Never ever EVER forget to pee after
Thankfully, I grew up with amazing parents. Medical field so really open and honest about sex, and healthy habits regarding it. I know to pee after sex. Until one night I didn't.
My theory is I must've just fallen asleep with my boyfriend after, because I've always made it a habit to pee after.
Me and my boyfriend live about an hour apart, both still with our parents because broke college students. I was staying at his house for about a week when it started with minor UTI symptoms. Frequent urination, burning stinging feeling when I peed, and only a little coming out at a time. I've had a handful of UTIs before and usually they take care of themselves, so his mom just gave me some Azo , my boyfriend kept my water bottle full, and I figured that was it . But then the next day, I couldn't leave his bed because my lower back was in so much pain. I was shaking because I had the chills so bad.
I finally gave in and called my mom, and she drove the hour to come pick me up. Once home, I immediately get into bed and sleep only to wake up a few hours later covered in sweat, still in pain, and running to the bathroom to throw up. I wake my parents and my mom drives me to her hospital.
I'm admitted immediately, and long story short: I'm in septic shock. For those that are unfamiliar, septic shock is when bacteria gets into the bloodstream, and your organs start shutting down. My blood pressure wouldn't raise, my heart rate wouldn't slow down, my fever wouldn't go away, and they're about 6 litres in on my IV . But I'm still not peeing because my kidneys aren't working , so I'm swelling with all the extra fluid in me .
I'm transferred to the ICU where I have 24 hour care, and (I learned later) they were genuinely fearing for my life . I was too in and out of consciousness to really understand how bad of a situation this was .
IV medications aren't working , so we need to have a central line (PICC) put in , which is an IV to my heart .
I'm still not peeing (it's been a few days now) , and the fluid is settling into my lungs so now my oxygen levels are so low that i need a breathing mask. My doctors administer Lasix through the PICC, which is a medication that essentially flushes the body, like a diuretic. This FINALLY works and my catheter is getting put to gallons worth of good work.
I'm probably missing a lot of details, as I mentioned I wasn't conscious for a lot of this. But I stayed in the hospital almost two weeks. I had friends visit, and I don't even remember them visiting.
Recovery included having to restrengthen my lungs with a spirometer, this machine thing that you breathe in and out of to exercise your breathing strength (bad explanation but), needing my parents help just to get out of bed, and almost passing out just walking to the bathroom.
So PLEASE, please always pee after sex . UTIs suck , getting out of a warm comfy bed sucks , but almost dying and drowning in your own lungs sucks 100x more .
You never think it'll happen to you, until it does. So please use this as your wake up call to never forget to pee after sex.
