Baby Story Nightmare #3

So while I was getting the first pint of blood, all the kids came to see me and we were visiting Ashton in the NICU. My hand with the IV was really hurting and I could see it starting to bruise. Well it wasn't just bruising, the blood was backing up into my hand and filling it up. It looked really gross. The nurses had to put in a new IV but my veins did not want to cooperate. They stuck me 3 times and then gave up and went to get someone else. He stuck me in the puffy bruised arm once and painfully. My arms looked like purple pin cushions. The rest of the night was fairly event less. I hung out with my mom and dad while they finished giving me the blood and I got to go feed Ashton whenever he woke up.

The next 2 days were very much the same. Sleep and feed the baby. Saturday they moved Ashton to the next floor with the other NICU babies that are doing lots better. He was totally off his oxygen and nursing really good. I was just waiting impatiently for the doctors to let him go to the regular nursery so I could have him in my room. My incision was draining alot and my doctor wanted me to stay an extra day. It worked out that Ashton's doctor kept him an extra day too. We headed home Monday.

Wednesday my wonderful sister took me and Ashton to our doctor's. Since he had had a hard time, his doctor wanted to touch base with us to see how things were at home. He gave him an "A-O-K". That was a relief.

When we got to my doctor, the plan was to see the doctor that did my surgeries and have her remove my staples. Some how they didn't get my appointment into the computer and I didn't have one. We waited awhile and they kept moving me from room to room. Finally I got to see the PA that assisted in surgery but the wound was so yucky she wanted me to wait and see one of the doctors. I was so tired and felt miserable. When they weighed me I was 15lbs heavier than I was the day before delivering Ashton. I couldn't fight the tears back. I had had so much fluid in the hospital that I was retaining water really bad. I had kankles. When Dr Robinson came in and removed the staples he saw how bad the incision really was. I still had a open hole in my stomach. He immediately sent me to Wound Care.

I felt like death as I walked into the hospital. Nichole was such a trooper. Loren was tired and ready to go home and Nichole never once complained. She just keep helping me. The physical therapist cleaned and bandaged me up and sent me on my way. I had to return the next morning, and keep coming everyday for the rest of the week. I couldn't drive since I was taking pain meds. The tears came again as I began to worry about how I would get there and not be a total pain in the ass for everyone else. Luckily I have a great sister who sincerely was worried about me and volunteered to drive me when I needed.

Over the next few days the Physical Therapists decided a Wound Vac would be the best option for healing me quickly. They ended up putting it in/on that Saturday. Over the next 2 weeks I continued to go to wound care 3 days a week. Nichole graciously took me every day. After the first couple days with the vac, my culture test came back showing that I had MRSA Staph infection and another bacteria. The doctor broke the news to me that the medicine I had to take was harmful to children and kept me from nursing while on in. I was okay with that since I wanted to get better but I cried every time I had to pump and everytime I had to give Ashton a bottle. I cried everytime he threw up too, since it was because of the formula. I just kept telling myself it was only 11 days. I didn't think this crap was ever going to end. I was still all poofy and retaining water. My legs were the same diameter all the way down to my feet.

I really started feeling better once on the antibiotics but the 11 days drug on forever. My wound was healing fast too. That was untill the smell. I kept smelling poop. I knew someone had poopy pants. I made Chris check Lizzie, nothing. I thought for sure then it was him. NOPE it was me. My wound dressing was nasty. Come to find out I had yeast growing in the wound and around it. It was so gross. I guess it is common when air can't get in. And the vac dressing was water and air tight. Not only did I have a vacuum hooked to my stomach but I smelled like a poopy diaper!!!! It was awful.

Well they got the yeast under control and the vac was doing it's job I was actually starting to feel better. Last Friday, the 4th, I went to wound care and told them to take the vac off. I was so sick of it. When I would open the oven it would fall in, when I got up I would forget it and get caught. The wound had healed so much it was only superficial and the vac was ready to come off. Now I have just been going to have the dressing changed 2-3 days a week and on Monday they told me I may be done Thursday.

YEAH!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!

I am finally getting back to normal.