It’s amazing what has become commonplace for me.
There has been a lot of change in my life recently and as usual, my body is feeling it. I’ve had a real lack of energy and motivation for pretty much anything and my depression has been wavering. I’ve had difficulties with talking to people and interacting with others. There just seems to be this wall that I have to try and force my words around.
And that’s not the thing that has become commonplace.
Like a lot of others with chronic conditions, I struggle with bladder and bowl issues. These are my least favouite symptom of Multiple Sclerosis. You want to take my energy Max Shadow? Okay, here you go. What’s that? You want to take my capability with speech? Sure, you can up my fatigue level for free. Can I just have a day without worrying about having to piss or shit. I’m begging you.
About a week ago, my urine started to darken. I have already had three bladder infections and don’t want to deal with another, so I’m careful. I hydrate a lot with water and cranberry juice. I take Metamucil once a day, I eat mostly clean food and take a cranberry pill with my pills at nighttime. I do all of this, but Max Shadow doesn’t really care very much.
He always wants to assert a little bit of control. When my urine started to get cloudy, I started to hydrate more and took the occasional shot of apple cider vinegar. That’s my go to usually. When the darkness comes, I also increase the amount of cranberry juice I have. I don’t know if that is supposed to be done, but it’s what has worked for me. When the blood came, it was Thursday night and I was just so damn tired of it.
When I woke up on Friday, the pain in my stomach had reached a fever pitch. I called in sick and just tried to rest and let the pain pass. I knew that I was beyond constipated and I was not okay. I tried logging into work as if it were a normal day, but I couldn’t do it. I logged off and just let myself rest. I took a laxative at midday hoping that it would rush things along, but there was nothing to be done but wait. I slept and kept hydrating and kept up with my cranberry juice and apple cider vinegar and waited for the blood to pass.
By Saturday morning, I was able to pee regularly once with my urine a clear yellow and I thought everything had passed. The darkness and the blood came back the next time that I peed. The pain in my stomach had lessened, but my balls and my stomach still hurt. I know that my doctors have mentioned that I have an infection in my bladder because of the MS, but nothing has been done to treat it.
I increased the apple cider vinegar and made sure to drink even more. By Sunday evening, I was able to pee without blood. I counted each time, thinking that the blood would come back and so far it hasn’t. It’s always a worry though and I have remained vigilant.
The infection left me exhausted though and I rested on Monday and today. This evening, I was lucky enough to get an appointment with my doctor who gave me a prescription for antibiotics and a referral to a urologist who will be able to take a deeper look at what is wrong and give me steps forward. I know that I’m lucky to have a doctor and I’m so thankful that I will be on the mend. I just hope it’s not temporary. Three bladder infections in six months is something to keep an eye on. I do hope that the referral to the urologist doesn’t take too long.
Although Thanksgiving weekend was a little harrowing for me, there is plenty in my life to be thankful for.
