Ellie's Diary
by Ellie

A new kind of routine..

10/06/2010

~~One day at a time..~~

Well, we're attemptingn to find a new routine in our lives, one day at a time I suppose. Of course, it's mainly determined by medications, but, at least we're getting closer. Gabby's *finally* doing well enough that I don't think we will be in the hospital again until here in a couple weeks when we admit her to Children's Mercy again to rechallenge her on the coumadin and see if it was really coumadin rash or just some crazy reaction to something else.

Gabby's been out of the hospital since Friday, and yesterday afternoon, I was admitted. I had a migrane Saturday and was in the ER because of it - and they did a spinal tap to screen me for meningitis due to some of my symptoms the migrane presented with. NEVER AGAIN will I EVER admit to a doctor that my headache is giving me a stiff neck. I wound up getting a spinal headache because of it. I was back in the ER Sunday evening, because my headache was so bad that the Lortab 7's perscribed to me in the ER on Saturday weren't even touching the pain. The doctor then decided it was just a bad tension headache, perscribed me Fiorset, and sent me home. Monday morning, it was definetely back.....The ONLY way I could find relief Sunday or Monday, was by lying down. I took Gabby to her appointment at 1pm Monday, and had to go by the hospital to get a perscription refilled. On my way back to the car, where my Grandma and the boys were waiting, I passed out in the hallway. A nurse found me as I was coming around and put me in a wheel chair and sent me off to the ER. It was the last place I wanted to go because on Sunday the doctor told me that sometimes medications didn't work well and they'd admit me if I came back for the headache. Sure enough, it was the same doctor as the day before, and the first thing out of his mouth was that they were admitting me. GREAT. I told him I couldn't stay, because of the kids, and I told my Mom and Grandma what was going on - they sorted out who'd take the kids when and informed me that I WOULD be staying. Which was the last thing I wanted because of everything Gabby needs right now, but at the same time I recognized it WAS what I needed. The doctor still swore it couldn't be a spinal headache for some reason, but eventually he realized that was what it was - I couldn't get a blood patch done in the ER, so they went ahead and admitted me and around 10 am today they took me to radiology and did the blood patch. Two hours of laying flat on my back later - the headache was gone. Two hours after that, I was on my way home feeling like a new woman. My back hurts like a son of a bitch, but it's nothing compared to the pain that my headache was causing. I can't even count the times I vomitted from the pain. We're home now though and I am SO glad.

This weekend, a friend of mine has decided she's taking the kids so that Kyle and I can have an evening to ourselves. We've devoted our everything to getting Gabby through this and, I admit, have ignored "us". Which is odd, because I can promise you now - we are closer as a couple then we were at the onset of all of this. But it WILL be good to get a chance to focus on ourselves and each other for an evening. And of all the people I know, Jes is the one that I trust the most. Which I am sure is odd to trust her more then my Mother and Grandmother, but I do. Fair or not, I do. My Mom and Grandmother hear what they want, listen to what they choose - and it worries me to leave Gabby and all her needs in their care. But, Jes...she's amazing. And I know they'll all be in good hands.

Anyways...dishes beckon, and the way my back feels it's going to be a three hour undertaking. SO I'd better get started getting that done so I can get the kids in bed on time and hopefully pass out at a decent time myself.