Wednesday, October 1, 2008

TMI about UTI

Ouch! That's all I can say. I am feeling a little under the weather. It started yesterday when I had to go pee every 2 minutes then quickly escalted to a fire down below when I did go pee. I swear I thought I was going to have to leave a fire hydrant in the bathroom. Then began the nightmare of trying to see a doctor. Since we have recently PCS'd (military lingo for moved our @sses again) we have to register to see a new provider. So I called to take care of that and the Tricare lady kindly told me that the registration involved downloading a form, faxing it and waiting 10 days. OK - so I have a UTI and I need help pronto - like now! So the lady, who barely spoke English and I'm willing to wager was sitting at a computer terminal somewhere in India, suggested I go to an urgent care facility and of course not to forget to call Tricare within 48 hours so not to be charged for said visit to the doc-in-the-box. Maybe the pounding of my kidneys was making me delirious, but wasn't I indeed talking to Tricare at this moment? Thus began the Google search for the nearest urgent care facility because, remember, I am new to the area. Then I hobbled to the car, gingerly took my place behind the wheel and was greeted by the gas light. Oooops, I did forget to gas up, didn't I. I am sure the folks at the gas station thought I was strange pumping gas while laying my head on the trunk. What I really wanted to do was grab my crotch and jump around like a three year old doing the pee pee dance, but I restrained the urge to do so. An hour later I was calling Chief from a parking lot, crying because I had been to not one, not two, but three urgent care facilities who refused to accept Tricare!!! Listen, it takes a lot to make me cry - so Chief knew I must have been near death. I was carrying on and it sounded something like this......"Is this the thanks we get for serving our country and moving all over creation? I can't even see a friggin' doctor?" I don't get sick often, so when I do I admit that I can be a little cranky. Of course, my calm, cool and collected, hubby took control, made some phone calls and found out that I needed to go to the nearest emergency room because most urgent cares are phasing out of Tricare (Thanks a lot, Tricare Lady in the sky!) By then I was too exhausted to go and sit at an emergency room for an indefinite amount of time. I was suddenly plagued with visions of myself writhing in pain on the floor, being overlooked and then going on a mad rampage, on the hunt for antibiotics, taking hostages as I went. In the end I came home, called a family member who is a nurse and proceeded to BEG for antibiotics, I did not have to resort to taking any hostages, but that option is never off the table.

Oh and today is the first day of work at Pier One (my holiday job) they are going to think they hired a real winner when I am running to the bathroom every few minutes - I'll try real hard NOT to do any pee pee dancing.

14 comments:

Melissa Lee said...

Uh, Kimmy, my love...

You might want to check my blog again BEFORE you make that grocery list. I left out a key step in my recipe.

I promise, they'll be far more fattening and a lot less disgusting.

Sorry...now get to cookin'.

Melissa at Stretch marks

Anonymous said...

Wow...what a horrible experience! I hope you feel better ASAP! Insurance is such a joke sometimes!

Unknown said...

Oh man... that all just sucks (except for imagining you sitting with your head on the trunk of the car... that's kind of amusing)

I hope it clears up quickly.

Ronnica said...

A holiday job already? That's great...you'll actually have money in time to buy presents!

I hope your UT is starting to behave...

Thanks for stopping by on my SITS day yesterday!

Cindy said...

Ouch...I know how painful that is!!! There is an over the counter medicine that you can buy to ease the pain until you get to the doctor. I forget the name of it though. The only problem is it turns your pee a really weird color so when you have to submit a sample at your doctor it's a little embarrassing.

Thanks for your very nice comment you just left me!

Unknown said...

Oh BLESS...I hope you are feeling better. You sound like I did in the Norwegian Hospital... talk about a girl FREAKING out! Oh i am sure they all remember me there.. Oh well.
Thanks for the bloggy love on my SITS day! : )

Unknown said...

Oh & P.S. Wanted to let you know that i APPRECIATE what you, your hubby & family do for all of us!

Staci said...

okay so i used to get these all the time (heres some TMI for you) because i used conceptatrol (spelling??) for a contraseptive (spermicide) im sure youve gotten over this by now but i am a PRO at not needing antibiotics for these. First of all DRINK MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF CRANBERRY JUICE. it has actually become one of my favorite beverages because of UTI's AND it actually works, no joke. then there are these over the counter meds called AZO, they turn your pee orange but they should keep you from being in pain until you can see a doc.

Im sorry you had to go through that, they are HORRIBLE. imagine getting one once a month?? yeah NOT FUN!!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

What a day! I used to get UTIs all the time. And then I just started taking cranberry supplements. That seems to help. Along with lots of water.

But that is ridiculous that you had to drive all over the place to find a doctor. Thank goodness for friends with drugs ;-)

Those drugs usually kick in quickly, so I hope you are on the mend...

Paige said...

i have never in my life had a UTI, but I hear they are horrible

I hope you are feeling better!

Momma Trish said...

Glad you got some help. Last time I had a UTI that bad, it traveled to the kidneys before the doctors would even admit there was a problem. It's true what they say ... kidney infections actually hurt worse than labour.

Take care of yourself.

Anonymous said...

Aw! Ouch!

angie said...

They say (whoever 'they' are) that the cranberry just should be pure - no sugar. I tried it and it was disgusting. It ate through my styrofoam cup. The cranberry pills really helped me.

Hope you're feeling better!

Heather said...

ouch..my 2 year old has one right now...an antibiotic resistant one...so i can somewhat feel your pain through her. hope alll is well soon!