APRN visit #3

After waking up this morning with absolutely no energy and feeling like complete crap I decided to call out of my internship and call the doctor. I changed my doctors appointment so I could get in today. I have barely been eating because everything upsets my stomach, I had toast for dinner last night and toast again for breakfast/lunch. After taking a hot shower I found myself completely exhausted and needing to lay back in bed for a bit. I knew the exhaustion was getting worse due to the fact that I was barely eating, but I managed to get myself ready and get down to the doctor's office.

After meeting with the nurse and telling her about why I was there I was asked if I would mind if a student in nursing school met with me as well (being a student and intern myself I had no issues with it and happily agreed). The student came in shortly after and I explained myself again, she then left and the APRN came in along with the student... after explaining myself for a third time I was almost in tears having to talk about how terrible I was feeling and how frustrated I was. The APRN informed me of the tests I would have done and then paused briefly and asked me if I was feeling depressed. I immediately began to cry as I had been on the verge of tears the entire time. I explained that I wasn't sure I felt depressed but most definitely felt frustrated and completely overwhelmed. She urged me to monitor those feelings and call her if I felt I needed to talk to someone as she would provide me with some options.

The nurse came back into the room and informed me on how I was going to give a stool sample. Yup a stool sample. Wonderful. I now have what looks like a potty chair and yes I have to transfer the stool sample from the bucket to two separate containers and then immediately drive it to the emergency room of the hospital and hand it to someone. This very unsettling process is being done to check for any bacterial infections.

I then went down the hall to get blood drawn (yet again), this time for Celiac disease. I realized as soon as I sat down that my fear of needles had not gotten any better through all of this. The phlebotomist had some difficulty with my arm but managed to get one tube of blood before my body just stopped giving. She took the needle out because I had started to bruise rather quickly. She then decided to use a pediatric needle in the top of my hand. I continued to look in the opposite direction and concentrated on my breathing. No blood... I immediately started to bruise and she took the needle out. She wasn't willing to continue torturing me and said that she would send the one tube in and hopefully it would be enough. If not I will be required to drink plenty of water and come back again. I am praying that the one tube is enough... I again have anxiety over the whole needle difficulties and am in tears walking to my car... I hate this!

Hopefully I will have the Celiac results by the end of the week and the bacterial results early next week. If both come back normal I will then be referred to a GI doctor... how many doctors will I have by the time this is sorted out?

Tomorrow is my second B12 injection and I am hoping that I will start to feel the effects.