I am Jocee, I am a mother of three kids. I work as a Virtual Assistant, freelancer and part-timer only so that I can take care of my kids. We live a simple life and everything goes ok so far, until last month when I suffered from fever on July 14, 2015. As I thought it's a simple fever that needs a paracetamol, good rest, and more water. On the third day (July 16th), I decided to go to hospital for check-up and laboratory. The result was not good as the doctor wanted me to be admitted that same day due to UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). I refused to be confined, I asked for prescribed medicine instead because I am thinking far about my kids, who to take care of them if me and my husband will be tied in the hospital? That is the normal reaction and thinking of all mothers, I know. The Doctor agreed but given me 48 hours only to observe. After 48 hours and I still have the fever, then I will be confined. I went home with my medicines (paracetamol and anti-bacterial). It didn't went well because my fever didn't subside as the temperature reaches 40.0, with very chilling feeling because of high infection on my urine. I vomit several times and suffered from diarrhea too. At that point, I have no choice but to be confined (July 17th) as I might be dehydrated. The paracetamol effect last for 2 hours only which should be at least 4 hours taking interval.
At the hospital day 1 - all laboratories done for urine, stool and blood. Had Ultrasound, ECG and Chest-Xray too. I was thinking by that time, why should I have to do all these? I just have fever... When all the results came out, it's like a bomb! I never imagined that I am sick or will be sick. The UTI is not an ordinary infection due to hygiene. According to my ultrasound, I have kidney stone which causes the severe infection. I have to undergo CT Scan and referred to a new Doctor (Urologist). Other complications that seen during my confinement: pneumonia, low potassium, amoebiasis, gall stone, and accidentally seen fatty liver.
July 19th, I had my CT Stonogram and the result is another bomb because it's not just a kidney stone. The reason why I have fever is due to severe infection. The infection is due to my left kidney shuts down functioning and now swollen. There is 0.8 cm uretic stone blocked or stacked in my ureter :(. The stone should be removed asap to save my left kidney, and the recommended procedure is thru Extra Corporeal Shock Wave (ESWL) or Lithotripsy - a procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones in the kidney, bladder, or ureter (tube that carries urine from your kidneys to your bladder).
July 19th, I had my CT Stonogram and the result is another bomb because it's not just a kidney stone. The reason why I have fever is due to severe infection. The infection is due to my left kidney shuts down functioning and now swollen. There is 0.8 cm uretic stone blocked or stacked in my ureter :(. The stone should be removed asap to save my left kidney, and the recommended procedure is thru Extra Corporeal Shock Wave (ESWL) or Lithotripsy - a procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones in the kidney, bladder, or ureter (tube that carries urine from your kidneys to your bladder).
Thanks God that my brothers, sisters and a good friend shared money that I was able to do the ESWL on August 3, 2015 which cost around P50,000. I am very lucky to have a good doctor and not a greedy one. He charged me lesser although I have no PhilHealth accreditation. After the shock wave procedure, the most important thing to be observed is that I should not have fever. According to the doctor, having fever will be dangerous as it will be a sign of more serious infection. The shock wave procedure takes me 3 hours @11:00 am to 2:00 pm. One hour for self-preparation, one hour for the procedure itself, and another hour for recovery. It's done in out-patient mode and no confinement was required. I then went home and supposed to have the full rest and recovery at home.
At home: Few hours after, I suffered again on dramatic chilling that my body feels so painful :(. My husband monitors my temperature as he is aware that I should not have fever. However, around 7:00 pm on August 3, I started to have fever 37.5. Whooh! The doctor said that if I have fever @ 38 degrees, I have to be re-admitted in the hospital. Oh no! I am so much afraid because of the hospital bills and really empty pocket :(. At 12:00 mid night, my temperature goes 39.4 that resulted again to super chilling. My body feels no pain but the chilling makes me so weak. It is the sign of infection. The next day, the doctor instructed my husband to bring me to hospital due to severe blood infection or Sepsis (the presence in tissues of harmful bacteria and their toxins, typically through infection).
Why did I have sepsis after the shock wave procedure?
In the beginning, I don't really understand what's going on. All I know, I am healthy and well. I eat nutritious foods, drinking more water and oppps - not really having exercise (doing house hold chores is my form of exercise). Even the doctor has no idea about since when that 0.8 cm stone was there. That causes inflammation of my left kidney. After the shock wave, the stone in my left ureter was broken, and that broken stone has different kinds of strong and harmful bacteria that resulted to sepsis. The given antibiotics to me was Meropenem which is very expensive per vial. For only 3 days of confinement, my hospital bill went up to 45k and I still have take home 6 vials meropenem that needs to be injected in the next 2 days, 3x a day. According to the doctor, only 3-10% of his patients suffers like my condition among his patients. Thanks God, I still survived. I get by little by little through the help of my friends.
To be continued :) . . .
To be continued :) . . .
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