Easter

Easter is upon us.  We are looking forward to a long weekend of reflecting on what our saviour did for us, as well as spending time with family and friends.  We head up to the farm on the Saturday night to be with my brother and his family.  There is also another family of friends that will be staying out there as well...I think there are 7 kids in total!  We hide Easter eggs for the big hunt on Sunday morning.  We had a fun time with my brother, staying up late, telling stories and laughing until we were crying!

Sunday morning was an early one with 7 kids looking for Easter eggs.  It was so cute to hear the excitement in their voices as they found eggs around the house.  We then managed to get everyone fed and dressed and out the door for church.  After church, we had more family joining us and we were having a big potluck lunch for our Easter dinner.

I made sure that what people brought was either wheat free, or if it wasn't, I would just not eat it.  Everyone was so helpful and willing to give me the information.  We had a wonderful spread of food and it was an enjoyable time.

And then my world changed.  About a half hour after eating, I started to feel bloated.  Okay, I didn't think I had overeaten but maybe I had a little too much of something.  We were getting ready to leave as we had to get my stepson back home to his mom's family dinner.  We agreed to a quick stop at my aunt and uncle's as they have been building a new home and we wanted to get a quick look at it before heading back into the city.

I managed to make it up the stairs to the top floor of the house for the tour, and then I disappeared into the bathroom.  The intense cramping started.  And then the diarrhea.  And then the sweating.  Glenn realized I was no longer a part of the house tour and came looking for me.  I am stuck in the bathroom, suffering.  I can't believe this is happening. 

I was in the bathroom for over 2 hours before I could leave.  It was awful.  Yet in someway I was thankful that we had made the stop at the house or this could have happened on the side of the road somewhere.  I am very weak but feel that I can make the trip home.  We get back to the city without any incidents.  Not long after we get home, I am back in the bathroom again.  I have nothing left in me to empty.  And now I am scared.  For the first time, there is blood in the toilet.  I know that it is not a good sign when you have blood coming from your bowels.  I call my friend who has some knowledge of this and I know that I have to get to a doctor.  I pray that my doctor is working the Easter Monday so I can see him.

The Monday morning I call in sick to work (I am only 3 weeks into working and this is happening...NOOOOO!) and then call my doctor.  He is working!  We go in and see him.  I am still having cramping and bleeding.  He is very concerned and tells me to go to the emergency room immediately.  And off we went.

When you bleed from you bowels, you don't wait 6 hours in the waiting room.  But we still had to wait almost 2 hours before being seen by a doctor.  They immediately put an IV in me and start doing blood work.  After sometime, they start prepping me for yet another colonoscopy.  Man, I am beginning to hate these things!  So all through the night, I am drinking the crap once again and emptying whatever could possibly still be in me for a Tuesday morning colonoscopy.  At around 3 AM, I send Glenn home so he can get some sleep.  Sleeping in a chair is not good and I am not going anywhere until the colonoscopy so he might as well be in a bed at home.  He reluctantly leaves me alone but I will be okay.  I am surrounded by nurses and doctors if anything happens.

Let me tell you one thing...remember all my stories of prepping for colonoscopies at home?  How you need a bathroom NOW?!?  Well, it is really fun doing it in the emergency when you have to share a bathroom with people.  You pray to God that nobody is in there when you need it.  The nurses are good though.  I started running for one and they could see that it was occupied so they quickly told me to head for the other one...I made it just in time.  What an adventure!

Tuesday morning, I have to call from the emergency room to my work to let them know that I won't be in again.  Shortly thereafter, I go for my colonoscopy.  Doctor Marilyn Zeeman is the Gastro specialist on call and she will be doing the procedure.  They put me out and do the procedure.  And this time they found something.

My colon is very inflammed and red.  They aren't sure what is going on until they get the biopsies back.  But it is 1 of 3 things.  1.  Colitis  2.  Chron's  3.  An infection

They start treating me for colitis as it looks to be that this is the one thing that it may be.  Doctor is hoping not, she is hoping that it is number 3, and infection.  But the thing with an infection is where did I get it?  I haven't travelled anywhere, drank any bad water etc.  It is a mystery.  I will see Dr. Zeeman

We go home and I rest for the remainder of the day.  I hope that I can go back to work tomorrow. 

Even though I am weak, and still very crampy, I head back to work on the Wednesday for the rest of the week.  Let's see what the results bring about in May.  It is a long week as I wait for that next appointment.