5 bags later...

Well, blog friends, 5 bags of IV fluids later, I am feeling MUCH more like myself. Yes, I did say FIVE! I have had 5 bags in two days. Two at my doctor's office and three at the ER this morning. It is quite amazing what some salt water can do.

I wasn't feeling any better and perhaps worse this morning. I would have thought by the 3rd morning things would be winding down with this stomach bug. We decided I needed to get to the ER since I was feeling so rough and my doctor's office closed at 12 pm on Friday. Before we left, my mom prayed that I would have favor and be seen quickly at the ER. God answered that prayer. Within 10 minutes of checking in, they had me back in a room, my IV hooked up, and blood drawn. Thankfully, nothing serious showed up in my blood work and so it confirmed that this is just a nasty stomach bug.

I am just so much more susceptible to dehydration than the average person, since I have no large intestine. Did you know you can actually be a living human being with out that major body organ? You have no idea how thankful I am due to God's provision of modern medicine. I have been 4 years now without my colon due to my past Ulcerative Colitis battle.

In 2006, when I was just 20 years old, I had to have it removed in an emergency surgery due to the fact that it ruptured from all of the ulcers. I was up at Duke University Hospital in NC and had one of the best colorectal surgeons in the U.S. perform my surgery. Hart and I had just started dating at the time and I was amazed that he not only stayed by my side for days on end, but he would travel up to Duke from Columbia to see me. I first told him I loved him while under some pretty heavy drugs. I am thankful, because I might not have been ready to say it without losing some inhibitions through the drugs. :) He told me he loved me too and after I was home recovering from surgery, we talked everything over and both knew that we were supposed to get married. I had 2 more surgeries in 2006. I lived with an ostomy for 9 months. That's the bag that you have to wear outside of your body. In August of '06, my surgeon created the pouch, but we had to let it heal first. In November of '06, I was able to get all hooked up inside and I didn't have to wear an ostomy bag anymore, because a Jpouch is made from your small intestines.

Pretty crazy, huh?

Well, I think this time around it has been particularly hard on me, because 1)the stomach bug/flu that I have was brutal and 2)I am nursing and using up more fluids. It was just too hard to keep up with the loss of fluids. However, I was able to eat something and am drinking plenty of gatorade and pedialite and water and really am feeling better. I pray that the worst is over and that Hart and Micaiah and my mom who have been around me most do not get sick. Please keep us all in your prayers.