December.

December was the toughest month for me by far health wise in my whole life. I started the month ready to get my first semester of graduate school done with, so I could focus on my favorite time of the year—CHRISTMAS!! However, the morning I had two classmates come over to finish our last assignment, I woke up feeling super weird. I knew I was going to throw up at some point, but normally I throw up, and feel better and can continue my day, so I didn’t cancel my plans. By the time they got to my apartment, it took me a matter of 25 minutes to start repeatedly throwing up and the weird pain in my side I’d had all morning, grew to something I couldn’t just ignore. I couldn’t lay down, couldn’t sit in any position, couldn’t stand. The pain was so bad I felt like I couldn’t breathe, which mixed with the constant throwing up and the pain, I legitimately thought I was going to die. Kevin packed a bag quickly and we left my poor classmates in my house with Toby. (To those reading this, I have gotten to know them really well- it was completely safe! They took care of Toby for me and locked the door and hid the key before they left after tending to him! I couldn’t be more thankful!)

I remember calling my mom on the way there, laying in the backseat clutching a throw up bowl, and telling her I thought I was gonna die. Yall, I am TOUGH. So I am positive I completely flipped my mama out when I called her bawling and told her that. We got right in at the emergency room, they got me on some pain medicine, did one CT scan, and told me to leave. That’s right folks, that doctor basically told me there was nothing wrong with me and sent me home with some Zofran and pain meds. I bawled when he told us to go home, because I knew one CT scan wasn’t enough. But Kevin and I went home picked up my medicine and I tried to get some rest. But, guess what? I was right back in the ER the next day. The pain being that intense, not being able to consume any food or keep any fluids down, and still throwing up, I was not having it.

The second time in the ER, I had a different doctor, who walked in saw how much pain I was in and got me some pain medicine and reviewed my chart from the day before QUICKLY. He came in and said, “Did anyone tell you that you have a kidney stone?” Nope, they sure didn’t buddy. He then told us, we would be admitted and as soon as they got a room clean, I would be moved.

Let’s just preface all this with saying I have had kidney stones before, many times actually. Don’t get me wrong—they hurt like hell. But this? This was on a totally different level. This was a possessed kidney stone sent from Satan himself. My kidney stone- wasn’t even as big as other ones I had passed. But because I am always so lucky (I say with so much sarcasm it’s dripping out of my mouth) that this kidney stone was obstructing and had caused an infection. Thanks to my liver issues, that made the stone and the infection even more of a big deal. So, they pushed the fluids, antibiotics, pain medicines, Zofran, and who knows what else constantly. My mama had come to give Kevin a break because he had work. I had an allergic reaction to something they gave me through my IV (terrible!!). Then they talked that if I still couldn’t keep anything down that surgery would be the best thing for me. I am thoroughly convinced that my mom is my lucky charm, because the night she came and stayed with me, I kept a blueberry muffin down, and the next morning they thought as long as I didn’t start throwing up or running a fever, I could try to pass it at home where there would be less risk for infection again. FINALLY!!!

Unfortunately, the next few weeks weren’t a walk in the park either. They sent me home with so many medicines I had to get a bigger medicine bag. Pain pills, ciprofloxacin, and so many more. The poor pharmacist at Kroger was giving me the list of potential side effects for each and which medicines to not take close together. Kevin ended up taking me home (to my mama) because I was having to take the pain pills on a regular basis and couldn’t drive and probably needed some adult supervision, and his work schedule was a bit crazy.  I was pushing 2 liters of fluid into my body a day to try and get it to flush out the kidney stone. Thanks to the liver condition every stinking bit of the fluid stayed inside, and caused my stomach to swell, my hands and feet to swell, and my face. I couldn’t lay down or move from side to side without pain from the fluid sloshing in my belly. I had to remove my wedding ring for over a week, because it was cutting off my circulation. I was a little woozy on my feet and the things that came out of my mouth didn’t always make sense. I’m pretty sure I got more than one ‘are you crazy’ look from my mom and sister! But all of those side effects have started to go away, making my life a little easier. However, the cipro and I had a rough go at it. I had to stop taking it early, and it’s now been put on my do not take list. It caused so many issues with the tendons in my hand it is unbelievable! YES, PEOPLE CIPRO CAUSES WEAKNESS AND TEARS IN THE TENDONS IN YOUR BODY! PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUCEMENT!! I am now wearing a wrist brace to keep my wrist still and to keep myself from wanting to use it because every time I grab at something, write, or use the tendons in any way shape or form my entire hand goes into excruciating pain. I will just wear the brace until the tendons have enough time to heal properly!

I am on the mend. I feel like I am back to my basic and usual aches and pains, and I guess December made me really thankful I don’t feel that bad every day just yet. We had a set back with the transplant list, but we are going to keep going until I am on that list and have a brand-new liver in me. Who knew that it is best for the transplant patient to not have their wisdom teeth?? I sure didn’t! I am so thankful for my medical insurance (Thank you, Obama! I am aware it didn’t help everyone, but without this I wouldn’t be alive today. So, we can respectfully disagree on this subject.). This is the first major thing we are having to come up with a large amount of money for, seeing as I don’t have dental insurance. So, ya girl is over here budgeting and figuring out how to be able to get this done quickly so I can move to the list!

Thankfully, being at home I had lots of help, lots of company, and still got to see Kevin because he got 4 days off in a row!! December for my family has been a little crazy, and that is excluding me and all my health problems. But we always find a way to have fun, help each other out, and refuse to put real clothes on some days. The sweet family I married into made Christmas relaxing, fun, and not a hassle. I’m not sure I could have asked for anything more during this holiday season. I am thankful I have parents who have raised me to be thankful for every little thing in my life, and not to dwell on every single thing that goes wrong. This December I’ve gotten to see first-hand how that effects someone’s life. It takes it over, you always see negative, and you don’t get out and live your life.

So, going into January be thankful that you are alive another day, have people who love you, and that you get the choice to do something GOOD with your day. It will make a world of difference on your outlook on life—Trust me.

XOXO

Ali