Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Hospital :(

Last March, I got a really bad Staph infection
on my leg...MRSA to be exact.
It started with a bug bite on my leg (I think)
and turned into something really awful.  :(
Thankfully during that week after having
three spots lanced and taking two
very strong antibiotics at the same time,
I got over the infection. 
Since then I have had two or three
more times with other staph infections.  I
have learned to catch these spots quickly
and get them taken care of right away.
I have a really awesome doctor
and he helps me to stay on top of this yuck!;(

As you probably know, staph infections
like MRSA are very contagious...
my poor Walker D has had two bouts
and my little Hudsy had one. 
That has been the absolute worst part...
that my two baby boy loves
have had to have spots
lanced and take icky antibiotics.

About three weeks ago, I scraped my
leg on the bleachers at the ball park.
I knew it was getting infected
and I went to my doctor.
It was not staph yet, but he
went ahead and started me on
an antibiotic.  Unfortunately though
about five days later, I had a new spot
come up that I knew was staph.
My doctor lanced it on the Friday
before Halloween.  These spots are
EXTREMELY painful and makes much
of my leg swell and as it gets worse,
turn red.  I also have trouble walking.
I was in a lot of pain that Friday
and needed some relief
so my doctor gave me strong pain
meds and instructions to continue my
antibiotics and to keep my leg up.
Well, I woke up the next day feeling
so good and thought I had this thing
taken care of...but, by Saturday night
I couldn't walk at ALL, my entire leg
from above my knee cap down to my
ankle was swollen and turning bright
red.  I.was.miserable:(((
I was having to scoot on my bootie
to move when Troy wasn't around.  ;(

I called my doctor early Sunday morning
and he instructed me to go see one
of his partners at a Sunday clinic
(my doctor was out of town that day).
This doctor gave me two huge
shots of another antibiotic in my
hip and added another oral
antibiotic to the one I was already taking.
I was in such pain, but both doctors
said that I had the max amount
of pain medication they could give me.
Staph hurts;(

That night Troy literally had to
carry me across the house.
I'm glad I have a big, strong hubby:)
  This is some BAD stuff!!!;(
I could no longer hold any food down
and my heart was racing like crazy
(I think from the pain).
I was to report to my doctor at
eight in the morning the next day,
October 31st (as in HALLOWEEN!).

Troy helped me into my doctor's office
and I laid in there balling my eyes out.
My doctor pretty much took one
look at me and told me I was
going to the hospital.
This was NOT what I wanted to hear.
I begged and pleaded with him, but
he said I had no choice.  I put my hat
over my face and never looked at him
again.  I was so upset and so out of
my mind since it was Halloween. 
All I could really say was BOO HOO ;(((

I got to the hospital and as soon as they
got me set up in my bed, I pulled
out my cell phone and much to Troy and
my mother's dismay, I called my
doctor to remind him that it really
was Halloween and that I needed to go
home that night.  He would not take my
call!!!  Rather he had his nurse to tell
me that he loves me, but that I could
not leave.  I was out of my mind!!!

First I had an EKG done on my heart
because both doctors feared that
was where this infection was heading.
They also started a bag of fluids
because I was dehydrated. 
Then the hospital doctor had to
cut on my leg again...it was
excruciating.  Without a doubt
the worst pain I have ever experienced
in my life.  At first I only had a local
anesthetic and then when he saw exactly
what he was dealing with, I got
morphine in my IV.  No wonder people
can get hooked on drugs;)))
That's some good stuff!  ha ha!

During that procedure, I was
literally screaming out like I was in
labor or something.  But at one point,
I looked over to the side of me
and noticed that my mother had on
surgical gloves?!?  I started dying
laughing.  She said she didn't know
what to do and she was just ready to
help!  Even the doctor was laughing!!!
Thank Goodness for my mother:)

After that was all said and done
and after I begged and pleaded with
that doctor to let me go home that night
to no avail, I was able to somewhat
calm down and they began the
big gun antibiotics in my IV
(with the added bonus of morphine
when I wanted or needed it!...
no worries, I'm not hooked!).

Troy and my parents spent the rest
of the morning and afternoon with me.
In her true angelic fashion,
my beloved Robin showed up
to surprise me and make me smile
with these beautiful Halloween flowers...
Troy brought the kids to see me after school
and we had a little Halloween celebration in my
hospital room;) complete with treats
from Grandmother for the kids!
Michelle, Hunter and Logan were actually
first to get there and when they texted to
tell me they were coming, too, I think it
was my first genuine smile of the day. 
I knew my room would turn into one big
par~tay once my kids and my family arrived!!!;)
Hudson was like a protective little pup
and didn't want anyone else to get
to lay by his mama!!!
I really started to perk up when they
were there!  Some high dose IV antibiotics
and some Walker/Hadlee/Hudson
was all this mama needed...
oh yeah and some morphine;)))
Even my sweet dad sat with me both afternoons
and helped me to and from the restroom
and whatever else I needed. 
God love this little boy's heart...
he is so sweet to his mama.  Always:)
Little Miss had a really hard time with
mommy being in the hospital.  When it was time
for them to leave, I really thought my heart was
being ripped out of my chest.  :(
Haddie was so sad...
and mommy's heart was broken. 
Dearest Robin & Lauren just so
happened to be the greatest and
were waiting when Troy and the kids
pulled up at home to help Hadlee get her 'pink'
on for Halloween.  Thank God for them!
Hadlee was fine the rest of the night:)

As for Mommy...again, I thank the Good
Lord above because Lynna and Wendell
had arrived just before the kids had to leave
and they sat with me all evening long.
Other than when I realized that my
husband had posted a picture of
me in my hospital bed on Facebook
 with the caption:  "My wife going as a patient
 for Halloween.  Bless her heart."...
I was okay (and I even got over
 that the next day! ha!). 
Getting texts from Troy
and Robin and even a video of
everyone trick-or-treating helped so much!:)
I have the GREATEST friends and family
in the whole entire world.
I had awesome nurses and my two doctors
turned out to be really sweet even after
all the fuss I had given them!  ;)
I had lots of visitors but none were
more fun than all my babies coming to see me
and turning my room into a storm;)))
The antibiotics definitely started helping my leg
to move in the right direction and I was able
to hobble to the couch so Walker D
could play in my bed
(AFTER the nurse had changed the sheets!)...
I had the youngest, sweetest nurse
and she was doing this to Walker!!!
Hudson was sweet as can be
and wouldn't let anyone else near me, but
he didn't mind when it was time to go
and would say "BYE" and go happily with Daddy.
Haddie Girl...not so much!  :(
My sweet family and friends
brightened my hospital room
and I could feel prayers being said
on my behalf.  I had not realized
just how sick I was until I
started to come back around!
MRSA is yucky, scary, mean stuff:(
Magazines, flowers and balloons...
my friends and family know me all too well!
Of course Kelli G couldn't come from
Conroe (although she offered!), she
sent her mom to bring me treats and love.
After two nights in the hospital, I was
released on Wednesday afternoon.

This was my main sweet nurse...
She would be the nurse that Troy introduced
himself to as the "Baby Daddy"!!!
From that moment on, that is how
Troy was known as around Hillcrest!
I had to always add in that we are indeed married;)))
I really should have taken Troy's picture
with the nurses.  He gave his cell phone
number for the night to this sweet nurse and she
wrote it on her arm.  Later on, Troy told me
that he hoped she understood it was just
in case of an emergency...not for her to
really call him!  STINKER!!!

Another nurse came in and told me
that I had a student nurse right outside
my door dying to help me do anything...
take a shower, get up,
french braid my hair;), etc.
Troy looked up and asked for a
foot massage for himself?
The nurse said, "Nope, nothing
for the BABY DADDY!!!"
This was my leg looking SO MUCH better
on the afternoon I was leaving.
I'm not even going to share the before pics;(
This would be the sign that had to be on my
door after my doctor received the official
results that I had MRSA. 
I learned the hard way that the ONLY
way you EVER want to be in the
hospital is with a tiny, precious little
newborn who has just come into
the world!!!  I shed many tears in the 
late hours those two nights...
which always prompted the nurses
to bring me more morphine;)))  ha! 
I was so happy to get home that afternoon
and even happier when my kids got home
from school.  They had big plans for us:)
Sorry, Candy Land & Bey Blades!
My dear Hoodies had dinner, cookies
and flowers for us that evening.
I am so blessed:)))
T-daddy Love took this pic of me
when we got home with my gorgeous
flowers from Trudi:)
I think my man was happy to have
me home, too! ;)))
 I am trying to take every
precaution I can to avoid getting
another staph infection.  I just really 
can't get another one.  My doctor
was very clear to me that an infection
like this could turn life or death very quickly.
He is also really on my case about
getting more rest so I can build up
my immune system.  He thinks that is
why this stuff keeps attacking my body. 
I'm also using a prescription surgical
soap, still taking heavy duty
antibiotics that are about to kill
my stomach, AND changing
the sheets on my bed all the time....
I always have a fun little helper when I get
the clean, new sheets on ;)
Mommy never, EVER wants to have to be
in the hospital away from
 this sweet smile again...
Thursday morning these gorgeous flowers
arrived from the Na Na's...
loving me as usual from ALL over the world!  :)
That weekend I took this picture
for my sweet Na Na's so they could
see that I was just fine and
loving my beautiful flowers! :)
I returned back to school the next week
to find LOTS of love from my students
who had no clue why I had been out. 
They were so sweet to me...
I think they had really missed me:)
And my dear teacher friends who had
begged to bring me dinners treated
my family and me to a very generous
Visa gift card.  I am so blessed
by my friends and family.
I am so thankful to be okay.
I know what I had could have turned
really bad had my body not responded
to the I.V. antibiotics, but that wasn't the case.
I was able to heal quickly.  I am fine now.
Every minute I was in the hospital and even in
the days before when I couldn't walk,
all I could think about was Travis.
How he has endured all that he has/is
just baffles my brain and breaks my heart.
God has used Travis to bring such
perspective and, oddly enough,
such comfort to my life. 
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and
God of all comfort, who comforts us in all
our tribulation, that we may be able to
comfort those who are in any trouble, with the
comfort with which we ourselves are
comforted by God.  For as the sufferings
of Christ abound in us, so our
consolation also abounds through Christ.
Now if we are afflicted, it is for your
consolation and salvation, which is
effective for enduring the same sufferings
which we also suffer.  Or if we are
comforted, it is for your
consolation and salvation. 
And our hope for you is steadfast,
because we know that as you are
partakers of the sufferings, so you also
will partake of the consolation.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7

3 comments:

Brandi said...

You poor thing!! So glad u r better!! U take care of yourself!!!!!!!!

Beth E. said...

My goodness, Mindy, you've gone through so much! Praying for your complete and total healing, and healing and protection for the rest of your precious family.

Love you!

angie said...

I'm SO thankful to the maker of antibiotics (and morphine!) I'm so sorry that this happened to you again!!
I did laugh at your doctor not taking your crazy call:)))).
Love you sweet Mindy and HATE the staph!