Thursday, April 30, 2009

"I Got Stoned..."

...this past week...
...kidney stoned, that is...
and I'm not doing much LOL either...:(
It all started last Friday morning, April 24th, when I was awakened
about 6:30 am
by a severe pain on my left side.
Thinking it was a bad muscle pull near my hip...
I took some Tylenol Arthritis tablets
and tried to fall back asleep.
That was not to be.
To make a long story bearable...the pain intensified and
I ended up checking in at the
ER at Banner Del Webb Medical Center
about 11:30 am.
After waiting seemingly forever for the triage nurse to check me out
...and the inevitable flurry of paperwork
to be processed...
I was at last admitted into the ER.
The place was packed...
(what drawing opportunities if one was in the mood!)
Lab work began and shortly
a powerful trio of really good drugs was given intravenously
and finally, I could feel no pain...Ahhh! :)
A CT scan came next.
An hour or so later the results were in
I had two kidney stones...
one small..2mm...the other large...6.1mm.
The smaller to pass on my own...the larger needed a procedure.
At 4:30 in the afternoon...
it was decided that I would need to be admitted into the hospital.
A bed was finally ready for me at 8:30 pm.
I stayed two nights and came home Sunday Afternoon.
I now wait again for further input by a specialist
as to my next course of action...
most likely an sonic or a laser blast of the larger stone.
Geesch!
I am most thankful that the reason for my pain was diagnosed,
that the situation was not super critical, and
that things are now hopefully
on the mend.

The drawing above was started the night I was admitted
and shows the views I had from my bed.
It was painted just today at home.
This week has not only zapped my energy level
but also my artistic enthusiasm.
I have just now gotten back to visiting blogs.
Hopefully, the "hospital funk" is gone...
(at least, until I get my bill...LOL...ugh!)
and I will now be back drawing, and painting,
and simply enjoying
the artistic posts of all my friends.

"A hospital should also have a recovery room
adjoining the cashier's office."
~Author Unknown

"No Worry..." :)
~Sandi, my nurse from Australia

34 comments:

Aleks said...

O dear,I hope you feel much better now,I know the pain,horrible.Take care and have a good weekend,loads of good love,hugs from Sandra. my word veryfication is blessol :O) so all the best!

Ann said...

Oh Margaret! So sorry to hear of your troubles. I hope you feel better now.

Carolyn said...

I was wondering what was wrong...you hadn't posted any work lately. Hope you'll continue feeling better.

3rdEyeMuse said...

treat yourself extra kindly.

wishing you speedy recovery!

studio lolo said...

I knew it!!!! That's whay I emailed you, I just had a sneaky feeling something was amiss.

I'm glad you're on the mend and we get to have you back. Don't try to do too much. Just rest and take care of yourself so you can be strong enough to face that bill!!
;)
xo

winna said...

Glad you are back and you certainly were missed....your explanation of the whole deal was so well written--

Teri said...

Oh my goodness, I wondered where you were! I hope you continue to feel better and then much better when they blast the big stone. Geesh, what an experience!

Hugs

Julie said...

I am so sorry you had to go through all of this, Margaret! Hope they can get that big one out quickly and easily! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers! Your artistic peice is just amazing considering how you had to go though all of that pain and hospital trauma!!! Love your Australian nurses comment!

Alex said...

I really hope you get better real quick Margaret because I am starting to miss all your creative spiral designs!
Have enough of rest, and don't push too hard. I know that my hands will start to itch to draw when I get sick... but resting/recovering is priority No. 1
But enough said, that drawing is wonderful :D Lots of technical details in it, and my engineer-side is saying "it's really up to scale!"

Anonymous said...

Have been wondering where you were... I am so sorry that you have been unwell and wish you a speedy recovery. Glad you managed to make a painting out of the experiecne - tho' you may not want to look at it for a while!

Angela said...

Sounds awful! Hope you are feeling a lot better soom!

marianne said...

Oh my goodness Margeret!
Ithought you were on a short holiday, because I noticed you were not posting.......
What pain and discomfort you hve been going through!
I am glad you are home now and reovering again!
Take good care of yourself!

Hug Marianne

Lisa at Greenbow said...

A friend of mine has these occasionally. Not a pleasant part of ones life. I hope you get back to your art soon as this will mean that you are feeling better. Great sketch. ((hugs))

Shirley said...

So glad you are now stone-free. As a phyisican who witnessed patients with renal colic, I put it right up there with labor pains. Can't believe you managed to get your IV so well sketched on your admission day! Great journal page.

RH Carpenter said...

Ouch!!! So glad they found the source of the pain and did something about it - hope it is just an unpleasant memory soon. I do not know how you can even think about drawing when you are in pain, in the hospital, waiting for news, etc. - I think you must draw in your sleep? But lucky us, that you do! Take it nice and easy for a while...

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

So sorry you went through this experience and hope they soon sort it all out. Loved your post title - I thought you'd been to a wow of a party and got 'stoned'! Well, why not celibrate your recovery.

Caroline said...

Oh my gosh, Margaret - I thought there'd been a bit of a quite period on your blog. That's a bit of bad luck you've just been through. I do hope that you're feeling a lot better now and you'll soon be back up to speed again.
Best wishes, Caroline

Lynn Cohen said...

great detail in your drawing/painting...ouch!
I hate IVs.
Last time I had one I kicked the nurse while she was putting it in and of course it had to be done all over again! Oy.

Hope your stones pass quickly or are zapped eaisly.

Get well soon.

Sandy said...

Oh Good Lord, glad you are on the mend and hope it is OVER!! But a great sketch here !!!!

Aimee said...

Oh, goodness! I hope you are feeling better.

Jeanette, Mistress of Longears said...

LOL! Your sense of humor reigns! So glad you had prompt access to modern medicine.

Aimee said...

Oh, I forgot to tell you...I left you a little something on my blog! (Maybe it will make you feel a little better:)

kazumiwannabe said...

You've been visiting hospitals a lot, lately! Like your Australian nurse said, "no worries", but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you anyway because it can't hurt : ). And you still manage to give us a cool hospital drawing and a fun quote!

Unknown said...

this just sounds horrific, but the good that has come out of it, is the fabulous drawing! Hope you feel better soon

Marva Plummer-Bruno said...

You never have a dull moment! Sounds very painful, hoping you're feeling better! As always I love how you turn everything into a beautiful, colorful sketch! Marva

PAK ART said...

get well soon! I too miss your art - hope you are feeling up to painting again soon.

Anita Davies said...

Oooh Margaret, glad you're sorted out and feeling more inspired!

Anonymous said...

Ouch! Dad has had them and different friends. Not a pleasant experience!;( I thought somethin was goin on when I didn't see a new blog each day!;) Feel better! I do love to read your blogs. You make even the most painful situations seem lovely. Never mind the good stuff!;)
Jan;)

Teri and her Stylish Adventure Cats said...

Belated feel well wishes...leave it to you to make the most of your situation and be artistic, too! love the drawing (being a vet tech and all) and I too have a nurse friend from Australia and "No Worry" is something that always makes me feel better when she says it!

Aarti Harish said...

Take care....!!

Serena Lewis said...

OH no, you poor dear! I'm late catching up with your blog so only just found out about this today. I hope you're doing much better now.

sandy said...

Well I hope you're all recovered from that, ouch! My mom went through that a long time ago!

As usual, I'm enjoying catching up...

Shopgirl said...

I was looking at your blog which is lovely. When I came upon the Stone picture. I read your post and I do know this pain. I had sweat dripping from my hair, also had some big ones so had to have the Kidney Blast.
I am happy to say things are very good. The type of stones I have seem to do well with real Lemon Juice. I drink Simple Lemonade.
It is good.
The pain was awful...nothing like it.
Mary, Idaho

Lisa Rivas said...

WoW! What an ordeal! Bless your heart...
I know by now they have blasted that pebble of a stone, it must have been excruciatingly painful.

Above and beyond you explained yourself so well and a wonderful drawing to top it off. You are amazing!

Wishing you a speedy recovery and sending you many hugs :-)