Me and my kidneys

· November 7, 2015

Instead of posting this longish description in the social medias I thought I’d write it up here. That way it’s easier to refer people here instead.

Ordinary and casual readers of my blog, sorry. I’ll be right back with normal content in a few weeks. Thinking about doing a new series about writing a NuGet package in DNX-land, using my Mac…

TL;DR;

I’m in hospital. Again. From the same kidney infection since the last 3 weeks. I’m better this time but it’s a little bit serious and I need antibiotics twice a day for seven days.

How did this happen?

Most likely I have passed a small kidney stone or crystal. Doing so damaged my urine bladder and … piping (Yeah, I know these terms well. NOT!). At that same point I have got some bacteria that traveled to my kidneys.

How do you feel now?

I’m not too bad. Since I’ve been eating (broad spectra) antibiotics and pain killers all this time many of the symptoms are very weak. I’m tired and weak and some pain in the kidneys.

Are you ok with everything practical?

Yes. The only tricky part was the last 24 hours. That sorted. I’m in a good hospital and well treated.

We will be fine.

Longer description, if you’re bored

About 2 weeks ago I got very sick in a short period of time, 1-2 hours really. Literally by the minute I was getting worse. We (first doctor I met and me) thought that it was a urinal infection 1 and I got a broad-spectra antibiotics to help with that. It did but I never fully recovered. This is a recurring theme in the story. I get better but not for the right reasons. That’s broad spectra antibiotics for you.

At that time my wife was out of town for job and as she came back and saw my current state we decided to visit another hospital for a second opinion. That was a good idea, because it turned out that I had an infection in my kidneys. The right kidney was enlarged (by being infected) about 20%. There’s crystals in there, but thankfully no stones. Kidney stones is apparently very painful to pass.

I was admitted to the hospital for three days and got another antibiotics, intravenous this time. And then I was to stay in bed for 3-4 days with more antibiotics.

However the day after the medicine was ended and I had worked for a few days I got worse again. Back to the hospital, more checks, new antibiotics and the also took a culture to try to determine what kind of bacteria I had. This take a full week to get results from.

I was confined to bed and by now growing almost mad from boredom. Now I felt a little better but the moment I do anything physical (walking 2-300 meters counts) I grew very tired and had to lie down basically all the time.

The weekend was approaching and the family was about to be spread out; Elin was again on job, in Makassar this time. I was meant to meet her in Bali for a weekend together; our first being-alone-resting-time since we came here. And my birthday gift! The boys were sent to friends over the weekend.

I was just going back to the hospital and get to know what the bacteria was and get the right antibiotics.

That was the plan. Well plans doesn’t always play out, huh?

Elin went for her trip and Albert went home with our nanny. I took with Arvid and Gustav with me to the hospital.

Once there the doctor informed me that the bacteria is resistant to any oral antibiotics, and actually to any antibiotics that you take intravenous daily too. The only thing that could beat it was twice per day with a certain kind of antibiotics. She wanted to start the treatment right away. Could I please go down and admit myself to the hospital now?

Well, I could not. Because I had two 5 year olds outside. So I got permit to be home until the babysitter (Thank you Bouldewein and Elisabeth!) could take them. This felt reasonable for me since I was not in big pain then.

That was a though day, because I was now off painkillers that apparently helped me. We got through it and now I am in hospital again waiting to be shown to my room and start my 7 day treatment.

Thank you

Thank you everyone that have thought about, prayed for, cheered, tweeted and done so many things to keep my and my family spirits high. Being sick for more than a week is not fun. I’m staring my fourth now.

We’ll make this.

  1. For the record; this is painful in ways that is not suitable to describe in words on this blog. 

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