Relief- Follow up on the headache (And Cash-Champ of the checkup!)

I can't believe that it was only yesterday that I felt so completely miserable and useless from my spinal headache! By the time I was able to get off the couch, go to the bathroom, and put clean sweatpants on (all that took me significantly longer than it should take any human being) we didn't leave our house till about 1:30 in the afternoon.  When we got to the ER in Twin I was feeling so miserable, I literally started crying.  (I was also really worried about having to go to the ER- I have never had to go for myself.  My medical history literally consists of a few family doctor visits for strep throat and a case of mono)... (and having three kids of course).

When the doctor came in to see us he assessed my headache (sounded like a spinal headache), he ordered an IV of caffeine (-lots of caffeine) and Benadryl to try and take the edge off.  He also ordered a Cat Scan to make sure I didn't have a neural bleed (I think my constant ringing ear was not a normal sign- so he was veering on the safe side with the cat scan).  As soon as they hooked up my IV it made me pretty drowsy (and even more dizzy).  I slept pretty much the whole time I was in the ER.  My mom had taken the kids home with her, but Stewart had Cash and fed him and left to change his diaper all while I snoozed and waited for the anesthesiologist.  My cat scan came back fine and they took me up to pre-op to get my blood patch. 

As far as why I got this headache, I'll explain it as simply as I understood it.  When they put in my epidural (which they had to stick in me twice) they accidently punctured a pocket of spinal fluid.  They left the needle in me for 24 hours after labor to try and get the hole to seal up as best it could, but it didn't work.  So after they removed the epidural needle I was leaking spinal fluid.  When I stood or sat up straight it put pressure on the fluid and caused the headache.  In order to get it to stop they do a blood patch.  (Again- I'll explain as simply as I understood it).  The anesthesiologist basically gave me another epidural, and at the time the needle was in my back, a nurse drew blood from my arm.  They immediately took that blood and put it into the epidural until the "space" was full of blood.  I had to lie flat on my back for the next hour and a half so the blood would form a nice clot.  It was amazing- as soon as they put the blood into my back I felt immediate relief from my headache!  It was like I was a whole new person in a matter of seconds.  I was told to take it easy for the rest of the night (just to be sure the blood clotted well) so my Mom kept Addison and Brogan overnight again.  It was probably a good thing too- Cash decided that his awake time should be from one to four AM, and since Stewart was pretty sleep deprived and I was feeling so much better, it was my turn. 

Cash had a follow up appointment today at 10:30 in Twin, which he passed with flying colors.  It's pretty common for babies to lose weight after they leave the hospital (especially babies with cleft problems).  Our little Cash lost a whopping one OUNCE.  What a champ! We scheduled our next follow up appointment with the pediatrician, called the plastic surgeon in Boise and scheduled an appointment with them, scheduled our appointment for his second hearing screening (he failed his first one... but lots of babies do), and finally we scheduled an appointment with an ear nose and throat doctor (just because they like for babies with cleft problems to see them too).  We will be busy running to and fro in the next few weeks, but thankfully our Cash is a big boy, a good eater, and (so far) not a sickly baby!

Grandma Nancy had gone to my Mom's this morning and picked up the kids to take them for the day- so Stewart, Cash and I finished up some Christmas shopping, picked up some odds and ends that you always forget you'll need with a new baby and headed home.  We all got a little nap, and I was THRILLED (and beyond ready) to have Addison and Brogan finally come home.  While it was so nice to not have to worry about shuffling them around, or worry about if they were being taken care of, I had really, REALLY missed them!!  This evening was such a great one- just all of us being home together, being as loud and silly as we want.  I'm so glad the blood patch worked so quickly and effectively- I can't imagine not being able to enjoy moments like these with my sweet, fun, loving children.