Last Monday, on our scheduled date, I had a c section and Evelyn Noelle was born. I had a spinal epidural with an attached catheter tube. This means, after they gave me the epidural with the needle, they then threaded a small tube in to directly give me more or less of the epidural as needed for the next 24 hours. The tube was then run over my shoulder (on the outside, not internal). We didn't know it then, but what happened was the anesthesiologist accidentally ruptured my spinal sac (filled with fluid) with the needle and then again with the catheter. This caused me to leak spinal fluid for days , so much so, that it also was taking fluid from my head.
On Monday night, late, I started with a horrible headache and my neck and shoulders were so tight that I couldn't even look down at my nursing baby. The nurse gave me some percoset and that really seemed to help. So on Tuesday things were better. But by Wednesday morning, the pain was back and this time, I was trying to throw up and extremely dizzy if I even sat up. The pain was excruciating. I knew this was a spinal headache from the day before and I was strongly encouraged by all the nurses and dr's to get a blood patch. I was assured this cured it almost instantaneously. The blood patch involved going through the same place in my spine for the epidural and putting my own blood from my arm in there. This would "seal" the air pockets and the leaking causing my headaches. I finally agreed to this and the first blood patch went great. Fast and easy in my room, and it did seem to help. My headache didn't go away completely, but I could function. But by Thursday night, it was back and worse. They convinced me to do a second blood patch and that was horrible. It was done on Friday, right before I was to be released. They couldn't get an IV in, and they had to try three different areas on my arms to even get enough blood. I was also in so much pain, I couldn't do anything but be flat on my back. After this second attempt, I was released (with Evelyn) from the hospital. James and I went home and I went straight to the couch and didn't leave it. The only time I even attempted to get up was to use the bathroom. I crawled on my hands and knees to the bathroom and would race back with my head down and literally collapse on the couch in tremendous pain. On Saturday, it was supposed to be better ( 95% of woman are cured after the first blood patch, 99% after the second) but it was getting worse. I called in and they told me to come to the ER and make sure I wasn't have blood clots in the brain. So we left and went back to the hospital not even 24 hours after being home. I had 3 MRI's the first night and 2 MRI's on Sunday. What they found was 1. no blood clots (hurray!) 2. that I had a lot more fluid lost than they originally thought. We all have fluid in our heads, "holding up" our brain and spine. Mine was so low and so I had pressure from my brain and spine resting on my neck, thus the headaches.
So, Sunday, they figured all this out and said I had two options, I could go home and be more comfortable as we let time heal me (and it would, our body repairs all holes on its own) or we could try a third blood patch. Well, I was having no more of the blood patches, so we opted for home and time and God's healing.
As of today, I am feeling much better. I am sitting up as I type and don't have to crawl on my hands and knees to the bathroom. I even took a shower and can stand up to get my baby. My family has basically been sitting on me to take it easy.
Many, many thanks to all my family and friends making it possible for us to go through this. Mandy and Jeremiah took Evelyn for a couple days, my parents took the other 3 kids, gave James time off work to care for me, Elana and newly-returned Mike came here days early to help care for me and meals have been arriving at our house regularly.
One of the tests required dye to be injected and so I couldn't nurse for 48 hours. So I pumped and dumped and am now nursing again. Never have I fought so hard to nurse one of my babies!
Any questions? Please feel free to ask. Thank you again for all of your prayers and offers of help. Every offer is truly appreciated. We have felt so loved and taken care of. A wonderful example of how God's church is supposed to work!
