So I got a little sick... and then it got worse!

Last month I had a bladder/kidney infection that I took my full course of antibiotics for and I felt all better. Apparently I wasn't all better though. So Thursday, Aug. 7 I went in to my day job with a migraine, only to turn around when I got there and go home. That day was spent vomiting, napping, and bathing to try to bring down my fever. My mom didn't believe I had the flu and wanted to come check on me, but I told her no. I can't afford to go to the dr. with my $65 co-pay for the flu! Friday I called in sick to BOTH of my jobs. At this point mom started to worry. She showed up to my apartment at about noon and immediately started yelling at me. My mom is a human thermometer and gagued my fever to be about 105. Just because I didn't have the strength to say no, or walk for that matter, I let her take me to the emergency room.

When I got there the nurses were pretty sure that I had either viral meningitis (sp??) or West Nile virus due to my headaches and the stiffness of my neck. Needless to say, I didn't have to wait long in the waiting room! They took me back, recorded my temp. at 101 or so (AFTER my fever had broken), pulse at 168 and blood pressure at something like 164/100. My joints, hands, legs and feet were totally red and swollen - especially my elbow and my hands. It was pretty scary. They took my blood, my pee, and my spinal fluid to test me for all sorts of things. They came back with the conclusion that my kidney infection never went away and spread into my blood stream (septicimia), and I had some kind of virus that was causing the headaches and vomiting. I never thought they'd keep me though! I figured I'd get some antibiotics and go home! Wrong!! They admitted me.

My mom, sis, cousin and Dave (the boy) were all there to make sure I wasn't gonna kick it and I was so glad they were! Friendly faces were necessary at this point - not even my back surgery caused as much pain as I was in that night! Not even Morphine was helping relieve my pain. After everyone left and I tried to sleep my fever started going up again. I was given Tylenol and Vicodin for both pain and in an attempt to break the fever. They wanted to give me a sponge bath, but I know how much that hurts with a fever (mom had already given me one), so I curled up with 7 ice packs and my fever finally went away!

The next few days were full of blood draws every morning between 4:30 and 6:00am (because that's how I want to wake up...), poking and prodding for other tests, taking vitals every hour on the hour, eating CRAPPY food, and wishing they could get rid of my headaches. I had a lot of visitors (thanks to the L's for my plant and my present). Dave was absolutely the perfect boyfriend through it all, visiting for hours every single day. I'm pretty lucky to have him. My family officially adores him for caring so much and being so concerned about me. (Gush session officially over) LOL

I was finally released on Tuesday or Wednesday - I can't remember which day because I was on some pretty heavy duty pain killers for the headaches. Stayed at mom's until Friday because the docs didn't want me to be alone, then started Dave's birthday weekend! I took it pretty easy though. Sat around a lot and wished I could do more. I'm back at my day job today, and I go back to the grocery job on Wednesday evening. I'm still pretty beat up and these headaches won't go away completely, but I'm glad to be out of the hospital! My fingers and my legs are peeling because my fever was so high that it damaged the skin on them, which is crazy and gross! I'm thinking I made it out without any permanent damage, but one of the nurses did tell me that this is now something that I'm going to have to be VERY careful about in the future. I go in Thursday morning to re-check my kidney infection and I'm hoping for a clean bill of health at that time.

Sorry this is so long, but I figured I'd give y'all the details and the rundown on where I disappeared to for the last week and a half!