So one night after a long 12 hour shift at work, I came home, went downstairs and kicked my feet up to go into Tif world and relax. The last thing that I want to deal with when I come home is sick husband/kids. I had been home for 15 minutes when Jon came downstairs and asked me to walk on his back, which is a common thing for him to ask. Jon tweaks his back alot while using the Rotovac at work. So I told him I would in 15 more minutes, I just needed to relax and zone out. Brock came downstairs about 15 minutes later and told me that Jon needed me and that was in alot of pain. So I went upstairs feeling kind of annoyed until I saw Jon as white as a ghost hunched up over the toilet. Jon told me that he was extremely nauseated and was having severe acute lower right sided flank pain. I immediately knew I was in for a long night! And to top it off, Jon refuses to be on my health insurance because in his words "he's as healthy as a horse". (whatever right?) So after 10 more minutes he was writhing around in pain and I knew he needed some kind of help and relief that I couldn't give him. I immediately recognized the symptoms as being a kidney stone. I had been through the same experience twice before and could really empathize with him. From what I've heard is that kidney stones are more painful in men due to their longer Ureters. So we jumped in the car and headed for Intermountain Medical Center. During the drive there, Jon kept telling me to speed and run red lights. Yes, he was in that much pain. It took like 25 minutes for him to finally get triaged and put in a room. During that wait, I managed to make a "pleasant friend" and Jon managed to gross all the other patients out with his violent and loud vomiting. He filled like 3 of the blue bags with vomit mixed with nasty KFC. Then it was triage time and Jon would not sit still and the automatic blood pressure machine kept squeezing and squeezing his arm like in the 230 mm of mercury region and it took forever, so I had to step in and physically hold his arm still. Seriously, he was being a naughty patient. Then we were put in a room and Jon had to put on a gown while still vomiting and writhing in pain. He was a classic kidney stone patient who could not get comfortable. It seemed like 1/2 hour before a doctor finally arrived in the room, even after Jon's silly outbursts like "I could wear a stupid "dress" and be asked to lay down on a bed at home"...."I am seeking drugs HELP!!" etc. Poor guy, he was trying to be comical in spite of his pain.
My Poor Jon waiting for morphine movie! :)
The doctor finally arrived, dx: kidney stone, RN dispatched to give Jon IV fluids and Morphine. 1st dose of morphine didn't budge the pain.... but dose #2 mixed with Toradol did the trick just before he was wheeled off to the CT scan.
Jon in comfortable La La Land where kidney stones dont' hurt!
CT scan results: 4 mm kidney stone that was not even 1/2 way out.
In the meantime my "pleasant friend" that I met in the lobby while waiting for Jon to be triaged peeked her head into our room a few times with her pleasant smile asking me how Jon was and every time she'd pass by while roaming the hallway, she'd smile and wave... seriously, what was wrong with her, sore throat???, she didn't seem to be in any need of urgent care... I'll say it because I can... I am 99.9% sure that she was a Medicaid patient and went to the ER because she freaking can because she won't pay the bill - we will!! Pisses me off. That's all I have to say about that.
Jon was sent home with rx for Percocet, Zofran and Tylenol. Jon strained his urine x 2 days looking for the little Son of a B that caused him so much pain. Day 3, Jon decided to be brave enough and go to work, but not after experiencing a bout of pain before he left (which happened to be the last push of the stone before it reached the bladder) horray! Jon had to urinate while at his customer's house and noticed a little black rock at the bottom of the toilet that wasn't there before... So he picked it out (and washed his hands really well after I'm sure), and put it in his pocket. We decided to name it Zachary and I will not go into detail why that's his name. We are happy that Jon has moved on with his life, only I hope he's okay with the huge ER bill that we're still waiting to receive... it cost $375 just for the stupid radiologist to read both CT scans. We did receive that bill.
xoxoxo ~ tif
