I was supposed to be going home on Monday morning, but on Sunday I told the midwife that when I wee'd it was coming out really slowly like a trickle and I couldn't really feel that it was coming out, I had to look to see it was happening and when it was finished. She was a bit concerned by this and wrote it in my notes and kept asking about it through the day. Monday morning four doctors walked into my room and surrounded my bed. They asked lots of questions about my wee and suggested that I try double voiding (which is when you go to the toilet, then go for a little walk and go to the toilet again). For the life of me I could not do that... nothing would happen. A few times I felt like I needed to go and nothing happened and it was so frustrating! Also the midwife had felt my tummy to make sure my uterus was going down and it was still above my belly button. They said they like for it to be below the belly button before you go home. She said that it could be my bladder being full that was pushing the uterus up still.
Someone from Urology came and performed a Residual test where they can measure how much urine is still in your bladder after you wee. I had about 400mls left, which is pretty bad. My roommate got to go home just before lunch time, and we had had our babies at the same time, so I was a bit depressed about that. All they would say was that I might be able to go home that night. So Kel came down with Josh and we waited for the verdict. In the end they wanted me to stay another night to make sure everything was ok.
About 8am I was on the phone to Kel (who was trying to find out what was happening) when I said 'I have to go' and hung up the phone as EIGHT doctors surrounded my bed!!!! Now they were getting serious and said that my only chance of going home that day was if I could learn self cathererisation to perform when I got home, and for me to take it easy and not forget to go to the toilet. I agreed to this because I was desperate to go home. They were being extra careful because the registrar had seen a situation where the mum had ended up needing a catheter full time. They said it was probably caused by swelling and nerve damage which meant that my body couldn't tell when I needed to go to the toilet. It can result in urine being left in the bladder which leads to infections.
They did another residual which got 150mls this time, so an improvement, but still not great. They wanted me to get below 50 mls with the catheter when I got home.
I had to wait until 2pm for someone to come and show me how to use the catheter. They said if I couldn't do it, then I would have to stay another night. I went into the toilet with the lady and I tried, but I just couldn't do it. I was in tears, and she ended up doing it for me and got 100mls. I told her that I thought I nearly had it but that I was just scared to push it in further coz it hurt. I was sure that I could do it if I was at home and had a mirror to look in. She had to go off to talk it over with the midwives and doctors. About 4pm we still hadn't heard anything! Kel went off to find out what was happening. Josh was really getting sick of the hospital by this stage! And so was I! I had all the bags packed and ready to go. In the end we took all the bags to the desk and stood there while they typed up my notes. Then I was free
My first try of the catheter at home wasn't too bad. I was actually proud that I managed to do it myself! I got 50mls that time, then 25mls the next day and 10 mls the day after that. Then I stopped doing it, because that is a bloody fantastic result! And everything feels like it is back to normal now. I was supposed to have a follow up on the Tuesday, and we drove to the hospital but someone stuffed up the appointment card and told us to come back Wednesday Not bloody likely on a 32 degree day! It was such a waste of a day (and petrol), but I will be going back the next Wednsday (tomorrow), because I do want to be sure that everything is A-OK. We also booked in an appointment for Sam to have a hip ultrasound at 6 weeks because they found a slight click in the left hip.
So there you go! I'd better put in a photo for the people with weak stomachs who don't like reading the gory stuff!
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