Hospital Stay #1

  Of course it is when Chris is in New Jersey for work that I get unbelievably sick. It had started before he left but then just continued for days. By Wednesday night I had had enough of the constant vomiting. It got to the point I was drinking water so to have something to come up. At this point no food or liquid was staying down and blood was coming up since my throat was raw. I know truly disgusting Gunner thought it was a game or he was just as confused. He would want to be in the bathroom with me or howl along with me outside the bathroom door. It was about 10 and me and my mom & dad were off to the emergency room. They first took me to MacNeal, that was not going to happen. (I wanted CDH) My mother however works for Loyola and all the employees were hearing about how they just re-did the emergency department so we decided to go there. (never again!!) We arrived there at about 10:30 and I signed in at the little stand. There was no one there to register or check you in? The waiting room was no where near as full as MacNeal so we thought it would go quickly. We were mistaken...

It took about an hour for them to call me back and figure out why I was there. my response was my high risk OB told me to go the the emergency room since I have been consistently vomiting for days and have kept nothing down. Thinking to me that sounds pretty serious compared to the kid climbing the windows and playing all over the filthy floor. I think we saw first hand families using emergency rooms as a doctors office. I am still going from the waiting room to the bathroom to continue to throw up but was told not to even drink water anymore so it was becoming painful and I just wanted them to give me something to stop the vomiting!! After about another hour they called me back again this time it was just to get my information. In the middle of the hallway in the emergency department. I am sorry that made me feel very uncomfortable giving out my SSN in a hallway. Then I was sent back to the waiting room to wait some more.

For the hours we watched people leave and very few go in. We saw some people come and sign in and then decide to leave without being seen. There was a women that came in with a pretty deep laceration she signed in again with a pen that is now coated in her blood. (never saw anyone remove pen or clean blood) She lasted about 30 min before she left. I kept telling my parents to go home and get some sleep I would call them when I was taken. They refused until I was finally taken back about 3 am. My mother ended up calling off the next day since typically she starts at 6 am. Dad went to work as usual at 7 am but not sure how he made it thru the day.

When they finally took me back into a room to see a doctor. I still had to wait about 40 min and ask 3 times for an anti-nausea medication. Seriously!!! I am coming in with persistent vomiting, my doctor sent me in and I have to ask repeatedly for a medication when it should have been given immediately!? They took blood, kinda they got a splash out of me in only one of the 3 vials they tried for. Think I was a little dehydrated? Think they started fluids right away? NOPE!!! When the blood tests came back saying hey shes dehydrated and her levels are down they finally started an IV with a separate Potassium pouch. All you doctors, nurses, EMTs probably see where this one is going. If you guess they did the speed wrong and my IV ran out prior to the potassium you would be right!!! Guess what that feel like? It feels like someone lit my arm on fire!!! I am at this point crying hysterically and hitting the call button. It took a good 5 minutes before the nice male nurse came and shut it off and started flushing the site. This nice male nurse was also the one who finally answered my anti-nausea medicine. He seemed to be the only one interested in helping the others were just coming in and out not doing a thing leaving their garbage on the floor for him to come and clean up. s

By 4am they were moving my upstairs to the women & child floor. The ER doctor seemed shocked that the OB on call wanted me admitted. Once upstairs I had another lovely nurse the first one that wanted to calm my fears on whether or not the baby was ok. She tried to get a heartbeat immediately on the doppler but I was only 11 weeks and I have a tilted uterus. (of course I do) She was unable to hear anything other than the swooshing but she assured me that was just as good of a noise to hear at this point. The OB resident on staff was amazing she came in with a game plan and that's what we stuck with. It basically was a 3 step anti-nausea medication regiment that I am still on to this day just not as extreme. Basically every 2 hours I was taking something to take the urge to vomit away. They placed me on the BRAT diet Banana, Rice, Applesauce & Toast. That was my breakfast, lunch and dinner on Wednesday. All the bananas I had my mother take home when she came to keep me company. I also made her eat the breakfast applesauce and banish the lunch one into the bathroom. Just the smell of the applesauce was making me ill and I hate bananas. So all I really managed to eat that day was the crust off of the toast. Which the doctor told me was fine. It was more important for them to replenish the fluids at that point and for me to try to keep down water. As I said my mom took the day off and she stayed with me for a couple of hours. I felt bad though I wanted her to go home and get some rest since I know she did not get any sleep. Later in the evening my mom & dad came back and again I appreciated them being there since it kept me company but felt bad because dad could barely stay awake. They both had a rough night right along with me. So glad they were there for me though!!

Luckily Wednesday was going well and I was told if breakfast on Thursday went down and stayed down I could be released and would be kept on the strict anti-nausea medicine routine. So Thursday at about noon I was released from the hospital for the first time after being treated and diagnosed with     Hyperemesis gravidarum.

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a severe form of morning sickness, with "unrelenting, excessive pregnancy-related nausea and/or vomiting that prevents adequate intake of food and fluids."^[1] Hyperemesis is considered a rare complication of pregnancy but, because nausea and vomiting during pregnancy exist on a continuum, there is often not a good diagnosis between common morning sickness and hyperemesis. Estimates of the percentage of pregnant women afflicted range from 0.3% to 2.0%.^[2]

As compared to morning sickness, Hyperemesis Gravidarum tends to begin somewhat earlier in the pregnancy and last significantly longer. While most women will experience near-complete relief of morning sickness symptoms near the beginning of their second trimester, some sufferers of HG will experience severe symptoms until they give birth to their baby, and sometimes even after giving birth. An overview of the significant differences between morning sickness and HG can be found at Hyperemesis or Morning Sickness: Overview

2nd Ultrasound Picture

This picture was taken at my first visit with high risk OB #1. Went in and met with her on July 30th. She was the one my doctor had chosen for me to see out of Delnor hospital (we also thought she had OB privileges at CDH). On our only appointment at her office we were there for over 3 hours. In that time her staff had lied straight to our faces and then was mad when I called them out on it. When I booked my appointment the receptionist had told me that my doctor had already sent over all of my medical records and she was impressed with his office. Then the medical assistant who was asking all the family history questions tried to tell me that had not received anything from him. HA! I was already told differently and Chris was sitting behind her and saw her closing out of the screens as my notes were popping up!!! Second issue was yet another rude staff member. Anytime I am anywhere where they need to draw blood or start an IV I let them know right away I am a hard stick. I am not kidding or over exaggerating that point. When the IV technicians are like can anyone stick you??? I always answer yes, my husband. There expression is always priceless then I say he's a paramedic they ease up a little then ask if he's with me and after one more try can they get him. Again, my answer is always yes!! I wish they would just allow him to draw my blood and start my IVs right away. I typically do not like to feed his ego but successful IV sticks is something he is very good at even as my veins flatten, turn and run away. So, back on point here sorry. Needless to say they hard a hard time sticking me. The vomiting only makes it harder at this point since obviously I am less hydrated. They had me a bottle and say drink they will come back for me. They did in about 40 min or so and then they still took multiple tries and fished around. These people are lucky I am good with needles.
Luckily after that they did an ultrasound and got a great picture as you can see and that was about 11 weeks. Now during this appointment I was trying to tell the doctor about how sick I was becoming where walking a few feet was making me want to vomit. She did not seem to listen she gave me a stronger dose of Zofran after I told her that I was already taking Zofran and it was not working. Within the next weeks things got worse very quickly and you will see why I am now on high risk OB #2 and he is fabulous!!

First Ultrasound Picture

We did not get any pictures from the emergency room we gave the CD to my doctor.

So, after that trip to the emergency room I had to follow up with my regular doctor. He is not an OBGYN but he was not going to release my care until the end of the first trimester. During the first consultation we decided he would try to see the heartbeat at about 8 weeks to make sure there was only one baby and that it was where it should be. At this time we were all still on egg shells about a second embryo getting comfy outside of the uterus. They cannot fully rule it out until they can detect heartbeats and see that everything is all clear.

We are not sure what caused the next scary moment in the pregnancy could have been stress or dehydration. It had been above 90 degrees for how many days in a row and my all day nausea had already begun. I discovered some spotting and could barely call Chris at work who as usual is trying to tell me to calm down (never works). He did at least manage to get me calm enough where I could call and talk to the doctor who decided it was time for me to spend some time in bed. We were just to monitor things at first for a day or two then he called back (let me tell you how scary it is when the Dr calls you back, hear sank!) he decided we were going to start with a week of bed rest and probably go to modified bed rest from there.

We knew all along that if we ever got pregnant that it would be considered high risk. Thank you endometriosis, adhesions, scar tissues and cysts then add in hernia repair surgery so there is a piece of mesh in my abdomen. I didn't realize that it would mean that I would become as delicate as glass.

After being on bed rest for awhile it was time to return to the doctor who was going to do an ultrasound to look for only 1 heartbeat in the uterus and make sure everything was developing as it should. Here we got great news, only one heartbeat located in the uterus!!! YEAAAAA!!!!! He also said that everything was closed correctly and I could get out of bed for light activity now. Basically I have to take it easy in everything I do. Chris has become a warden in this area making sure I do not over do it. (he knows me too well)

The only news I did not like that day was that the measurements were not lining up with my last period so he moved my due date back by 8 days. When you are fighting nausea all day every day the thought of dealing with it for another week is a heart breaker. Little did I know it was only going to get worse, a lot worse!

Success!!!

   So on June 16th I woke up and had a feeling, so I took a test and it came back POSITIVE!!! Who would have ever thought? We had taken a break from the fertility pills and low and behold we were successful. I think that was the first morning Chris was OK with me waking him up. Now came the hard part... later that day we had our cousin's graduation party to attend. We had decided long before that we were not going to plan to tell a soul until we were safely in the second trimester.

Luckily that day I had a good reason not to drink since I had to go back into work that night. Dodged a bullet there :) It was only going to get harder from there though. Come a few days later on June 20th I was woken up in the most amount of pain I had ever had. Now that is saying a lot since I am used to cysts rupturing and the adhesions from dealing with stage 3 endometriosis and then add in the fibromyalgia. Me and pain are sadly bff so when this woke me I again woke up Chris (he was less happy this time). 

When we arrived at CDH emergency room they fast tracked us because they were immediately thinking that it could be an ectopic pregnancy. They did blood and urine tests to confirm that I was indeed with child. Then I went to have an ultrasound to check how things were going. Even after the ultrasound they could not tell for sure if there were two implantaions one where it should be in the uterus and another in the fallopian tube. With it being so early they could not see a heart beat which would have given them some more answers. There were cysts on the ovaries still along with evidence that some had ruptured which had mostly been the culprit of my intense pain. Since there was nothing else for them to do for me at this time they sent me home after a few hours. Next step to follow up with my gynecological specialist who would do his own ultrasound to make the final decision on one or two implantaions.If only I knew that this would not be my only trip to the emergency room.

More to come...

Goal #1 - Check!

So it has been some time since I have updated the blog and a bit has happened so I will fill you in a little at a time starting from where we left off. The heating blanket is still my best friend. (don't see that changing anytime soon) After discussing some options with my doctor we decided yes the 3 of us that it was time to get some medical help in our effort to have a family and I was quickly put on a high dose of the fertility drug clomid. Here's some info on the medicine and yes this medicine is the one that typically leads to multiples.

Clomiphene(kloe' mi feen)

Last reviewed: September 1, 2010.

Why is this medication prescribed?

Clomiphene is used to induce ovulation (egg production) in women who do not produce ova (eggs) but wish to become pregnant (infertility). Clomiphene is in a class of medications called ovulatory stimulants. It works similarly to estrogen, a female hormone that causes eggs to develop in the ovaries and be released.

 

 

Now I had been previously checked out by a fertility specialist and I was not having any problems producing eggs as you may recall she referred to my ovaries as a chocolate chip cookie. My problem was however with the lovely endometriosis nothing was on a regular cycle so the clomid was supposed to get the timing right so we knew when the right time was to try. I did have some pretty bad side effects from the medicine nausea, migraines and more than usual ovarian cysts that liked to grow and then burst which as one would imagine is incredibly painful. Imagine having a little bomb go off in your abdomen and you have no warning what so ever. After a couple of months of being on it and having no success we decided it was time to take a break and for me to try to de-stress. (HA HA funniest thing I have heard in awhile) My doctor knows me well enough and was thoughtful enough to prescribe me Xanax. Now from what I have learned the normal does is .25mg my dose was 1mg luckily only as needed. Chris was startled when the doctor said the dosage he asked what are we trying to achieve with that high dosage her to relax or are we looking for this to have her sleep better. It was for nighttime to help me relax and sleep in the hopes I would feel better. (It is nice to be married to a paramedic who knows the medications and normal dosages) So we picked it up that same day and I took it that night, I kid you not I told Chris it felt like someone administered anesthesia with in minutes I was out and slept like 10 hours!!! Completely unheard of for me especially when the pain is bad or the fibromyalgia is acting up. 1 Goal achieved I now had a way to relax and get the restful sleep my body desperately needed.

Pain, pain go away & stay away!!!!!

This is the second night in a row I'm using a heating blanket like a giant heating pad. I'm wrapped up like a burrito, but sadly all the areas in pain are not covered therefore have to rotate so will probably be another sleepless night. I am once again throwing myself into full time employment ( when will I learn? ) at least it's doing something I'm very familiar with. I am just hoping that I can get thru this week with positive thoughts and by taking better care of my body when I'm off. Well hoping the pain killers help to lull me to sleep, cross your fingers for me please & thank you!!

* Don't forget to wear yellow on March 1st to kick off endometriosis awareness month! *

what to do, what to do

  So there is yet another study linking  endometriosis to cancer this time different forms of ovarian cancer. So now I really need to think about how quickly I want to move on a hysterectomy. I have now come to terms that it is when not if for me. Ugh just something else that has been weighing heavy on my mind. I am not ready for that to happen just yet.


There has been some new studies that increase the occurrence of three different types of cervical cancer for those of us suffering from endometriosis. Of course this upsets me since a hysterectomy is in my future it is just how long do I have before I need to make that decision.

As per recent information, it has been claimed that women having a back link of endometriosis, a common and widespread, mostly painful situation allied to infertility, have extremely higher rates of three kinds of ovarian tumor, a large study has found - an insight that could help focus future efforts to detect the often-missed cancer.
Compared with women without a history of endometriosis, those who did face the condition had in excess of thrice the threat of compiling clear-cell ovarian cancer, and in excess of double the threat of endometrioid ovarian cancer.
While a lot earlier studies had recommended that both these forms of cancers were associated with endometriosis, the new research has gone a step further to confirm the same. It now adds a third sort of ovarian cancer which is associated with the condition, dubbed low-grade ovarian cancer which, as per medical officials, was around twice as widespread among women having endometriosis than in their normal counterparts.
Endometriosis is likely to affect more than 6% of women in Australian, and more than 15% of those going through chronic abdominal pain. It basically takes place when the tissues that usually line up the uterus start progressing on the outer ovarian walls, bowel, fallopian tubes, and on various other structures close, they result in creating bleeding and swelling in response to their hormones just like the process carried out by uterine cells.
The new research, which was carried out by a team of researchers from over 20 international institutions, counting the likes of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, compiled the results from as many as 13 earlier studies, including a highly popular Australian study, that mutually enveloped in excess of 23,000 women. - written by  Ria Patel