An Unexpected and Unwelcome Visitor

We've all seen the movies where the character says, "Things can't possibly get any worse..." then the lightning strikes, thunder booms, and she's soon covered in a torrential downpour. With a bruised butt, a falling bladder and cervix, and a crazed sciatic nerve, I didn't think it could possibly get any worse, however, my downpour happened yesterday morning around 9:30.

It started with some back pain, which is nothing uncommon with pregnancy. I was picking up the house, but soon needed to sit because the pain wasn't getting any better. I popped a couple tylenol and sent out a few emails. The pain was quickly escalating, so I called Shera for some sympathy. While on the phone, the pain began to spread from the left-lower portion of my back, around to the front of my belly/groin area. I was starting to tear up, so she recommended I call my doctor. I told her "Naw, I'll just grab the lap top and a heating pad and lay in bed with Dax and Ella and watch a show." I had barely made it up the stairs when the pain hit a point that left me crawling on the floor, cell phone in hand, dialing my moms number.

"Mom, I think I'm in labor."

She was over in a jiffy, and we headed to the hospital, dropping off the kiddos at Shera's house.

The pain was intense! And the crazy thing was, it never went away. I was having some contractions, but the pain in my back was constant. Oooh, it was bad. I thought maybe it was back labor or something, because with each contraction, the throbbing in my back grew worse.

We made it into the hospital, got the I.V. going and waited to hear what my doc suggested as they monitored my contractions. Though they weren't too serious, and I was barely dilated, they gave me the shot to calm them down nonetheless. They thought my back pain may be connected to the contractions, so they had to wait for an hour before they gave me any kind of pain medicine.

Meanwhile, I am dying!!! I mean seriously, a contraction I can handle. I had Dax without any pain med, so I have experienced labor pains. But this was no comparison. With Dax, I knew the pain would end and I only had to make it through the next contraction, or push away the pain. But this pain was different, never ending, and I was writhing in it. I kept trying to readjust myself, lay on my back, my side, but nothing helped and I think I may have left indents on the hand bars of the gurney.

Finally they decided that the back pain wasn't connected to pre-term labor, and figured that I had some visitors in my kidneys.

That's right, kidney stones.

After a quick shot of morphine, my body was able to relax, though the pain was still there. Since testing options are limited while you are pregnant, they performed an ultrasound which showed diddly squat. I was in the hospital for 5 hours, then told to go home and strain my pee until the stone passes.

I was thinking "Seriously?!" I'm supposed to just go home and deal with this?!! Don't you know that I'm pregnant and I fell down my stairs last week!?" Needless to say I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.

I get home, and feel rather dejected. And just when you think things can't get any worse, the thunder booms and rain falls, and I quickly jump out of bed, hobble to the bathroom, and puke until there's nothing left inside of me. (unfortunately, no stone in my vomit.)

So, here I am, in bed, while my amazing husband takes care of the kids. I pity everyone who has ever gone through this. We should be part of a "stone club" or something, and wear a badge that has a picture and size of the stone you passed.

On the bright side, the baby is healthy and fine and still moving around. I feel very grateful that I didn't deliver her yesterday, 5 weeks early. And, being in bed this much, my ankles have never looked better!

Well, enough of my sob story. I'm sure your thinking, "Cindy just wants my pity." And your right, that's exactly what I want! However, if you pee 16 times one day, then 5 the next, then have bad back pain the following day, get yourself to a hospital and pray you are not pregnant so they can laser that bastard to pieces.