Blood Drive

Monday, January 5th, was the first school day of the new year; not just for my kids but for me at SUU. I woke my kids and Lily was the only child who seemed excited to return to school; I was also very excited for a new semester. While I brushed the girls' hair, I formulated my daily schedule to fit in time to go to the SUU bookstore and buy myself the books and a new backpack. Plus I was looking forward to buying new pencils. They have the best mechanical pencils at SUU.

After we say our morning family prayers and I shuffled them out the door to catch the bus. A cold chill cut through the air as I opened the door. I looked at the temperature gauge, it was below freezing. The clouds hung in the sky, hiding the mountains in the background, and it appeared as if a painter stop painting halfway up the mountain.

I scowled and close the door, wondering where my tennis shoes were. It was not going to be a good day for my mesh shoes. I dug through the pile of shoes, finding my cowboy boots; those work as well as any other shoe for keeping moisture out.

I decided that this would be a great morning to start my WiiFit. I received it for Christmas and was waiting until the kids were back in school to use it. I found myself having too much fun and ended up having to rush through my shower and threw clothes on so I can make it to the kids' elementary school. Every Monday I help out in one of my good friend's Kindergarten class. I do the homework folders. The sky outside promised snow and I became very thankful that I took the time earlier to find my cowboy boots.

As I entered the Kindergarten classroom, the boisterous excitement assaulted my ears. The whole class was murmuring to each other of what they did during the Christmas break and what presents they received. Not only were they talking incessantly, they seem to forget the rules of the classroom. Their little minds were finding it difficult to switch back into learning mode. As I finished I knew I had to hurry to get to SUU so I could find the books I needed.

I drove through streets lightly coated with fresh snow. My shoes made a satisfying crunch as I walked toward the Sharwin Smith Building. I am not known for my gracefulness and that day was not any different. As I crossed the Rotunda, the snow in the packed crevices of my shoes began to melt from the warm temperature. I slipped in front of a whole bunch of people - looking like Bambi learning to walk. Fortunately I didn't fall; unfortunately the Rotunda was jam packed full of people.

Later that day, before my math class, I noticed that there was a blood drive in the Ballroom. I love giving blood. Not because it feels good - because it doesn't - but because I love the satisfaction of knowing I am helping others. I knew from experience, that giving blood is not a walk-in-walk-out activity. I saw that they were doing the blood drive the next day as well. But I knew I would not have time on Tuesday. I walked by the sign, saying they were closing soon, and went to my math class. The teacher let us out early so those of us who didn't have the right textbook could go get it. I took that time to make it to the blood drive.

Even though I only had an Atkins shake and some veggies for food that day, I figured I would be fine because they give out snacks afterward. I love the juice they offer and I always get a bag of Famous Amos cookies - my stomach looks forward to this every time I give blood.

Everything was going well, I was filling up the pouch in good time, I was laughing and joking with the workers, and then I started feeling funny. I got all woozy, and my stomach told me it was mad. I asked the lady if it was normal to feel nauseous and all at once, the Red Cross workers jumped to help me. One ran and got me water, one grabbed ice packs, and a guy grabbed a barf bag and held it for me. I seriously didn't think that I would throw up.... but my stomach had other ideas. I told them that the room was fuzzy. I was scared but thought I could control myself and I would be fine.

They already pulled the needle out of my arm but would not let me sit up. I laid there thinking I was going to be fine. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I began to heave. Up came the little food I had consumed that day. I tried to aim for the bag, but I was so out of it that I got most of it on myself.

As soon as I started hurling, someone grabbed me juice and a bag of cookies. I sipped the juice and closed my eyes. Apparently crossing your ankles is bad and I was out of it because they constantly had to remind me to uncross my ankles.

With my eyes closed, I started noticing that my arms were shaky and numb. I was scared.

After throwing up, I started recovering.  The juice was starting to work its magic.  After the barf-bag guy left, the lady who drew my blood handed me napkins to clean myself.  I was mortified that not only did I barf in front of a guy, it got all over my shirt!!!  When I was sufficiently ok to sit up, they helped me up and I made my way to the snacks.  I zipped up my jacket all the way up so no one would see the wet spot on my shirt.  After finishing my juice and cookies, I started to feel sufficiently better, I grabbed another juice and went to the bookstore.

After going to all the classes that day, I realized there were a few things I still needed to get. I made the mistake of thinking I was well enough to go down the stairs to the book area. I kept my jacket zipped up all the way up. That made my feel extra hot, so when I was coming back up the stairs took its toll. I sat on the floor in the bookstore in one of the aisles.

Some time passed, people glanced at my funny as if they had never seen a sweaty person before. When I thought I was better, I went to buy my things. At the register, I felt the wave of nausea hit harder and asked the lady to watch my things and ran to the bathroom. I barely made it to the toilet when WHOOSH, I threw up EVERYWHERE: All over the seat, my chest again, and the floor. Both cans of juice and cookies were splishing and sploshing all around that bathroom floor.

That is when the unthinkable happened. During one of the heaves, I felt some wetness spread in my nether regions. Flashbacks came flooding into my mind of being sick with the flu and things shooting out both ends.

When my body emptied itself of any trace of food or drink, I cleaned off the seat and sat down murmuring, "I don't want to die, I don't want to die." I knew I had to check to see what the damage was in my pants. To my relief: I only peed my pants.

Thankfully the jacket, that I ripped off just before I threw up, was long enough to zip up and cover my shirt AND pants. I bent down to clean up my mess off the floor and the dizziness and nauseous came suddenly back. I stood back up and realized that since my day was not shaping out to be a good one, I figured I wouldn't press my luck in trying to clean; I just knew I would pass out and fall into my vomit.

Today I am giving it another go. There is a blood drive at my Stake Center. I hope I ate and drank enough. I don't want a re"pee"t of that cold, wet January afternoon.

Life at Full Speed

Wow, when it rains, it pours. In my case it is a storm! Thankfully things seem to have calmed down for right now.... I am going to enjoy the few moments of respite.

Monday night, Justin said his stomach hurt. Well the flu has been going around and I just figured it was that. When bedtime came, he said it still hurt. So I gave him some Tums, which did not help. He tried to sleep but was unable - he complained he couldn't get comfy. So when he came into the living room and by the look on his face, I could tell he was in real pain. So I let him sit next to me and we cuddled for a while. The whole time he squirmed and complained his stomach hurt so bad and it felt like something inside was poking him and he began crying, clutching his stomach. That raised a major red flag. I asked him if he wanted to go to the ER. He said he did.
Now Justin is a tough kid - aside from his endearingly sweet, sensitive side - and he doesn't generally cry when he is in pain. This is the kid who broke his ankle at school and finished the school day, came home, and just kind of complained that it hurt. So his crying really had me freaking out that his appendix was going to burst. That and he pointed to where it was hurting: right above his belly button... which is a warning sign of appendicitis.
We get to the ER and they whisked us in fast. While waiting for the Dr to see him, he ran to the bathroom and had some "issues." When he came out, he said he felt fine. At this point, I wasn't sure what to do - he said he finally felt better but I didn't want to take him home just in case.
The Dr came in and examined Justin. He was concerned it might be appendicitis but thought it could be something else. So he ordered some blood work and a urine test and told us that he wanted Justin back in the morning to see how he was feeling and if he was worse, they would prep him for surgery. The nurse came and to draw his blood but told him they were going to place a pick line in him so when he came in the morning, if he needed surgery, they already had the IV thing in him. Justin was NOT happy about this, but let the nurse do it anyway. Plus, the nurse was able to draw blood from the pick line as well. The nurse had a hard time getting blood out of him. With Justin not feeling well and being possibly dehydrated, the veins were not cooperating. He got some blood and took it to get the tests run. While the nurse was gone, I gave Justin some water so he could try to pee soon. He went to the bathroom and came back with the pee in the cup, and said, "Here is the sperm." It took everything I possessed to not laugh! I had to explain to him that it was pee not sperm. He just said, "Whatever..." I think he was embarrassed.
Another nurse came in and said that his blood had congealed (or some other technical term) and they needed more blood. Justin whined but let them. This nurse was super nice yet pure evil - she bruised poor Justin's arms. Justin tried soooo hard for soooo long to not cry but after the third place she tried, he couldn't take it. She was rooting all around in his arm and I almost threw up. I am not good with needles. But I held Justin and stroked his hair and tried to get him to lay still and breath deep while she attempted to get blood out of him. When she got a minscule amount, she said she hoped it was enough and sent it off to the lab. She warned us that if it wasn't enough, someone else would come in and try to get more blood. Justin cried and so I suggested we said say a prayer. So I said a prayer and after what seemed like forever, the nurse came back and said it was enough and the lab will let them know of the results when they get them back. We were SO relieved to find out that Justin did not have get poked more.
The Dr came in and told us the urine test came back fine and his blood work showed that he had a high white blood count, which means his body is fighting something. So he let us go and told us to come back in the morning to have his blood drawn again (Justin groaned) to compare the white blood count. They also reminded Justin that if he did have appendicitis and had to go into surgery, that he needed to be ready and couldn't eat anything and could only drink clear liquids. Justin groaned again - even though it was now midnight, he was starving. Plus drinking would rehydrate him and he would have a better chance at giving blood the next day.
We were both so exhausted and didn't want to go to Walmart to get apple juice, so I stopped at the Maverick and got him some. We have plenty of Gaterade at the house because of Rebekah's intestinal problems (I will get to that later).
After we got home, I tucked Justin in on the couch and put in a movie for him. In the morning, he said he felt much better. We got to the ER and they admitted him, took his temperature, felt his stomach, asked him how he felt, and he said he felt fine. They said that he probably just had a horrid stomach bug but told me to bring him right back in if he starting having pain again or threw up or ran a fever. The nurse removed the pick line from his hand (much to Justin's gratefulness) and gave us instructions on what Justin could eat until his stomach felt better. Then we were free to go.
I told Justin that we were going to Walmart to get him some Jell-o and a game for him. He got so excited! We looked around at Walmart and didn't see the game he wanted so we went to Gamestop and found it: Star Wars the Force Unleashed for his PSP. It was the last one left! He was thrilled! Even though he was fine, I kept him home from school the rest of the day because he had a cruddy night and would probably want a nap - which I don't know if he did because during my nap he was playing his PSP.
I hope that even though he went through needle hell, that he won't be afraid to tell me the next time he doesn't feel well. I reminded him that not every time would be like that.

I will update more about our torrential lives.... But even through our storm, I know that there will be a rainbow at the end.... and if I am lucky, a pot of gold! haha