I am going to share with you my story about the complication, my 19 days post-delivery.
Like any mummies, being first time parents, both husband and I were looking forward to our due date, to meet our little darling. I delivered 4 days before my due date naturally and happily, was too excited to even close my eyes. After 6 hours later, nurse approached me at my bed and urges me to try to pass out urine. She followed me and we waited in the toilet for few minutes, I told her I do not have any urge at all, she tried to help me by turning on the tap, but I just do not have any feeling, so she told me that after another 1 hour, should I still could not urine, I will have to put on the catheter. At the point of time, I was thinking, as you wish, not knowing that this is so important, still chatting happily with visitors and looking at my baby. Finally, all of them left, 1 hour was up, the nurse came to me and accompanied me to the toilet, again, no output at all. This time, she put on the catheter throughout the night, I thought only 1 night and I will be leaving home, so I did not really put it on heart.
The next morning when doctor came to me, she told me she heard that I do not managed to pass out any urine, hence had to put on the catheter. She asked whether do I want to stay in the hospital to further monitor or would like to return home with my baby, or prefer to let baby stay with me until I discharged, of course I told her I want to discharge. The condition she gave me was to return home WITH THE urinary CATHETER inserted into my bladder put on for 5 days and return back to hospital for monitoring. The reason was they were worried that I could pass urine on my own and the bladder bag might burst due to over storage. However, was told that the risk of the long-term inserted of this plastic tube might caused damage to the urethra and infection. What is there for me to choose, I was leave with no choice but to carry the urine bag along home.
Due to the insert of the catheter to my bladder and the urine bag, it was very uncomfortable and inconvenient, I cannot sit well, it also causes pain
IMAGINE A PLASTIC TUBE BEING INSERTED INTO THE BLADDER, not allowing me to move around freely. I had to be very careful when lying on bed, had to get a pail for the urine bag to sit on so that I can lie on my bed, I cannot turn freely as worry that it might over drag as the length between the catheter and the urine is limited. I had to empty the urine bag whenever it reached a limit, especially in the middle of the night, I did not manage to sleep well as I was worried that the bag will be overflow.
Due to this constraint, I was not able to carry my baby, go to my baby’s room frequently as I had to carry a bag around. I could not sleep well, I could not eat well, and not able to bath as I was on confinement. I just keep asking why do I have to go through all these suffering. Luckily I got the confinement lady, a helper and my husband and MIL were supportive and helped me, comfort and consoled me that everything will be fine after 5 days. I waited and waited, finally, the day arrived for me to visit hospital. I was very happy and excited telling myself to get massage lady to massage for me after they removed this catheter for good. Waited for my gynae, it was my turn, she removed the catheter from me and the feeling was so fantastic great, I felt relieved without it! She passed me a bottle and told me to return after 6 hours, she needed to monitor my urine volume. I was happy but at the same time worried, this is the first time in my life that I begin to worry I cannot pass urine on my own. It was very stressful when my husband and MIL asked me whether I want to visit the toilet. I tried and managed to naturally pass out some on and off throughout the 6 hours, stored them into the given bottle and went back to the hospital not knowing what to expect next. It was my turn and the nurse took the bottle from me, gynae put on the catheter and told me she need to know how much water was being stored inside my bladder. Gosh, she managed to drain out some volume of water. After that she explained to me that the amount I had pass out earlier was only 50ML, but the volume in my bladder was 300ML, unless the amount pass out is 300ML and the remaining was 50ML, otherwise, it was very risky to let me go home with the catheter, I will still have to insert the catheter for the next 5 days to avoid the bladder from bursting. I almost broke down, what had happened to me? Another 5 days with this tube was going to drive me crazy. The gynae told me my case - ANURIA (not able to pass urine naturally) was a rare case, the 1st case she had encountered was 2 years ago but the woman managed to remove the catheter after 1 week, my case was isolated. There might be a possibility that my bladder was hurt I during the delivering of baby or baby’s head had pressed too hard directly on my bladder and many other undefined reason. By putting the catheter will help to heal my bladder.
What choice do I have, I have to go home with tube being inserted to my bladder.
The next 7 days was a very long period, it seems to me as it was 5 years. Continue to suffer the pain, this round the nurse who inserted for me was very rough and deepen, I could not sit properly, at the most 5 minutes I could feel the pain. The only thing I can do is to lie on my bed. I got no appetite at all. I do not dare to drink water, I am worried. Same procedure, on the 7th day, we went back to hospital and was told to pass urine for the next 6 hours and return for assessment. Another sad news broke out, I could not pass the urine volume though my urine volume increased this time. I protested and refused to put on the painful catheter again, was breaking down sobbing. The gynae offered me to stay in hospital to monitor for 1 night hopefully I could pass out more and could return home without it. Disappointment again! The next day, was told I could not pass out the require amount of urine, had to put on to avoid kidney problem, was given medicine for bladder infection.
Everything was negative after the 2nd visit, I had the thought that I might not be able to recover and will have to put on catheter for the rest of my life. My husband happened to speak to his friend’s mother talking about my condition, she recommended us to his relative who is a Chinese physician, he told me I was having urine infection, given me medicine and told us to blew and took for 4 days, as I was still in confinement, he has to be very careful in prescribing Chinese herb. What can I do, I was leave with this last hope.
On the 19th day, we went to hospital and conducting the same procedure. By surprise, throughout the 6 hours, I managed to pass out more volume, this round, when the gynae checked for me, she told me I can be free as my pass out volume was 500ML and the remaining was 50ML, I made it, I was free from the catheter.
It was a painful experience, even though now after so many months, I could not forget the catheter and the pain it brought me, not to mention about the heavy complication cost added to us throughout.
Signing Off, J.S
