I started having really bad stomach cramps a few days ago and yesterday I threw up twice. I called my dr. and he said to go to the ER. After a battery of tests (and thankfully anti-nasuea drugs and morphine) it turns out I have a UTI. I have never had one before and I didn't have any of those typical uti symptoms. I guess if a UTI gets bad enough, it can cause vomiting and stomach cramps. Also, the night before last, I though I had pulled a muscle in my back/side. I realise now that was the infection working its way into my kidney. I've had my ileostomy for 7 weeks. My nurse came over today and I told her my stomach was cramping really bad and then my stoma would shoot out. She told me I was having diarreha. It is so strange to have someone tell you something like that. I just don't know my body any more.
I was supposed to go back to work yesterday after my leave from surgery. I will probably not go in tomorrow per my nurse's advice. She thinks it would be good to take another day to give the antibiotics more time to work. I've already been off 7 weeks (would have only been 6 but my job closed down for Christmas) and now I'm off extra. I feel bad because 1) I already been gone for so long, 2) I don't want people to think I'm taking advantage (though they probably won't - it's a great group), and 3) I have to have another surgery soon to reverse my ileosotomy (which can't come soon enough for me) and I need to build up my days again).
2011 has not been a good year so far. I'm ready for 2012 to get here. Hopefully by then all my health issues will be behind me and I can live a normal life. I haven't lived a "normal" life since appx. April 2008 when my health problems/pain started.