Hospital Stay #2: Kidney Infection

November 30th I woke up feeling just fine. By the time I got in the shower I was feeling very cold and just chalked it up to being cold. I was afraid I was getting sick when I couldn't get warm while in the hot shower and then after sitting on the couch. I was huddled in a blanket with chills still shaking. That's when I knew that I was sick.

I went to bed around 11am and had such strong chills and aches as the fever set in. I honestly thought I could take some meds, try to sleep and break the fever. Eventually I was able to sleep and I woke up covered in sweat. I was happy thinking I broke my fever and I was feeling somewhat better until I got up and moved around a bit.

At this point my fever was ranging from 99-103, I had a strong headache, chills/aches and looking at my fitbit my heartrate was through the roof at a constant 150 while I was lying in bed. I finally called my OB at 2pm dreading what they would tell me. My heart sank when they told me to go to the ER.

Going to the ER was a bit traumatic in that the nurse I talked to told me the baby could come as long as another adult was there. My friend Tara watched Carson and Brooks but when we got to the ER they wouldn't let Dan in with Nathan. I respect their policy just wish I was told correctly the first time so I could have mentally prepared to be separated from my 11 day old newborn AND be completely alone in the ER or at least have made other arrangements for Nathan.

Because I was 11 days postpartum they sent me to the OB Emergency Department. They got my vitals, blood pressure was fine, heart rate was still high but my fever was gone-all the adrenaline kicked it to the curb during this time. The Dr there checked me out, didn't do anything crazy, just asked me questions and pushed on my uterus and concluded that whatever I was dealing with, he didn't think it was directly obstetric related. At this point I asked with my fever gone, do I really need to be here? Am I 'sick' enough to be in the ER? And he said with that heartrate I needed to stay.

They sent me back downstairs to the regular ER where they put me in a trauma room. I was like... is this necessary or is this the only room available...? It's one of the big rooms right off of the door where the ambulance comes. It's the room you see on TV shows where they rush people in on the stretcher to work on them and save their lives. It felt so odd and so out of place to be in there.

I got to the room around 4 or 5pm and they worked fast and did a ton of tests. IV was in, blood work was taken, a blood culture (which is very different I learned), EKG on my heart, heart monitor on, Xray of my abdomen/lungs/heart, CAT scan, urine test. ALL the things. The nurses who were in and out were so helpful and kind as I cried on and off dealing with postpartum hormones, being separated from my new baby, worrying about my health and being alone in the ER.

They have this awesome app that I would get test results right to my phone as soon as they came in. Some things I couldn't interpret but most of it I understood or could figure out. Blood came back normal except for white blood cell count was high showing I had an infection, Xray was fine, EKG was good just a fast heart rate, CAT scan showed maybe an enlarged kidney and possible stone and my urine came back abnormal. They told me it was enough to admit me and get me a room upstairs.

My heart rate monitor

At this point I get a text from my nurse friend Emily asking me if I'm in the hospital. I told her yes and asked if she was working tonight. Just my luck she was charge nurse on the floor I was being admitted to that night. Such a huge blessing to have a familiar face and friend to look out for me while I was there! Because she was charge nurse she switched my room to the largest corner suite on a quiet side so that I could rest more- so amazing! I hadn't eaten since that morning and it was now 9pm so she got me all settled, brought me food. What an angel!

Here are my fitbit stats from that first day. I burned over 3,000 calories from lying in bed most of the day and did over 4 hours of cardio!

That first night was awful. After all the adrenaline wore off my fever came back with a vengeance. I had chills and was shaking all night. They had fluids and anitbiotics going in my IV but it took a while until they were able to help me get some sleep. I was constantly tossing and turning, hot and cold, sweaty and achy all night. Plus they finally got me a pump so I was able to pump some milk and be more comfortable. My heart rate was so high it felt impossible to sleep and I just felt wired and wide awake even though I was so tired. I honestly don't think I slept at all. I remember seeing almost every hour on my watch.

Wednesday was filled with more blood draws, vitals taken, antibiotics, more tests, lots of doctors and lots of pumping breastmilk. Emily was so amazing and would take the milk I pumped and drop it off to Dan in the morning when she got off her shift. We live in the same neighborhood but seriously such a HUGE help to me! I also got my official diagnosis which was a kidney infection which could have come from my urinary tract but also got into my blood (sepsis). My vitals were getting better, my fever was up and down but seemed to be going away and I was hoping I could go home the next day because I was starting to feel better.

I was so anxious being away from my family, especially Nate. I didn't have any type of milk storage so that first night and day away Dan gave him formula. I was so worried because he'd never taken a bottle before or formula but he did great and ate like a champ! I also felt so guilty leaving Dan with Brooks & Carson AND a being up with a newborn baby all night- that's hard! The thing about Dan is that if there's a problem, he takes it head on and just gets it done. No complaints, no nothing. He is amazing and truly the best. He handled everything at home with the kids so that I didn't need to worry and could focus on getting healthy.

I had a couple visits from my OB and her partners where we went over my delivery to try to pinpoint where this infection came from. My delivery was very low risk for infection- I wasn't checked a bunch, my water wasn't broken for an extended period of time, I was only cathed once, the baby came quickly along with the placenta etc. There really wasn't an obvious answer to how I got an infection. I personally believe there's no other place it could have come from and somehow, some way and infection was introduced during labor or delivery and it was just some freak thing that happened. There's no other place it could have come from because I was just at home recovering the rest of time until I got sick.

So many pokes.

I was hoping to go home Thursday but they told me I couldn't because I spiked a fever at 5pm the night before and needed to be fever free for 24 hours. I was CRUSHED and spent most of the morning crying and then ate my feelings for lunch in the form on apple pie. Side note- some of the hospital food pleasantly surprised me at how good it was including this pie. Talking to Brooks that day he said, "Mom you haven't been home in 3 days, when are you coming home?" Ugh that killed me hearing that! As soon as I can buddy!

 

I decided to pick myself up, list things that I was grateful for, watch the beautiful sunset, go for a walk around the hospital floor and find something good to watch on TV that night. Emily also brought me all of my favorite things which completely helped boost my spirits. She seriously was an angel. The only 3 nights she worked that week were the 3 nights I was there, heaven sent I'm telling you.

That night there was actually some uplifting things on TV that really helped pass the time. The Rockafeller Tree lighting, Annie Live and then Kelly Clarkson's Christmas Special really helped my heart - especially the Christmas music. It now December and I didn't even realize!

That night I actually slept! My fever stayed away, my heart rate was in the 80's for the first time in 2 days! They took me off the IV fluids, took the heart monitors off and I just had the antibiotics every 6 hours. That night my blood pressure spiked 160/120. I NEVER in my LIFE have had high blood pressure. EVER. Not when pregnant, never! I was so mad and didn't know if this would push me back another day in the hospital. Thankfully Emily told me after her shift that they'll just watch it and it shouldn't keep me from being discharged.

Friday morning I was so antsy but tried not to get my hopes up. The Dr makes their rounds in the morning and that's also when they discharge patients too. I got a notification on my phone around 9:30 am from my pharmacy about new prescriptions sent in and I knew that thing HAD to be in the works to discharge me. Shortly after the Dr came in and told me the good news- Hallelujah! I told Dan immediately, packed all my things and waited for paper work and transfer. It worked out perfectly that Dan pulled up right when I was wheeled downstairs. I just had 2 more days of oral antibiotics and a probiotics to help with any side effects from the antibiotics.

Timing worked out that we went straight to Brooks' school to pick him up and the look on his face when he saw me in the cars still brings me to tears- he was so happy! We got home and I kissed my boys and every single inch of Nathan who looked so much bigger after 3 days. It hurt my heart but there was nothing I could do about it now. We cleaned up the house, blasted Christmas music as the boys ran around and played. I sat on the couch just sobbing, so so happy to be home.

Thank you to all those who supported us in this time of need. If you know us, you know that we're very self sufficient and are basically never on the receiving end of things because there hasn't been a need. But we were in need this week and we were served so lovingly. Dinners were brought, phone calls texts to entertain me in the hospital, Emily getting me a room, checking on me everyday, taking the milk every day- just so many people who went above and beyond for us. Thank you, I am so so grateful!