This last Friday I woke up and told Travis I had a slight belly ache but it wasn’t bad so I started to get on with my day. I took Honey for a walk, had a cup of coffee and around 11A.M I found myself on the couch not feeling the greatest. Travis left for a meeting and with in the next hour I began to feel much worse.
I was having trouble getting my blood sugar to rise. I had a candy bar but it kept dropping. I grabbed my go to product that helps me get my sugar up, BeeHive corn syrup. When I tell people I have spoonfuls of corn syrup they think its disgusting. BeeHive is not like our Karo corn syrup in the States, it’s a Canadian syrup; more like a pancake syrup and it’s delicious!
I called Travis to tell him I was having trouble and he told me to grab my emergency pen and asked if I wanted him to call the neighbors. I said I would give it a few more minutes to see if it would start to come up. Travis called me back and I asked him to come home, I was starting to feel really ill. While he was on his way, I had to run to the bathroom where I began throwing up. Then, I had the rude reminder, never trust a fart! I was feeling so awful. I told Travis we needed to go to the E.R.
I was curled up in a ball and I felt like I couldn’t get enough blankets on top of me to warm me up and stop shivering. All I could think was “make the nausea stop”. It was also then my thinking stopped. I don’t recall everything from that moment up until about Sunday morning.
They tested my fecal matter and told us I had contracted Rotavirus. Rotavirus is a very contagious virus that causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It’s mostly in infants and young children but adults can contract it. Typically it doesn’t affect adults severely EXCEPT it can if your immune system is compromised like mine.
Now here’s the gross part, it’s passed through touching infected poop!!! WASH YOUR HANDS FOLKS! It can be on a door handle, shopping cart, you name it. Once exposed, it takes about two days for the symptoms to appear.
The hospital was full so we were in the E.R. until about 6A.M when a room was finally available and they brought me upstairs. I have minimal recollection of time, day, or what was going on at this point. Although, I do recall seeing my mom, Travis, and Dana but very few details. Once in the room it was apparent I was suffering from severe dehydration. From what I am told, they were having trouble regulating my blood pressure. My BP was hoovering very low all day Saturday mostly around 63/36, a normal BP should be about 120/80. It was a little scary.
My blood levels were also all over the board. They were pumping me full of liters of lactated ringers, dextrose, albumin, and magnesium trying to regulate my electrolytes and get my BP to rise.
I do remember them wanting me to give another sample for an additional fecal test. They were curious if I also had C. diff which is a bacterium and difficult to get rid of. I was very dizzy and unsteady, needing assistance walking to the restroom. After 4 attempts, they finally got the sample to the lab in time and thank goodness it was negative!!! I was so ill, they were even checking the possibility that I may have been septic.
It seems Sunday was my turn around day. Even though I slept most of the day, I was more aware, my BP was back in range, everything was working properly in the bathroom again, and I was starting to eat with broth. By evening, I ate chicken noodle soup and a quarter of a PB & J.
Yesterday, even though I was still nauseated, I was eating and my blood levels were back in range so they felt I was able to go home. Last night, I had a very special surprise escort come to my room and walk me to the car. See the pictures below.
Today, I found I am very weak and get dizzy when standing. I was quite nauseous this morning and napped. I will get better, it just will take time. I am very happy to be home with Travis and Honey as we watch playoff hockey from the our couch not the hospital bed!
Nikki's New Lungs 