(Picture: Judy and I in the emergency room in Kansas City)
I arrived in Kansas City to attend the RFL Nationwide All Staff Meeting on Tuesday 4/17 having dinner and some wine with collegues and then waking for my usual “on the road” run with Judy (about 5 miles) in the morning. After networking with ice breakers with the group, I left to go the bathroom and my urine is dark red. I realize it isn’t “that time of the month”…. So I am sitting in the back of the room with my Illinois friends and collegues and write a note to Judy – “There is blood in my urine, I think there is something wrong with me….” – with a worried look I almost start to cry… I don’t normally get sick, so this was really odd for me. Judy tells Michelle, Michelle leads me out of the room with a big hug and says “let’s call your doctor” – – I call my OBGYN (my absolute favorite doctor in the world, and talk to the nurse, who I also love that entire office). She gives me all the scenarios that may be causing the blood, including everything from dehydration to kidney problems. She tells me to go to the ER or a clinic in the area to do the tests needed. I call my Primary Care Doc and then Judy and I get in a cab to drive 3 miles up the street to the hospital.
The friendly greeting at the window was a welcoming beginning. They all were so happy and wanted to help. I really liked this place (that is a lot coming from someone who HATES hospitals). He took my vitals and gave me forms and had me wait. Then this very nice male nurse came and got me, and I brought Judy into Rm 10 with me. He had me change into my johnny and Judy & I laughed while I made a comment about my “granny underwear” and how your mother tells you to always be prepared with clean respectable underwear in case you end up in the hospital (oh well – so much for the pink ensemble I had chosen that morning). : )
So he stuck me with the IV and started to replace the fluids I had lost from the week of diarhea and the marathon… he stuck me again in the largest vein in my arm (which there were a LOT to chose from…) and took blood for tests. We waited and were visited by a female blonde doc and then Dr. Gaddis (sp) to give me an update on the tests and options of illness… dehydration, kidney issues and breakdown and more… He mentioned I may be admitted for a few days, which freaked me out a little… and I mentioned how I really needed to get out of there to go back to the meeting to present that afternoon and catch my 5 PM flight to Denver to go ski the back country. They all laughed … Judy was impressed that my new doctor friend kept coming in to talk about us as I reminiced about my marathon and he shared his competition history as well. Very funny indeed.
After blood tests, IV, kidney ultrasound and spilling my ice water on my bed 2 times, 3 hours later they let us go with my extreme dehydration diagnosis… Thank you to my dear friend Judy, who hates hospitals as much as I do – for being there for me!
