My jalopy of a bladder
I’m a very visual person… I use metaphors. It’s what I do.
So here we go.
If a brand new cars check engine light comes on you are
alerted and immediately check the problem. You take it to the shop they find
out the issue and take care of it in no time. Then there’s an old, beat up car
that has been around the block a few times. If its check engine light comes on
you try to ignore it for a few weeks… then you realize it’s not acting right
and eventually you take it to the shop. You wince as the mechanic lists off the
problems and the total it would be to fix them. What’s a girl to do? I know
what I would do… kindly ask the strapping greasy fellow what is the minimum I
could fix to get my ol’ heap back in action.
In this analogy my bladder is that beat up car. It has
dents, dings, and runs but only barely. My “check engine” light is almost
always on so I have learned to not freak out any time I get a flare. Last week,
not only was my check engine light on, my sad little bladder car would barely
start. (This analogy has maybe gone too far? I hope you’re tracking.)
It always hurts when I pee. Literally every time. So when I
sat down to go on Friday the burn I felt was expected and familiar but the
stench I smelt was not. (I actually thought it was Titus’ diaper in the trash
next to the toilet, sorry for the details… I over share, accept it.) Then I got
in the shower as I always do after I tinkle to try to alleviate some of the
pain and pressure. This pain was off the charts and every time a tiny bit of
urine escaped that smell and pain accompanied it.
Then I realized the pain was a little different… the
pressure and cramping was worse than ever. I described it to my Mom by saying
my pee felt “thick”… at some point I’m pretty sure I said it felt like I was
peeing a milk shake.
Being the scholarly type that I am I added up all of these
signs and deduced that I perhaps had a bladder infection. I had Zach pick up an
at home UTI test and right away it showed blaring positive results. I called my
doctor, she called in a prescription for antibiotics and sent me to a lab to
have the urine tested and the infection verified.
The antibiotics did nothing. I was running to the bathroom
every few minutes and each time felt worse than the last. Not even my beloved
shower helped… so I spent the weekend on narcotics, hovering under a heating
bad and trying to ignore the pain as I got every thing ready for my sons first
birthday party! The emotions and Mommy determination took over, the party was
amazing but the minute it was over… my adrenalin was used up and I was down for
the count.
My doctor called Monday and confirmed that I do have a
bladder infection and I felt pride in my diagnostics. I should work for Gregory
House!
Now here we are almost a week later, the infection is still
raging, my lower back is aching along with the rest, and my body is exhausted
from fighting the good fight. I am ready for this poisonous urine to pass out
of my body so I can get back to living with just IC. I feel blessed by my usual
5-8 pain rather than this intolerable debilitating 10 pain.
I’m headed back to the lab tomorrow for another urine
culture and hopefully we’ll get some answers soon...
So! Here is a tip for my IC girls… any time things feel
different go with your gut instinct, it’s usually right! The nice thing about
an infection is it’s totally treatable, no need for extra suffering! Also,
don’t forget that Azo turns your urine neon orange because when you lose
control of your bladder in the kitchen in front of your family it’s best to be
prepared to explain!
