Pain meds

 

This is a story that happened back in 2005.

Our 4th child, William, was born on October 20th, 2005. I gave birth via C-section (as I did with the other 3 kids). With a C-section, you get some strong pain meds through the IV while you’re in the hospital. Then, when you leave, the Dr.  gives you a script for pain meds to take at home if you need them.

I filled the script the day we left the hospital.

Historically…..with all 4 C-sections, I never really needed to take the prescribed pain medication for more than 2 days .I would switch over to Tylenol after the 2nd day being home and all was good.

So, here I am at home. The second day home.  I took pain meds as scheduled all day and remember thinking I would switch over the next morning to Tylenol.

I felt totally fine. No pain and no dizziness. I was walking around fine. People had always commented on how quickly I bounced back from my C-sections. I was happy to have the baby home and ecstatic that we had our cute little family at home settling in nicely… Happy , Happy !!!

Because I felt so normal, I decided it would be a “wonderful” idea to venture out to Walmart. (In hind site – yes I was just sliced open , major surgery just a few days earlier and I think it’s a good idea ).Steve got home from work and I told him I wanted to drive to Walmart to get a few groceries, some diapers, and a few other items that the older kids needed. After all, I felt fine. Steve was ok with it as long as I felt ok.

Off I went, alone,  in the family mini van. , took pain meds all day long …Once I got on to the main road headed towards Walmart, I started to feel paranoid. I realized then that I really should not be driving. I felt mostly in control, but that little bit of foggy feeling started to come over me. I was adding more effort to my driving as to not swerve, etc.

I was relieved when I arrived safely to the Walmart parking lot. I walked inside the store and grabbed a cart.

I was on a mission. Get the stuff I need, pay, and get my butt home.

I started down the isles. First on the list…DIAPERS… I knew right where the diapers were and headed that way. I started to make a right turn with my shopping cart into the diaper isle… I totally misjudged the turn and knocked over a cardboard display case. Stuff fell over. I had to quickly pick it all up … Ok. I did that and then I got the heck out of that area. At this point, I was thinking..” should I ask Steve to come get me? No… I can do this on my own…”

After the diapers….. Next on the list, some food. So, I go over to the grocery section. Those isles are nice and wide and open. I turned into the potato chips isle and thankfully did not take down any end cap displays.  I proceeded to walk straight down the isle and I saw a woman walking toward me with a shopping cart.  I thought I had plenty of room to clear her cart… But I didn’t. I clipped the corner and had a mini head-on grocery cart collision with her.. I acted surprised and apologized to the woman.. “Oh, how embarrassing  !!” I  grabbed the food I needed and then I moved quickly out of THAT isle…

Last on the list, little stretchy gloves for my 2 young  girls. (They told me their hands were cold at the bus stop and so we needed them)….. I had to take my cart into the maze that they call the “little girls department”. Steering that shopping cart onto the carpeted area and around all these round, overfilled, clothing racks. I was working my way to the gloves…

Up until then, I really didn’t have to TALK to anyone (with the exception of saying sorry to the lady that I clipped with my grocery cart).

So, I’m perusing through and find the little girls stretchy gloves.  Then, I hear “HI COLLEEN !!” (OH NOOOO)….I look up. It’s an acquaintance of mine. She says “Wait, didn’t you just have a baby… What are you doing out already?”….   I replied “Oh, yeah…. I feel fine… I’ve got these great pain pills and I am doing great”…. Based on all the other stuff I had just gone thru, I was most likely  slurring my speech,too..   Oh mannn… that was very awkard….

I finally finish that short conversation and got everything on my list…

Next…..I HAD to pay and get myself home…

I remember paying for all the stuff and then driving home. I was super, extra careful while driving..

I was relieved when I safely pulled into my driveway…

What the heck was I thinking? I should have NEVER went out. I definitely switched to Tylenol after that. I’ll never forget that experience.

I am grateful nothing terrible happened that night.