Last Week's Recap

Greetings to all my blog readers. I know you're used to me getting up and running, then falling off the face of the blogging world. This time I have a very valid excuse, I was very ill. Amongst the many things I missed last week, blogging was definitely one of them. I warn that this blog may be boring, but I just have to get some stuff off my chest.

It all started Saturday Oct 8th when I slept literally half the day away. I didn't think much of it because with my sleep disorder I've done it before, but this felt different. Per my typical fashion I just shrugged it off as I'm getting a cold and went about my merry way.

Sunday Oct 9th I spent the day with two of my besties Dave and Rita just kind of hanging out. Throughout the day I had some dizzy spells and felt very weak. I didn't even tell Dave and Rita I felt this way because I didn't want to ruin our hanging out. It had been a while since the three of us had gotten together. When I came hame I was so drained I could barely move. Later on... I got almost no sleep and kept running to the bathroom getting sick. I was tossing, turning, crying all night long.

Monday Oct 10th I had severe muscle and joint pains throughout my entire body. It even hurt to breath. I felt feverish and was saturated in sweat even though there was no heat in my apartment. It took all my energy to limp to the bathroom each time I got sick. I think I posted something on Facebook asking if anyone could drop me off food as I had not done my grocery shopping over the weekend. No one was willing/able to help. In all fairness they probably thought I was contagious and didn't want to come near me, not that I blame them. Rita offered to come over, but it would have been 8:30/9 PM when I was struggling to stay awake. I politely declined. BIG MISTAKE!

Tuesday the muscle pains went away but not the stomach cramps, sweating, chills, dizziness, or getting sick in the bathroom. I posted on Facebook begging someone to drive me to the doctors. Once again at the time no one was willing/able to, probably fearing me being contagious. Some of these people have kids, so I get it. I called my dad crying and scared; he told me to call a cab and get to the hospital right away. He and my mom would be flying up (From South Carolina, over 1000 miles away) to take care of me since I was all alone. When I got to the hospital I could barely sit up right. When I got into a room the nurse discovered I was severely dehydrated, my heart rate was well over 100 despite my barely moving, and my blood pressure had dropped. Fourteen hours in the hospital all by myself, not including various medical personal, I frantically texted my status on Facebook. Facebook was my only way to reach out to people for help. I wanted food, I wanted someone to sit with me and hold my hand, I wanted a ride back from the hospital that didn't involve me paying someone. Then there were the responses from my co-workers, some I hardly talk to, offering me "whatever you need" that melted my heart. There were people wishing me well. There were people genuinely concerned.

Instead of focusing on all the wonderful people who had offered to help me, I was thinking about a close friend who I felt turned their back on me. I know it is not right to place MY values on OTHER people. I also know that just because I may have been there for/helped someone in the past when they needed me does NOT mean they HAVE top do the same for me; it would be nice, but it shouldn't be an expectation. Laying there is the hospital bed after three bags of IV fluids, limping to the bathroom getting sick, and having them tell me I'm not improving and may need to go impatient....I texted some specific "close" friends. One of them had work obligations, but kept texting me throughout the day to check up on me. She told me she would get to me as soon as possible. The second person had family obligations and a baby at home, so she really couldn't help me. But she insisted I keep texting her to keep her posted. By the time I got to the third person I was very emotional and took it out on her when she said she couldn't help me. Instead of compassion I got responses via text like "she didn't appreciate my attitude" and "the world doesn't stop just because I get sick". I was so hurt. I told her I was alone, sick, and scared. Later that night she texted me, after 11 pm. I told her that although I had been discharged I may still end up inpatient. I told her I was in alot of pain. She told me to stay positive. Then I didn't get a call, text, or anything from her since. If I had a friend who had been in the hospital I would have called/texted to check up on them, but that's me and obviously we are very different people. She didn't even notice I was missing from work when she hadn't seen or heard from me for two days...

After a CT scan it was determined I had severe inflammation of my colon; cause unknown.

Wednesday Oct 11 I spent most of the day sleeping. A good friend, stay at home mom with four kids, made the time to come see me and bring me crackers/gingerale. She told me how much she loved me and wished she could do more. My parents are amazing; they got in that night and immediately starting doing stuff even after being on a plane all day: grocery shopping, laundry, pick up my medicine. My heart was starting to heal even if my body wasn't.

Thursday Oct 12 my parents drove me to an "emergency" doctor appointment with my Gastroenterologist. While waiting in his office I had to lay down I felt so weak and sick. He wanted to do a colonoscopy immediately. We scheduled one for the next day. I mainly rested, still barely eating or drinking anything, and prepared for the test.

Friday morning I had blood work done, then the procedure. My body has been through hell. I slept most of the day.

Saturday was my first day out for a non-medical reason since the weekend before. Fresh autumn air, doing something social with my parents, and my first real meal in about 5 days.


I'm looking forward to going back to work tomorrow although I'm nervous. I have had 4 absences because of my liver issues, one for vertigo, and now this one for my colon. I will be put on corrective action for my attendance per company policy. Then I plan to apply for FMLA to protect my job and hope it gets approved. I also have to wait 7 days for test results which is a bit nerve wracking too. Ignorance is not bliss, not knowing what's causing all this is really worrying me. Also knowing that my parents can't fly up every time I get spontaneously sick sucks too. On a plus side my next door neighbor found out what happened and was upset I didn't reach out to her, so now I know I'm not 100% alone should something like this happen again.