I'M IN THE HOSPITAL AND IT'S NOT EVEN MY IC!

Well, this is a first. I can't even count the number of times since being diagnosed with IC that I have had to spend the night in the hospital. It's a lot. Usually due to one of my InterStim surgeries. Most patients go home the same day from InterStim surgery, but I am not most patients and nothing with me happens as it "usually" would with other patients. So, everytime I have anything done I spend the night in the hospital due to severe side effects from sedation etc.

Well, this time I'm in the hospital and it's not even my IC. This is very strange indeed! As many of my followers know, I've been battling what we believed to be some sort of upper respiratory infection or bronchitis. But after 3 weeks and all the appropriate treatments, I am no better. I fact, I have gotten progressively worse. Coughing so hard I've pulled a muscle - or two - and hurt so bad I feel like someone has been using my chest and abdoment as a punching bag for 3 weeks. It HURTS! And I'm sure you can appreciate how much my bladder is enjoying all this as well - NOT!

We called my Primary Care Doctor yesterday early and when he heard how bad I was, his instructions were to go straight to the emergency room and get admitted to the hospital that way. So my Sainted Mother gathers me and off we go to my favorite hospital. We got to the E.R. around 11AM on Monday and, as I was doubled over coughing so hard I could not breathe, they took me to a room immediately. At least I was spare the dreaded E.R. "Wating Room". I was given an EKG right away and made comfortable while I waited for a doctor. Well, that did take about 3 hours before I finally saw the first doctor, who made sure I was sent back into the "official" E.R. I was in some holding area it seems. 

Anyway, I have seen something like 6 doctors, had nasal swabs (if you've never had one, they are NOT fun. I thought they were going to hit brain tissue they went so far up my nose!) Another chest X-Ray was ordered. I was given several breathing treatments and oxygen which helped. But all the doctors and everyone here at the hospital have been amazing. They have taken this very seriously, want to figure out what is going on and never treated me like - "oh she just has a cough" at all! 

I have had A LOT of medical history to explain and have patiently gone over the complex medical issues that make up my medical history quite a few times. Every doctor and nurse I have spoken with may never have heard of IC, but they all took it seriously, allowed me to explain and not once was it brushed off as unimportant.

When I finally got admitted to a room (around 5PM by now!), I explained I would need some catheters because here's the thing. You get hooked up to an I.V. and you need to pee!!! And of course, I never fully empty my bladder because of my retention. Well it took quite a long time to track down some 10French catheters but they did it. The nurses on the floor never gave up, listened to me when I told them how much pain I was in since I wasn't emptying completely. They even did an ultrasound to see how much post voiding residual was in my bladder and I think thet were surprised by how much it was. I got the catheters and lubricant, gloves and was allowed to self-catheterize myself and take care of my situation. Insant relief. I as able to sleep for a few hours and that was great. Just did it again. I cannot say how helpful the nurses have been in working with me to accommodate my special IC needs! And that's not even why I'm in the hospital!

They are running test after test trying to figure out what's wrong with me; the vampires have visited regularly! Waiting on results of nasal swabs. And that's good. I am actually glad I agreed to come to the hospital. Whatever is wrong with me needs to be figured out and while being in the hospital is never any fun, sometimes it's a necessary thing to do.

It's just so strange for me to be in this hospital - that I have been in so very many times - and it has nothing to do with my IC! Let's just hope we get some answers soon!