Behind the wheel again...to Instacare

I'm a worrier.  I've lately been worried that I might have a UTI.  Not the usual symptoms, but I've had low urine output (in spite of drinking a fair amount of water during the day) and recently started getting a backache late in the afternoon.  Thursday I decided I'd worried long enough.  I wanted to get this thing checked out.  I called Dr. Scaife's nurse, Lindsay, and left a voicemail with my concern.  When she didn't get back to me by afternoon, I called Dr. Beckstead (my primary care doc).  I forgot...he has Thursdays off.  I considered going to Instacare, but decided to wait until Friday to see if I heard back from Lindsay.  Thursday's motto & silent prayer was "strength and stamina", as I had to see both Occ Therapy & Phys Therapy to be tested for discharge.  I was worried (of course) that they'd find me lacking and I'd have to continue with their visits.  So, STRENGTH & STAMINA was the call word, and indeed, I passed both reviews.  I told both therapists about my newest worry and the PT said I should call the home health nurse, Cassandra, to see what she suggested.  I hadn't even thought of her--I'm so used to contacting Dr. Scaife's office first.  Early Friday morning, I called Cassandra and asked if she could come take a urine sample and have it tested.  She said that they require a doctor's order and that she would call Dr. Scaife's office again.  A little later, she called back and said that since I was "so far out from surgery, the issue would have to be addressed by the primary care physician."  That sort of felt like a slap in the face--I'm still healing and recovering (and not very quickly), but they're done with me??  Okay.  Next, Cassandra called Dr. Beckstead's office.  The news from them was that Dr. B usually doesn't handle tests such as this unless he's seen me recently--which he hasn't, of course, because I've been ELSEWHERE!  So, another rejection.  I told Cassandra that I'd go to Instacare--I knew they would see me.
I told Janessa I was going to have to put on a dab of makeup and use that "strength & stamina" to drive to Instacare--my first time back behind the wheel since the surgery.  I guess I've been a tad anxious about it and wondered if I'd be able to handle it.  My little sweetie said she'd put on "real clothes" (she was in her jammies still) and come with me.  Whew, thank heavens.  Happily, it was no big deal.  I felt fine driving...no anxiety at all.
Instacare had a short line and the girls at the desk explained that their system had been down earlier, so things were a little nuts.  For one thing, the computer said I didn't need to pay a co-pay, even though I'm pretty sure I should have.  When I told the girl that, she said, "Well, since the computer doesn't think you do, I don't think it would accept it anyway.  We'll just bill you."  That was kind of nice.  Waited about 45 minutes (people ahead of me were being called back, having their vital signs taken, and then coming back to the waiting room to wait for an available exam room--yikes!) and then was called back.  Of course, immediately, the assistants and RNs and docs were worried about my fast heartbeat, which I assured them has been fast for several months now.  (Yep, that's another worry I live with...)  I was able to do a urine sample (had to pray about that, too), and then was taken to an exam room right away.  I had a bit of a fever (99.8), but blood pressure was good.  The doc came in and said he would have to look at the sample "under the microscope" because the first pass was inclusive to infection.  He ordered a blood test.  The cute phlebotomist was able to find a good vein first time and used a teensy needle to get what was needed--I appreciated that.  White blood cells were normal and not elevated.  So, doc comes back and says the tests are still inclusive--could be an infection, but might be kidney retention, which would require a visit to the ER (sound familiar?).  He did give me an antibiotic, which he said wouldn't hurt either way, but told me that if I don't start feeling better in a few days, ...well, I'm sure you can guess what he advised.  I'm going to give the antibiotic five days (I've got enough pills for 10) and then we'll see.  I also go for a CT scan on Tuesday, so that might show us something, too.  I'm going to ask them to scan that area, for sure.
Seems I just get going down the road and something sideswipes me.  And I still can't eat very well...it's so frustrating.  This morning, I did manage to eat more than two bites of one scrambled egg with a tiny bit of cheese on a toasted English muffin with a dab of ketchup on top.  It tasted good, but I was done after two bites.  I made myself eat about four bites more.  Tonight, I'm craving Cafe Rio.  Waaaa, that probably won't happen either.
I'm hoping to go to one hour of church tomorrow in honor of Father's Day.  I have the best daddy, the best grandpas, the best father-in-law, and the best husband/father of my kids.  I also have the best son and son-in-law, who are wonderful fathers to their little ones.  Happy Dad's Day to all you good, generous men...and thanks be to my Heavenly Father who continues to bless me on this tough journey.