Idaho Christmas Trip - 12/30

December 30th

Well this was definitely the most unexpected day of the entire trip.
(and I'm forcing myself to document this just for my own journaling!)

I woke up at 5am in the most awful excruciating pain. My lower left back was killing. Surely Anden must have kicked me in the night. So I got up and tried to stretch or walk it off. But the pain only worsened...and then also moved to my abdomen. My world was immediately spinning in pain. I tried to make it downstairs to get a drink of water. But I passed out on the floor right in front of the couch. I had almost made it. I slowly gathered myself up and knew this was something I had never experienced. I hobbled to the medicine cabinet and took several Advil. Then I laid on the couch while writhing back and forth in pain. I'm a pretty touch cookie..but this was unbearable. I could barely breathe. I knew I couldn't trudge through this one like I do everything else. I was humbled and scared. I crawled to my laptop and immediately started googling my symptoms to figure out what was going on. One thing kept coming up, Kidney Infection. That must be it!

Well Dad had left early to go to Idaho Falls to the temple. So I was all alone with two little kids that were now upstairs yelling for me. And I couldn't even move. I said a pleading heartfelt prayer and then somehow forced myself to climb the stairs to get the kids....wincing and crying with every movement. I called Mom and explained it to her through sobbing tears. She and Brooke confirmed what I already knew, that I needed to get to the Emergency Room now. But what about the kids?! I'm alone, desperate, and actually in need of severe help. Mom immediately offered to come the 30 mins to get me and take me in. But I just couldn't accept that offer. There was another snow storm that night, the roads were awful, I didn't want her driving that far. I told her I could do it on my own. After I hung up, I knew I did in fact need help. I just had to accept that I couldn't do this one on my own. So I called my sweet 88 yr old Grandma Norma whom lives right down the road. I hadn't wanted to burden her with my issue. But I was desperate. As expected, she dropped everything and immediately came down to get me. When she arrived, I talked her into letting me go alone and just staying here and watching the kids. That would be the most helpful option. I was beyond humbled and so thankful for her help. However, the kids were scared and crying that Mommy was crying and couldn't move. I was heartbroken when I had to literally peel Anden off my leg. I reassured them I was ok and would be back soon. Then I hobbled out to the car and drove myself the 15 mins into town. Luckily they have an Urgent Care now (figured that out 2 yrs ago at Christmas when Anden got plagued with Croup and Pneumonia!).

I pulled into the icy snow packed parking lot, took a deep breath, and stumbled my way in. I stopped periodically as to not pass out again. I got to the counter and immediately forced back the tears as I explained the situation. I figured I would have mounds of paperwork since I hadn't been there before. My head was spinning, my legs were buckling. She decided to type in my info and nope, no Katie Harbeck. So she looked it up by my birthdate. I again explained I had never been here before and there's no way I would be in the system. Suddenly she says, "Well we have a Katie Furniss in here". I was shocked and said, "Um ya that's me". Then she reads off the mailing address and insurance info. Which somehow was all current. I nod in shock. Then she smiles and says, "You're all set. Have a seat." As I shuffled away, I silently thanked my Father in Heaven for that mini blessing. I physically couldn't have stood there even a minute longer without crumbling to the floor.

I did my best to attempt to "sit" in the chair. Tears were already streaming down my face from the agonizing pain. The seconds seemed like hours. Then the door opens, "Katie, we're ready for you". I glanced at the clock. It had only been 4 mins. I can't even get that quick of service when I actually DO have an appointment. Again, I was humbled and ever so grateful. She helped me into the room and onto the table. After many tests and prodding and poking. The doctor (whom I went to small town high school with) confirmed that I did have a kidney infection...but that wasn't all. I had kidney stones also. WHAT?! ME?! HOW?! I wasn't emotionally prepared for that news and it knocked the remaining few breaths out of me. I struggled to hold back the tears of desperation. I asked how in the world I got this. He explained it's usually from dehydration. Huh?! Really!

He knew I was leaving tomorrow to fly back home alone with 2 little helpless kids. I couldn't even move. How was I going to drag suitcases and toddlers through two airports?! A million thoughts were racing through my head. He pulled me back to reality and explained all of the meds they were gonna give me, all of the "equipment" I had to take home with me, all of the pain I would be in. Knowing my situation, he prescribed an aggressive treatment to give my body peace in order to make it back home. I thanked him profusely and apologized for our inconvenient and embarrassing encounter after the past 10 yrs! Then the nurse came in and proceeded to give me 2 of the worst shots I've ever received. It felt like 5 mins just to inject each one. Somehow my humor was still in tact, I asked if she would please give me an epidural next. Oddly, she declined. The she continued to give me even more instructions on my treatment. Just the things you want to be told as an adult....how to fit the "hat" over the toilet, how to pee into the strainer, how to transfer the grain of sand like stones into the specimen cup, how to transport the specimen cup back to Arizona. I wanted to fall off the table and die right there. Seriously?! Who does this happen to?! She left the room and I crumpled into tears. Why did this have to happen now? I called my mom after everyone left the room and broke down. I told her the added bonus news of kidney stones. She was shocked and felt my pain. As I was talking to her, the pain killer shot disbursed throughout my seething body. Literally i could feel the pain being swept away. I couldn't believe it. Next thing I knew, I was back to myself and cracking a hundred jokes about my "equipment" and everything entailed. Laughter really is the best medicine. Even if it's the one thing I didn't have a prescription for.

Mom forced me to agree to her taking the kids for the rest of the day/night. They had ordered me to rest all day and also the meds would make me drowsy. So I had no idea how I was going to rest with my crazy busy kids. Needless to say, I was eternally grateful for her offer to help. So I gathered my new potty training tools and the sliver of pride I had left and marched on out of there. Taylee was going to be ecstatic to see we had matching potty seats now. I drove over to the local pharmacy and got the rest of my many prescriptions. I called to check on my sweet little Grandma, of which I'm sure she had been eaten alive or was hiding in a corner shaking. In her usual kindest giggly voice she assured me all was well....now. I was afraid to ask what "now" meant. Told her I would be home shortly to rescue her. Mom arrived soon after I did. I hobbled around the house and got the kids packed. Luckily they were super excited to go to Idaho Falls and play with everyone there. Their delight made it much easier for me to see them go...and not feel guilty about taking a much needed nap! So i bid everyone farewell and headed up to my room. Dad was still gone and hadn't had access to his phone. So he still had no idea what fun he was missing out on. Next thing I knew, it was 4:30pm and I was definitely rested. Dad was finally home and devastated that he wasn't there for any of this. I assured him that there was NO way even of us could have expected something like this. He gave me the tender love and care I needed....making me homemade chicken noodle soup topped off with a pleasant cranberry poison concoction for dessert. Mmm mmm. And to keep my sanity in tact, I took a few pictures.

Finally it was time for my first 'panning for gold' experience. The thought mortified me yet made me laugh out loud...which hurt my side...and shots! Chalk it up to a new experience in life. I realized how lucky I was. Not everyone gets the opportunity to take their precious "stones" through airport security. "Excuse me sir, please be careful scanning those through the x ray machine. I worked really hard to gather those and they are of the finest gem quality possible!"

And to document for my own humiliation, here are my potty supplies.
Sometimes words just don't do it justice.

Now I just needed to add a smiley face to finish the picture.

Brooke sent me this picmail later that night. The kids had a blast on their first sleepover!

Like I said, this was the most unexpected day ever. But in the end it made me realize how important family and prayer are. I couldn't have made it through without either.