I only just recently read that it works because something in cranberry juice makes bacteria slip right off wherever they would normally hang out and multiply. (!) So now I put cranberry juice in my girls' apple juice.
Glad you're feeling better!
Peeing at strategic moments (before and after recreation) is also useful, particularly if you use a diaphragm (TMI alert!).
One thing I learned the hard way is that you can ask to have the 'sample' cultured. This will allow the drs. to see if the prescription they gave you will work on that particular strain of infection. In my experience, they will not do this unless you insist upon it. Results within a couple days.
I had chronic infections for over a year until I did this, got a different prescription and now it's been 3 years, infection free! Knock on wood.