That's Sick
'Tis late, and I should be in bed, but I feel bad for neglecting this lovely little piece of my life. I don't write enough anymore. Slacker.
So for an update on me... I wrote not long ago about a trip to the ER for a terrible UTI. I know you probably thought the fun stopped there, but it hasn't. I've pretty much had UTIs continuously since then. My OB/GYN is the one who caught the first one, so I kept going to him. He told me that since I'm having them so frequently and with the same type of bacteria every time, that I most likely have a leaky gut. I know that it sounds like a totally made-up problem, but it's a real thing. What happens is that something gets inside your intestinal tract that causes it to swell up which makes the normally solid barrier expand and become porous. So all that stuff that is supposed to stay inside your intestines leaks into your body and causes all kinds of weird problems. My doctor needed proof, though, so he had me send in a, ahem, stool sample.
That was one of the most disgusting things I've ever done in my life. I won't go into detail... just know that it was terrible. I hope you never have to do it.
With that being said, I sent off my poo and it turned out that I had a parasite. A PARASITE! I also had yeast overgrowth. So we're treating that now in hopes that the UTIs will stop.
Have they stopped?
OF COURSE NOT! Because that's not how Johanna's body works. It never cooperates. So my doctor here sent me to a Urologist b/c he said, "I don't know how to help you." My urologist (who is in San Antonio and looks like Ron Howard) put me on a low-dose antibiotic.
Have they stopped?
OF COURSE NOT! So since all this has happened, I've pretty much been in pain and constantly peeing. I've only had a few times where I've been down and out sick (ie: puking, fever), but I haven't been back to the ER b/c now I know the signs, so I can recognize them early on. I went back to the urologist today, and he's put me on antibiotics for 2 weeks, and then I'm back on a low-dose one, and I'm hoping beyond hope that this works b/c I'm tired of going to the doctor. I'm tired of bills. I'm tired of taking so many pills. I'm tired of going to the pharmacy all the time. And mostly, I'm tired of FEELING LIKE CRAP!
All in all this has made me appreciate being in good health. I find myself envious of other moms who are feeling perfectly fine and can do whatever they want b/c they don't have to pee constantly or have aching kidneys. Also, I have respect for those who deal with chronic illness b/c it sucks.
On a more positive note, though, they did a renal ultrasound, and I don't have Polycystic Kidney Disease, so hooray!
Anyway, that's my life at the moment. It's not all terrible. It's actually mostly a good life. And I'm happy most of the time. I just want to punch my urinary system in the face. If it had a face, that is.
So for an update on me... I wrote not long ago about a trip to the ER for a terrible UTI. I know you probably thought the fun stopped there, but it hasn't. I've pretty much had UTIs continuously since then. My OB/GYN is the one who caught the first one, so I kept going to him. He told me that since I'm having them so frequently and with the same type of bacteria every time, that I most likely have a leaky gut. I know that it sounds like a totally made-up problem, but it's a real thing. What happens is that something gets inside your intestinal tract that causes it to swell up which makes the normally solid barrier expand and become porous. So all that stuff that is supposed to stay inside your intestines leaks into your body and causes all kinds of weird problems. My doctor needed proof, though, so he had me send in a, ahem, stool sample.
That was one of the most disgusting things I've ever done in my life. I won't go into detail... just know that it was terrible. I hope you never have to do it.
With that being said, I sent off my poo and it turned out that I had a parasite. A PARASITE! I also had yeast overgrowth. So we're treating that now in hopes that the UTIs will stop.
Have they stopped?
OF COURSE NOT! Because that's not how Johanna's body works. It never cooperates. So my doctor here sent me to a Urologist b/c he said, "I don't know how to help you." My urologist (who is in San Antonio and looks like Ron Howard) put me on a low-dose antibiotic.
Have they stopped?
OF COURSE NOT! So since all this has happened, I've pretty much been in pain and constantly peeing. I've only had a few times where I've been down and out sick (ie: puking, fever), but I haven't been back to the ER b/c now I know the signs, so I can recognize them early on. I went back to the urologist today, and he's put me on antibiotics for 2 weeks, and then I'm back on a low-dose one, and I'm hoping beyond hope that this works b/c I'm tired of going to the doctor. I'm tired of bills. I'm tired of taking so many pills. I'm tired of going to the pharmacy all the time. And mostly, I'm tired of FEELING LIKE CRAP!
All in all this has made me appreciate being in good health. I find myself envious of other moms who are feeling perfectly fine and can do whatever they want b/c they don't have to pee constantly or have aching kidneys. Also, I have respect for those who deal with chronic illness b/c it sucks.
On a more positive note, though, they did a renal ultrasound, and I don't have Polycystic Kidney Disease, so hooray!
Anyway, that's my life at the moment. It's not all terrible. It's actually mostly a good life. And I'm happy most of the time. I just want to punch my urinary system in the face. If it had a face, that is.