Nephrostomy Pain

[MrsStutler]

The background: This weekend I had gone to the ER with horrid kidney pain, thinking it was just a nasty UTI and they'd give me antibiotics and send me on my way. They gave me pain medication which did not work, ran some fluids eventually and did an ultrasound on my kidney. They saw hydronephrosis (urine backed up in the kidney) but no stones. Then they did an Intravenous Pyelogram which injects dye into the IV that is seen on an xray. That xray showed my right kidney was huge, malformed from the amount of urine backed up into it and there was 0 urine getting to the ureter. The cause is still not sure it is either a congenital malformation or a very large stone. The stone would be very unusual because it has not shown up on an xray or ultrasound but it's not impossible. To know for sure we need a CT scan and the doctors did not want to expose baby girl to more radiation than needed. I will have to have the CT and surgery after delivery. Until then they flew me by helicopter to a larger hospital in a bigger city capable of handling a 28 week delivery should something go wrong and planned to insert a nephrostomy tube. I had the tube placed on Sunday morning. Essentially it is a long catheter poked into the back and into the kidney to drain urine into a collection bag I have to wear. I am stuck with this thing until deliver and probably a little longer until surgery.

The pain is excruciating from it. I can't do normal day to day things like make food, do household chores or care for my kids. The pain is so intense my husband has to help dress me, shower me and take care of me. I feel horrible, like I'm some wimpy pansy who can't handle the pain. I have to return to work tomorrow and I'm terrified. I can hardly get up out of my chair on my own (and it's quite a lengthy, painful feat) let alone walk around for 12 hours taking care of patients as a nurse. I have just tylenol for pain but it does zero to the pain. Not even a tiny bit of relief. I have to go back each month and have the whole thing changed again too. Then the financial burden I'm putting onto us is so great. The hospital bullied me into paying half our bill ($1885.04) while still in the hospital which demolished our bank account and savings I had planned to use for maternity leave.
I'm scared, upset, depressed, stuck and feel like a huge burden to my family. I'm fiercely independent and this is killing my soul. I understand I should be happy and grateful because left untreated I could have lost my kidney, the baby or our lives. I've seen pregnant patients die from this type of issue, I know I'm lucky the technology exists to save my life. This stupid tube stuck in my back is what is keeping me from death but honestly I can't live this way either. I hate who I am right now. I hate being in pain, I hate being a burden and I hate not being able to handle my responsibilities.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

Don't know quite what to say, but didn't want to read in run. I'm sorry that you have to go through this. It sounds quite stressful. I hope it all goes well for you.