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My First ER Trip

I’m 30 years old and never went to the emergency room until yesterday. Luckily I’ve not encountered many emergencies. Usually it can wait until normal business hours. Or, at least, I decide to wait.

I posted a few days ago about having food poisoning last weekend. Well, I don’t think getting it twice in one week is normal. Plus there was an instance (or two?) in January…

  • It always follows the same pattern (out of the small sample set I have):
  • Mid to lower back gets achey
  • Feeling of pressure builds on the right side, making me feel like I need to crack my back. Nothing seems to relieve it.
  • The pressure and pain builds, knotting the muscles and spreading throughout my right side.
  • I start feeling nausea and queasy, sometimes dizzy.
  • It mounts and mounts until I feel like throwing up. The pain peaks about then.
  • I throw up multiple times and pain starts to subside.
  • I’m left feeling sore in my back and throat.

We thought it was food poisoning because on two occasions it really made sense. We’re talking full meals returning. Labor Day weekend I got sick late at night and everything from lunch on came to say hello.

But Friday night (err, well, early Saturday mornin) was different. I never got to sleep as I fitfully tried to lay in a way that didn’t kill my back. Then the nausea and vomiting took over (cue crying baby).

I was emptied out. I hurt all over. I was sore and tired. But the pain didn’t subside.

We aren’t talking some little wimpy pain either. It was comparable to the level of intensity of my early labor. I knew something wasn’t right. My breathing was labored and shallow. So around 5:30am hubs tok me to the ER.

I was hooked up in several ways – blood pressure, heart monitor.

I had blood drawn, peed in a cup and had me venture through Mickey space world. Seriously CAT scans make you feel like aliens kidnapped you!

Their preliminary thoughts were issues with my right kidney. Thankfully my organs look fine. They said it probably just back spasms. I couldn’t be prescripts any muscle relaxers or pain meds due to breadtfeeibg. So I need to attend to it as it starts (example: take ibuprofen and lay down)

Oy! Always something, right? I finally got home and slept 4 hours (after being awake for over 24 hours)… Yet my mind is worried about the lovely bill for my “emergency” and about the blog and emails.

Thank goodness it wasn’t an emergency trip for my daughter, right?

My bed is calling for me~

((Wow, I was way too tired still when I initially wrote this on my phone. And maybe the pain meds still were in my system. I’ve tried to um, fix up some of the errors.))

Working Mommy

Thursday 15th of September 2011

oh no! I hope you are feeling better now!

wm

Darcy

Friday 16th of September 2011

Thank you - I am :)

michelle r

Wednesday 14th of September 2011

totally thought you were going to say gallbladder because that is common in new moms and because my mom thought she had food poisoning when it was really her gb.

Christie F

Monday 12th of September 2011

Hope that everything is okay. I got really bad heartburn that kind of matches your symptoms. I'd follow up with your regular doc soon though.

And ER bills suck! We thought my husband was having a stroke, the whole left side of his body/face went numb but they said there was nothing wrong with him, it was just an anxiety attack. He kids that he just had a delayed stroke when the bill arrived, I really hope you have insurance! :(

Darcy

Monday 12th of September 2011

I have to make a follow up appointment this week. I'm feeling better overall though - thank you!

One reason I didn't want to go to the ER was the cost but I couldn't handle the pain much longer and knew something wasn't right. I definitely know my CAT scan will cost a pretty penny... We do have insurance, but the deductible is midrange. Ugh I think I'll have a mini stroke.

And we are almost done with the birth bills for my daughter last year :(

Sabrina Radke

Sunday 11th of September 2011

I hope you are feeling better soon Darcy! Between myself and the kids and my husband we have been to the ER a million times, I hope this is your first and last visit, hugs!

Darcy

Monday 12th of September 2011

Thanks dear <3 now I'm mostly trying to catch up on posts and emails... And constantly nervous that another attack is going to happen.

CaroleM

Sunday 11th of September 2011

I was also going to suggest gall stones. I just ad my gall bladder removed 2 weeks ago so I remember the pain. Pay attention to your food and if you get an attack after eating a fattier food that could be it.

Darcy

Monday 12th of September 2011

So far I can't find a clear pattern, but I'm going to pay closer attention to how I feel after eating.