My plans this August include Hawaii with Brian and his family, and a two week trip to Ireland and Italy that I had been planning with my mom since January; and to really top things off, a bachelorette party in Minneapolis at the tail end of the month. We planned to leave for Hawaii on Saturday, July 30th, and of course it had to begin less than 24 hours after my last day of work.
So, here I was on a Tuesday night, I just ate dinner and I started feeling cramping and flu-like symptoms in my lower back and abdomen. I ended up taking a phone call from my best friend and we talked for over an hour, all the while I felt my symptoms getting worse. I finally told her that I had to go, that I just didn't feel well.
I got off the phone and told Brian I was going to bed and that I felt sick. I laid down and could not get comfortable. Then I started feeling sick. I tried to throw up, I tried to find some relief by passing gas by laying on my side, but nothing was working. Finally, at 10:00pm I starting throwing up and continued to do so until 2:00am in the morning when I finally decided that the ER was the only way out of my misery.
Brian rolled me into the ER. They checked me in, asked for my symptoms, and immediately thought it was a kidney stone. They gave me some meds for the pain, which definitely helped, and then they ordered a CT Scan. I was wheeled upstairs for the CT Scan and asked to lay on my stomach for about 15 to 20 minutes, while the bed I was laying on was moving back and forth, and up and down, under an x-ray machine. All this movement completely knocked me out. Once it was over, I woke up to a technician and a bed of my own drool. Following this, I then went in for an abdominal x-ray.
After all of the x-rays were examined, there was no sign of any kidney stones and the diagnosis was unclear. I was presented with discharge papers and asked to follow up with my doctor if my pain persisted. The papers did include a possibility of an appendicitis, but nothing was found on the abdominal x-ray to show that that was the case.
Brian and I got home around 5:30am and slept for a few hours. I had to go to work because I only had three more days to get everything done before my month off. That day I was in pain. I was walking hunched over because if anything jiggled in my stomach it would hurt; speed bumps hurt. The cramping and stiffness was still present in my abdomen, but lightened up in my back. Thursday finally came and still no relief. I started getting nervous and wondering why this pain was not going away, so I decided to make an appointment with my doctor. I set up an appointment for Friday at 1:30pm and I powered through the day. When I got home Thursday night, I started taking ex-lax because as many of you know, when you tell your friends your sick, especially with stomach issues, everyone blames it on gas. Needless to say, the ex-lax was not doing much. Friday came and I felt a tiny bit better. I wrapped everything up at work and headed to the doctor's office.
The doctor heard my symptoms and started to feel around my stomach for the most pain, she landed on the area of the useless appendix. She told me she wanted to schedule some lab work and I started freaking out. I informed her of our outbound flight to Hawaii the very next day, and the trip to Ireland I had planned with my mom. She told me that the pain might be something serious and she did not want me to fly until I had some lab work done to figure out the problem. She scheduled an ultra sound and a blood draw and sent me on my way to Northwest Medical Outpatient Hospital.
I was so upset and scared that my travel plans were off and that something might be seriously wrong. I called Brian and he met me at the lab, I went in and had blood work done and then the ultra sound. The women rolled a tool with gooey substance on it around my belly and asked me where I felt the most pain. I indicated the right side and she pushed down really hard. WOW, was it painful. She left the room to grab a doctor, he came in and looked at the screen and they both agreed that I had a stone in my appendix and I had to get my appendix out immediately.
No sooner was I bawling my head off, asking how long it would take for me to recover. Could I still go to Hawaii and Ireland with my mom? My doctor called me and told me that I would have to have surgery that night. She told me my surgeon was Dr. Paula Denevan and gave me instructions to go to the ER at Northwest Hospital to check in.
Brian and I arrived at the ER, checked in, and had a great nurse by the name of Andrew. Of course, he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, safety glasses, and was a complete nut. Thank God! We immediately
questioned him about the procedure, our flight, as well as everyone else we came into contact within the hour. No one really knew better than Dr. Denevan and we had to wait to meet her upstairs in the operating room.
I slipped on my hospital gown, sent out an alert to family and friends, Andrew hooked me up to an IV, gave me something to relax, and by 6:00pm I was rolled up to the operating room to have my appendix removed. We finally met Dr. Denevan and she informed us of the procedure. We asked her 20 questions about the recovery process, when I could fly, and if Ireland and Italy was still in my future. She said it would most likely be fine to travel, but she wanted to wait until after the surgery to make any final recommendations. She did say that if we wanted to fly and leave on Monday, that I would have to agree to give myself a shot of blood-thinner both going and coming back from Hawaii. I agreed. I met with the anesthesiologist and informed him that I was a veteran when it came to surgeries, I think I even impressed him with my history of elbow surgeries and the ten pins that still remain in my elbow now.
I kissed Brian goodbye and rolled into the operating room. I asked everyone in the room if they were going to blare rock and roll music after they put me out. That is the last thing I remember. I woke up to a lovely nurse in the recovery room and she told me I was doing well. I was actually quite awake and feeling pretty good. Dr. Denevan came in and told me everything went well. She also presented me with some gross pictures of my inflamed appendix. About an hour later, I was rolled into my hospital room, where I was greeted by Brian, Kari, Kit, my sweet nurse Pat, and the very kind certified nursing assistant, Ade. Kari took a picture of me and posted it on Facebook and we talked about how quickly all this transpired, especially when everyone thought it was gas. Being in the medical field, Kari was very curious about the content of the stones found in my appendix. She wanted to know if they were fecal stones and I told her I would follow up with her after I asked the surgeon. Brian re-booked our flight to Hawaii to leave on Monday.
I finally kicked everyone out and tried to get some sleep, but every hour Ade came in to check my blood pressure, my temperature, and to help me get up to use the restroom. Ade left and T.C. took over. Pat came in every so often, to shoot me up with antibiotics and pain meds, and we had lovely talks about family and life in general.
I finally woke up around 6:00am and Brian rolled over around 7:00am. I was definitely sore, but nothing like before the surgery. The nursing staff changed over in the morning, and Dr. Denevan came in around 10:00am. We asked her about the stones and they were fecal stones - gross! How a person gets fecal stones in their appendix I will never know, but just do not let it happen to you. I was extremely depressed to hear that my workout regiment would be placed on hold for at least two to three weeks. She said I was recovering well and that I could go home, she also said I was clear to fly on Monday and that she would prescribe me three blood thinner shots. One to and back from Hawaii, and one on the way to Ireland. So, let's just hope that all goes well my recovery and with my circulation.
Me with the surgeon, Dr. Denevan
What a fun story.... I think you could make a book out of your ordeal. Have fun in Hawaii and a perfect place for R&R
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