Thursday, July 16, 2009

Some Thoughts

1. Why are you crying?

Everything is going great. It was a rough start at home. Andrew and I got home from the hospital Thursday morning...it was so great to get home, especially after Thursday morning at the hospital. I called the nurse for pain medication and after a half hour went by I called again for my pain medication. Another half hour went by and she finally walks in. She said they had an emergency across the hall (and I did hear some commotion so I believed her). So she looks at her computer screen and says she would need to call down to the pharmacy for some Prilosec. Okay, she obviously meant to say Percoset but since she had just had this emergency to deal with I thought I would let her off the hook. But no, she said it once more...so I said "You mean Percoset?" She looks at her screen and double checks and said they had me down for Prilosec. I told her I hadn't taken any Prilosec since my baby was born (hip hip hooray) and I really just wanted ibuprofen or percoset.

Later, my OB was in giving me the okay to go home. I was explaining to him that I was having extreme burning on one side while nursing. The dumb nurse happens to be in the room and asks if she may but in...are you kidding me? I am talking to my doctor! But go ahead and say what you have to say. She explains that when she had her children and her milk started coming in that she would have a pretty bad burning sensation when she nursed. I KNOW lady, this isn't my first baby and I know it hurts but my pain seemed different. I was so frustrated with her and became so flustered that I just looked back at my doctor and he just told me to use a hot wash cloth for the discomfort. I couldn't even talk to him about it. They left and I started crying, I knew the pediatrician would be in soon so I tried really hard to stop. Andrew's doctor walked in shortly after and started talking nonsense. Really, my head was not on right. She said something about Blue Ribbon levels and if I started talking I would just start crying so I just nodded my head and pretended I knew what she was talking about. I later realized she was talking about bilirubin levels!

I always thought it was protocol to be wheeled out of a hospital, but apparently it isn't. I was so confused when the above mentioned nurse told Landon to grab the car seat because I shouldn't be lifting it, I grabbed the diaper bag and Landon got my hospital bag and she stuck out her hand to have Kinnie hold it, I was surprised when Kinnie held it. She walked us down the hall to the elevator, down the hall and out of the hospital to our car. I really could not wait to get home!

Friday night I called the on-call doctor because the pain I was experiencing was not good. I explained to her some things and she prescribed me an antibiotic. She told me if the pain was not gone by tomorrow afternoon then I should go to the ER, if the pain was gone but I still had a lump then I could wait and see my OB in Monday. The pain did not go away and so I obeyed the on-call doctor and decided at 3:00 am Sunday morning while I was trying to nurse Andrew and things weren't getting any better that I would go to the ER. I told Landon to stay home with Kinnie and I would take Andrew. I filled out the basic information on the clip board, watched as a crazy guy came in bent over in pain, asking for water and saying he couldn't breath, sat across from a couple who were both coughing and started crying because I couldn't believe where I was and that I had my 5 day old baby with me! The ER doctor checked me, which was weird. What did I expect, some expert OB to walk in and heal me? He told me to just keep taking the anti-biotic and keep trying to nurse and pump. I lost it! I couldn't believe that was all he could tell me. I hate crying in front of people but I didn't even care, I just sat there bawling. The worst part, the doctor stood there and asked "Why are you crying?" I thought that was the dumbest question he could have asked. I didn't do too much explaining through my tears. I just wanted to get out of there! Luckily the anti-biotic must have started kicking in by Sunday night, but as for now I am pumping and giving Andrew bottles until I feel a little but more healed and ready to tackle nursing.


2. It is SO worth it



3. What are you smiling at?

Andrew smiles a ton in his sleep and he has even chuckled a few times. It makes me wonder what he is smiling at...how does he know how to smile and laugh. I ask him if Great Grandpa Bell and Great Grandpa Johnsen are making funny jokes.



4. Bed-Head


Kinnie is doing great! I am so proud of how well she is doing with the transition. She has quite a few late nights lately because it is sometimes just hard to get her to bed at a decent hour. This is her bed head in the morning.



5. Thank you for the help!


We have had lots of help. My mom has been here a couple of days to help out and keep Kinnie company while I get used to the new routine. My mom took her to the park and brought home some Wendy's. Landon's mom comes and gets her and takes her to her house to play with her aunties! Here is Kinnie waiting at the door, I think very excited to get out of our house for a break!

10 comments:

Ellen said...

What a horrible hospital experience! I am SO sorry! I can't believe the ER doc asked you why you were crying. SERIOUSLY? What a jerk!
I'm glad that you are getting a lot of Grandma help. That's the best kind! ;) Good luck and he is totally adorable! CONGRATS!

Lara said...

Wow! That is so tough. Good for you for just letting the tears flow finally though. Sometimes you just gotta let it out, especially when you have post baby hormones making you even more emotional.

Lisa Chin said...

What an awful experience for you to go through! I'm glad that it seems the antibiotics are now working. I really wish you had called me to go with you or let me stay with Kinnie while the two of you went. Poor baby!

The photos of Kinnie and Andrew are darling. I love his smiley picture! Best wishes for great days ahead!

Eliza said...

Oh Nicole that sounds awful. The nurse in charge of you can make or break your hospital experience and your's broke it. wow what a dumbhud she was. Anyway I am so glad that your home and you have help. Your kids are absolutely beautiful, I LOVE that picture of him smiling in his sleep, how funny is that. Kinnie by the door is so dang cute.

Andrea W. said...

Oh NICOLE!!! I was dying reading this and totally relating! The tears just come don't they? Going to the ER sounds like the worst thing EVER and I can only imagine the pain you've been in (shiver!) It's painful and miserable enough without throwing infection into the mix. I'm sooooo sorry. Sounds like your nurse and ER doc. need to go back and re-take the part about bedside manner. Sigh. I'm so glad you're back home and hope you're feeling better. The picture of Andrew smiling is PRICELESS! Kinnie is a doll and doesn't look any worse for the wear. Thank goodness all this craziness is temporary. Can't wait to see Andrew in person.

Sara said...

You've had a crazy/painful experience. I'm so sorry!!
You're right Andrew is worth anything!
Beautiful pictures. I LOVE Kinnie's bed head.

Ken and Andrea. said...

Nicole! I am soo sad you had this experience! But, that baby is beautiful, and I am positive he is worth every bit of the yucky! For the record, your nurse was absolutely inept if she thought Prilosec (which decreases stomach acid) would help with your pain. I am really disappointed that no one seemed concerned about your pain. That is not what we're trained to do! So, love, I want you to know that you are my hero, and if it ever happens again (I pray it doesn't) demand something for the pain! You need to feel good to heal!! It will reduce stress too!

Megs said...

Oh Nicole that sounds like such a horrible experience and that dr. in the er was a jerk!!! Hope you are feeling better!! Andrew is a cutie and i love the picture of him smiling!!! Jack does that and I love it!!

Julie said...

Nicole! I'm so sorry to hear about the rough few days. I hope that you're feeling better :) I remember crying a lot after Tucker was born, and nothing was even wrong! If I were in your position I would've been probably bawling way worse than you! I'm so sorry.

On another note-Andrew is so adorable! He's so perfect and I just love those pictures of him!! I'm here in Utah until Aug 4th. Are you up for visitors? I won't even bring Tucker with me, but I'd love to see you and meet your little guy! Let me know.

Kinnie and Andrew are so lucky that you're their mom :) And they are so cute!

Jessie said...

What an ordeal. I remember after Jane was born she wasn't eating or gaining weight very well...in fact she was losing weight. I went in for her two week check up and she wasn't back up to her birth weight so they said I had to come back in a week to weigh her again. So we worked on it for a week and I thought she was doing better for that next appointment but they weighed her and she had lost even more weight. I couldn't believe it and I was so emotional and upset that I started bawling right there in the doctor's office. The nurse turned to me and said, "oh honey, don't cry." but not in the comforting way, in the this is no big deal and it's silly that you're crying way. I could have punched her in the face... ha ha ha