rhabdomyolysis.

it’s been a crazy couple of weeks around here.

two weeks ago, today, i went to crossfit for the first time. i was hoping to get my butt back in gear and stop being fat. the workout was mostly pullups (i got to do wussy pullups using rings), rowing, and squats. i could tell i would be super sore in the morning. little did i know what was really about to go down.

the next day, i was definitely the most sore i’ve ever been. mostly in my back and arms. and some legs. and it got worse and worse. i couldn’t straighten my arms. and i started to notice, i wasn’t sore as much as i was in pain. i was completely miserable. then, after about 48 hours, (possible TMI) i had brown urine. so, we called the doc and he ordered me straight to an emergency room.

i was hopeful that they would just tell me to drink a lot of water and send me home. but, after taking my creatinine kinase levels, it was determined i would not be going home. “normal” levels are under 450. i was over 45,000. the technical term is: rhabdomyolysis.

here’s how i understand it. i did a LOT of damage to my muscles in my workout, which releases the creatinine kinase (ck) into my blood. my kidneys would normally churn through a normal amount. but, with so much, my kidneys can’t keep up. so, the ck’s that are left just hanging out in my blood like to get together and crystallize and clump up. so, then, when it finally is their turn to be processed by my beloved kidneys, they glob up my kidneys and can cause serious damage.

fortunately, we caught it early (shout out to derek, who did some research and made me watch out for the color change in my urine, because i probably wouldn’t have noticed, or would have at least waited another day). i was admitted to hospital thursday night and would spend until the following tuesday, getting sodium bicarbonate pumped through my IV to keep those pesky ck’s from clumping (it alkalizes(?) the blood). here’s the picture version of my stay…

funny story. we went to the clemmons ER. but when it was determined i would be admitted, i had to be transported to forsyth hospital. on a stretcher. strapped down. with wires stuck to my entire body. good times. here’s my room for the next five days.

sodium bicarbonate IV.

some friends sent pretty flowers.

my kiddos took it all in stride (they never hate spending extra time at gramma’s house). the visited several times, bearing gifts.

and snuggling.

my friends kept me well fed and i almost never had to eat hospital food. kristin boone rolled in with chinese…

and her visit overlapped with jude. so, we had a photo shoot. (you’re welcome).

jude also brought delicious candies and an ornamental pepper plant. (fyi. you can’t eat the peppers).

another visit from anna. more gifts. including hand picked flowers.

hazel’s visits were tough. all she wanted to do was rip out my IV. but i sure did miss her when she was gone.

the frustrating thing was, i had no idea i would be there five days. each doc would say “not tomorrow, but hopefully the next day”. after a couple of days, i felt great. but had to stay on the bicarb. derek brought me the kindle with “Gone Girl” loaded up. i read it while watching football on sunday.

my friend, ashley, works at the hospital a couple of times a week, so on monday, she spared me from hospital breakfast and coffee and brought homemade pumpkin muffins and dunkin donuts coffee.

the floral arrangements.

also, on monday, hazel spent the day with jude. who has three older boys. she was spoiled.

more anna visits. and snuggles. and selfies.

derek brought me chipotle (more than once).

my IV set up.

everyday until tuesday, the docs came in by 8 or so, to give me my update. on tuesday, hopeful they would spring me, i packed up and waited. and waited. and waited. i was grumpy. they didn’t come in until around 1230 to tell me that i could go home. yay!!!

so. i packed up and bid farewell to my luxurious accommodations.

the end.