My Son Was Admitted to the Hospital
The last 24 hours have been an absolute whirlwind.
I set a new personal record of three hospital visits in a single day. One in the morning for a mobile notary appointment and two more with my son. What an achievement.
A couple of days ago, my teenage son started working out again after taking a several-month break. After his workout, he started to complain of muscle pain, which we all assumed was probably muscle strain, especially since he doesn't have the most diligent pre-workout stretching routine.
By the next day (yesterday), he complained that he couldn't stretch his arm because his muscles were so tight. When this pain still had not gone away by last night, I decided to take him to the ER to get checked out. Something was just off.
After taking his blood, the doctors discovered that he had rhabdomyolysis. This condition causes your muscles to break down and enter your bloodstream, which can cause serious kidney and heart issues. A normal blood result is 300 or less creatine kinase U/L. My son's level was over 16,000. Rhabdomyolysis can be caused by intense workouts, and it can be life-threatening if not treated.
Since that hospital didn't have a pediatric unit, he was transferred to another hospital about an hour away from our home. While he was being transported, I rushed home, walked our dog, made sure she had enough food and water for the night, stocked up on some overnight supplies, and sped to the new hospital.
The treatment for rhabdomyolysis is basically fluid overload. The proteins need to be flushed out. His job is easy. Drink as much as possible and let the IV do its thing. The doctor warned he might be in the hospital for a few days before his levels were low enough for discharge.
As a single father, the juggling act never ends. I wanted to make sure he was not alone for this first night, so I cozied up on the couch next to this bed and managed to get a good 5-6 hours of sleep. Breakfast consisted of tasteless powdered eggs, sausage, and toast. My son seemed to enjoy it, at least.
He had his urine and more blood tested this evening, and the results were shocking, to say the least. The real curveball was his urine testing positive for cannabis, something I never even suspected he was using. I didn't get angry. We had a conversation about it, and he was shaking because of the consequences he thought he would be facing, but this was not the time for punishment. This was the time for rationality and honesty.
Unfortunately, his ck levels increased again today, jumping to 21,000. The doctor said this wasn't unexpected and often increases and then plateaus. So, he'll be there at least another night.