This post is for those who like medical details, feel free to skip this if you aren’t curious about that stuff. I had appendicitis. Now I don’t.
On Thursday afternoon, my stomach started to hurt, but I figured I was just hungry, and we had a friend coming to dinner, which distracted me quite a bit. I made veggie pizza and spinach salad (by request!) and we had a good meal, but I noticed my stomach hurting worse, low in my abdomen. Luisa headed home about 8, and I sent Mike to get some OTC drugs. It kept getting more and more painful, but I was sure it was something like kidney stones, not life threatening. A call to my parents and to my friendly internal medicine intern convinced me we had to go to the hospital, if just to rule out anything too terrible. We packed up the kids and headed out about 9:45.
When we got to the hospital, I was in a lot of pain, and made it through triage and into an ER room in less than 15 minutes, which seemed pretty good. As soon as I got in a room and in a gown, I started vomiting, so I got bumped to the bottom of the food chain. After a long wait, the doctor came in and said, “Well, looks like you’ve got a bad stomach virus, seems like you are in a lot of pain, so we’ll do a CT to make sure it’s nothing else.” At this point, it was about 11:30 so Mike decided to take the girls, who were being very good but it was very very late, on a drive to get them to sleep and wait in the parking lot for me. They gave me an anti-nausea medicine and an IV to help with the vomiting and I passed out pretty quickly. They woke me to go get a CT, and I was incredibly loopy, but it was my first CT and it was still interesting. The tube was really shallow and they took thousands of images in a matter of 5 minutes. And then it was back to drug-induced sleep for me.
The surgical resident woke me up for my consult and I said, “There’s nothing wrong with me, right?” And he replied, “Actually, it looks like you’re in the early stages of appendicitis and you also have a cyst on your right ovary. Either, or both of them, could be causing your pain, so they’ve both got to go, but you aren’t in danger of rupturing tonight, so we’re going to wait for the morning.” So, I called Mike and sent him and the kids home to go to bed. It must have been about 1 a.m. At about 2, they moved me up to the surgical wing and admitted me and turned over my care to Donna, the sweet night nurse. My heart rate had been high and jumpy all evening, which is strange for me, so they gave me an EKG and kept me hooked up to monitors all night, but Donna helped me to be comfortable.
The day starts early in the surgical wing, and I was up at 6 am with the early rounds even though my surgery was in the second round of the day. They sent me to get a chest x-ray, because apparently, everyone needs one. My wonderful friend Jen offered to watch the kids for the day, so Mike dropped them off while I had a meeting with my whole surgical team, who told me that in spite of the surgical resident’s wavering, I did, in fact have appendicitis. At least, they were 90% sure. And I needed my appendix out anyway, since I am a reproductive age female who might have future problems with cysts that would continue to be confused with appendicitis if I didn’t.
Mike came and sat with me while I waited, reading Harry Potter. They prepped me for surgery in the room, and wheeled me out to the surgical floor. We dropped Mike off at the surgical waiting room, where the nurse made him kiss me, which only played up our fears of the risks of surgery, even though they are small. I remember talking to the anesthesiologists and the two burly nurse anesthetists wheeling me into the room and starting to wrap my arms down. I remember nothing else. They tell me that I did, in fact, have appendicitis. They did a laparoscoptic appendectomy and put all sorts of tubes into me and removed them before I woke up. They also took out the cyst and sent it to be biopsied, but no one seems very worried about it.
My surgery wasn’t until 2, so I had to spend the night. Mike stayed until I woke up, and then went to get the girls from the P’s house (Thank you, friends!) One of the surgeons stopped by to make sure I understood all of the restrictions on my next few weeks (no picking up kids, no driving, rest lots, etc.) and I hung out the the hospital, reading Walker Percy and realizing that the day nurses are not as great at Donna, who returned again to be my night nurse. She rocks.
As far as pain goes, the incisions are small, but they hurt. My shoulder hurts from the CO2 they used to blow up my abdomen. The morphine was really nice. Lortab and Percocet, not so much. It’s sad to not be able to pick up the girls, I’m too tired to think about driving. Jennifer saved the day yet again, bringing food, and we have dinner until we leave town on Wednesday.
Sorry this is so rambling, but I am on pain meds, and I want a record of all of this, it was pretty surreal and strange.
Wow. I’m glad you’re ok, hope you heal quickly. What an ordeal.
Wow. Cool. And Not. I’m glad you’re alright, and we’ll pray for a quick recovery.
I am so glad you went in to get it checked out, and that they caught it before it reached crisis stage! Praying that your recovery will go well and your pain will be gone soon. *hugs*
I noticed this Flickr pic and wondered what was going on! How crazy, Kristen! I’m glad you have a wonderful husband and sweet friends to care for you at this time. Take it easy while you get back to normal… Recovery always takes awhile.
We’re also glad to hear you are all right. We’ll be praying for your recovery.
Whew! So glad you’re on the mend. And glad that your community stepped into help out with your family. Praise God.
this is the first time i’ve heard of the “no driving” restriction after surgery. was it just for a few days until the anesthesia worked its way out or is it something to do with the percocet?
and yes… the arm pain from the co2 is not pleasant — i had it for a couple days after my laproscopic cholecystectmy.
Neither, it was an abdominal surgery, and you need those muscles to be strong and well to hit the brakes!
Thanks for all the prayers for recovery.
Continuing to pray. . . Praying that the Lord will keep the girls calm, and that Mike, et al, will be able to help a lot while you are out of commission.
Whew, crazy times–I’m glad you’re OK! Take good care and get better. I guess if you can’t pick up the girls you’ll just have to take lots of pictures instead :)
Heal up fast, dear friend. I have a funny story about my little scientist figuring out JUST what caused your ailment. I’ll post it later.
We’re LOVING having K and L, by the way!
Oh Hon, I’m so sorry you had such a rough time! And SO SO glad you went to have it checked out! We’ll be praying for you! Rest up, and feel better soon.
Glad that you made it through. Pray for Ed, my bro-in-law. He’s going into emergency surgery for appendicitis right now. Very large, about to rupture, they say.
Yikes! I hope you get better soon.
wow – I’m praying for a quick recovery. Our son had a ruptured appendix involving seven days in hospital.
An expensive way to catch up on reading, eh?
Oh, and I’m praying for Matt’s bro-in-law Ed.
I’m still peeved that they bumped you down the list because you vomited. But I’m glad you got treated and are on the mend!
FYI- Ed made it through surgery just fine. They got it out before it ruptured. To God be the glory.
I am thanking God that your appendix did not burst!
Get well soon!!!
(Mine burst when I was 4 wks postpartum.
Such a nightmare.)
So glad you’re okay! Praying you mend quickly.
glad you got it taken care of before it became dangerous.
the shoulder pain after the laproscopic stuff is worse than the incisions, in my experience. i flew the day after my surgery, and i thought my shoulders/neck were going to break [well…not really]
get well soon!
Oh, my! So glad you’re safely home. Praying that your recovery goes smoothly and quickly and that it is a fruitful time for you.
Wow, bizarre! Glad you are well now! My sympathies about the girls. It’s so rough being bodily incapacitated.
Praying as you continue to recover– that He would give the fam patience and that He would give you rest!
Your story reminds me of my recent emergency room scare after J was born (which I probably still need to write about while it’s semi-fresh)– all the crazy thoughts running through my head– prayer is all that helped!
Get well SOOON!