Essay #1

The Start of a New Life

Nothing can ever happen to me. I am invincible is what I would always say. When I was a child, I was care free and didn’t care about my health. I would eat whatever my stomach desired. Whether it was hamburgers, pizza, tacos, or even pasta. From drinking no water whatsoever to drinking juice to drinking soda. I work at Oxnard High School as a college tutor in math and biology as well as I do administrative work. During my lunch hour, my bosses and I would go out and have to a couple of restaurants and have a good time but I never for one second thought to myself that I would ever be a patient in the hospital.

On Saturday February 11, 2012 my boss had called me at 7:30 am and asked me if I wanted to chaperone twelve students and I said, “Yes, Mrs. Ohlrich. I am on my way.” I didn’t have any breakfast, just got dressed and left. When I arrived to the firefighter training facility in Camarillo, I saw my students and my boss. “Jessica, you take those six and Ill take these six,” my boss said. As my six students and I were walking to the tower, my left side began to hurt a bit. “Are you okay Miss. Mendez?” my student asked me. “Yes I am fine. I just didn’t have breakfast. Ill grab a bite as soon as I’ll get home.”

            The next day my friend, Israel, invited me to MB2 Raceway in Thousand Oaks. “Sure that sounds like fun. I haven’t done that in a while.” As I was driving to Thousand Oaks, my left side began to hurt again. “You okay Jess?” Israel asked. “Yeah I am. I don’t know, my side has been hurting since yesterday.”

            My pain started to progress, but I was very hesitant to go to the doctor. On Monday I did nothing but lay in bed since I didn’t go to work. My head was hurting, I was feeling hot and cold. I wasn’t eating nor drinking any fluids whatsoever. “Jessica, don’t go to art class tonight.” my mom said. “I have to. I have a test today and she wont allow any makeups.” As soon as I arrived to school, I sat next to my friend Hector as always. “Wow, you don’t look so good. Are you okay?” he says. “No my head is hurting. I feel hot. I am sweating.” As soon as we got our tests, I finished as fast as I could and ran to Ms. McFadyen’s desk and turned it in.  I grabbed my stuff and ran to my car and raced home. As soon as I got home, I threw my backpack and fell to the floor screaming and crying because I was in so much pain. Little did I know, no one was home. My older sister, Cristina, came home about two minutes later and said, “Jessica, you okay? Talk to me! Are you okay?” “Aahhhh! Help me!” I moaned. As I opened up my eyes a bit, I saw Cristina running to the kitchen and feds me liquid vicodin. A couple minutes later, I instantly fell asleep and my pain was gone.

            At the time, both of my bosses were in Sacramento for a conference. I had gone to work to make sure the classes were running smoothly. As I was teaching the biology class, my head was hurting. I gave the kids worksheets and told the substitute I was leaving. I texted and emailed my bosses saying I was going home because I didn’t feel good.  They had given me the ok.

            The next morning, I woke up vomiting. I was pounding the walls so Cristina was able to hear. “Jessica, you have no choice but we are going to the hospital now,” Cristina said. As we were going to the Ventura County Medical Center, it was getting painful to breathe. When I jumped in the car, my mom had given me a bag to throw up in. My side was an indescribable, excruciating pain where it almost felt as if someone was stabbing me with a knife.

            The nurses took me in right away into the emergency room. I laid there in bed and as I was tearing up a little my pain started to lessen. The nurse had asked me to change into the gown. As I started to get up out of the bed I saw my mom help me take my clothes off. I got into the gown and laid back in bed. I heard my mom call my dad, “Jessica is in the hospital. Please come over here.” My pain all of a sudden comes back.”Aahhhh,” I scream. The nurse came running over and give me vicodin. The vicodin had no effect at that point. Dr. Hann came on over and asked me a couple questions. He asked, “What side is it hurting? Have you had any sexual intercourse in the past six months? When was the last time you had sexual intercourse? Are you currently taking any drugs? Are you currently drinking any alcohol?” Most of my answers to these questions were no. He kept repeating so many times as well. Then when the questions were answered he finally said, “Jessica, we are going to give you a morphine shot. But first we are going to have someone give you and IV.” I just nodded. As soon as the nurse arrived, I believed that I didn’t care or I was in so much pain because I didn’t feel my IV. As soon as I got my IV inserted, I received my morphine shot. I see my dad come in “Jessica are you okay? What is wrong? Dad is here okay.” I just nodded and fell asleep. I woke up and my dad was giving me water as he put his hand on my forehead telling me that I will be okay.

            The doctor had told my family that he had no idea what was wrong with me. “She can be here from either two days to one month,” Dr. Hann told them. As my pain came back there was a conflict with giving level four morphine shots. My doctor had to go through paperwork just for me to get that specific dosage. After two and a half hours of excruciating pain, I finally received my shot.

            As the evening approached, my mom told me she was going to leave. “Good night mom,” I said. “I will come back tomorrow in the morning,” my mom responded. I didn’t get to sleep well. I kept getting woken up by the nurses; they took blood from me, checked my temperature, and the oxygen monitor.  

            I got back from the CAT scan and a few hours later my doctor came in and asked me along with Cristina and my mom, “Do you know anyone in the family that has any kidney problems?” “No, not that we know of,” my sister Cristina responded confused. “Well we found out that Jessica has Polycystic Kidney Disease,” Doctor Hann told my family. “What is that?” I asked. “You have cysts in your kidneys. They’re like acne on your face. But that wasn’t causing your pain. Your kidney stopped functioning your waste which backed up your urine and caused you to have a urinary track infection.” “Oh,” I responded. “Don’t worry about it too much. Lets just get you better.”

            The next day, I asked my doctor when I was going to be able to go home. “Jessica, your vital signs are much better. I don’t want to let you go yet but how bad do you want to go home?” he asked me. “Like really bad! I need to be home and be in my bed where I am comfortable. I need to learn how to walk because I can’t walk. I need to go to work soon and see my students. Is there any possible way for me to go home today?” I begged. “Fine Jessica I will let you go but only in certain conditions.” “Anything Doctor,” I said desperately. “I am going to prescribe you  two months worth of antibiotics and you need to take two tablets. One in the morning and one at night. You also need to make sure you don’t eat salty foods. That will trigger your kidney. Stay away from greasy foods and soda. Drink a lot of water as well. Will you be needing a walker?” he asked me. “No I think I will be fine. Yes to no foods, yes to drinking water and taking my tablets as well.” “Oh before I forget, you also need to take hypertension pills once a day.” “Got it. So does this mean you’re letting me go?” I asked. “Yes. Let me get the paperwork and have you sign and you’re free to go.” “Awesome. Thanks doctor.” I said excited. He came back I signed the release form and just picked up my stuff from the room. My mom helped me get dressed into my normal clothes and put me into the wheelchair. As I was leaving the hospital, my doctor gave me my prescriptions and my appointment for a follow up. “Thanks Doctor Hann,” I said as I smiled at him. “Take care and see you soon Jessica,” he said while he smiled at me as well.

            When I got home I was excited to see the rest of my family. I was excited to be sleeping in my bed. I got home to eating a sandwich and water. While being inside the hospital for two and a half weeks I found out that my eating habits changed. I no longer enjoy the foods I used to enjoy. Although, I no longer can not have the foods I use to like or enjoy, I thought it was going to effect me but it really didn’t. I can say no to certain foods. As the doctor instructed, I still currently am taking hypertension pills and drinking water. Rarely would I actually eat greasy foods or salty foods.  At the moment, I still have doctor appointments bi weekly.  I am getting tested for blood work and my heart every month making sure that my circulatory system is functioning because of all the morphine I had taken along with the anti biotics.