On Friday April 27 about 1PM I had a stomach-ache, and as the afternoon progressed it got steadily worse. Tried Epsom salts, tried walking, but I got so that I was practically in tears; I really hurt. Finally had Betty take me into the ER about 6 (gotta remember, time gets all distorted about here and doesn't straighten out for at least 48 hours!).
Got to the ER, they were pretty busy, but they got me in and lying down, which didn't make it hurt less but at least I didn't have to stand up while it hurt. The doc decided that I might have appendicitis. He could call in a radiologist and do a scan (don't remember if MRI or CT), which would mean that we might have an answer in 3 hours, or he could call in a surgical team and have them start cutting. I figured that if they started cutting at least I wouldn't hurt any more, so I opted for surgery. They called in the surgical team and I headed for the OR at about 8.
The idea nowadays for an appendectomy is to make three tiny incisions and use those to manipulate and remove the appendix (laparoscopy). That's where they started, they could see some pus but it didn't look too bad, so they decided to explore further. I now have a nine inch incision running from just above my naval straight down. They found more pus, but the appendix looked normal and they couldn't see anything else really wrong. So, they removed the appendix to send in for pathology, cleaned me up and stapled me shut.
I kinda recall waking up in the anesthesia recovery room, I'm told I arrived in my Med/Surg room at about 1AM, that would be on Saturday morning.
Over the next few days I was kept on a clear liquid diet, they wanted to keep the options open until the path results came back. After that I had to learn to drink, then belch, then urinate, then pass gas.
Was kinda fun having the PBTV to the room. I'm not normally a TV watcher, I didn't have a channel guide, and I had no idea what might be out there, so I did a lot of channel surfing. Got to learn about how the Roman's used water power, got to see about a search for Nessie, got to see parts of some Pro Stock, Funny Car, and Top Fuel races, parts of a motorcycle show (kool bikes!), and quite a few Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo, and Sylvester cartoons. Also got to see the last part of "The League of Extraordinary Men", not too sure of the characterizations of some of my favorite fictional characters or about the plot development, but will have to rent the movie and see it and decide. Some good photography and miniature work definitely.
Evvy lent me her copy of "Eragon" after she and Matt had both read it. Only took me a few hours to read through it. I went off the morphine pump on Wednesday morning, and I think I had been using it to help me relax and sleep, I sure couldn't get to sleep Wednesday night. So, I read the book. The plot is rather straightforward with no really surprising twists, but it is well written and thought out and a good story. I finished it about 5am. I will have to get the sequel "Eldest" to see how it continues.
I didn't go onto any solid food at all until Wednesday evening, And I was finally allowed to go home on Thursday morning, after I allowed a student nurse to remove about half the staples.
First time I've ever had a close look at surgical staples. For some reason I had the impression of a staple like you would use for paper, but these are actually a closer relation to the staple used in construction, they go in straight. The staple remover is a small compound lever that grasps the staple in the middle section and bends the two legs up and out. Removal doesn't hurt, in fact, I don't think I would have noticed it if I weren't watching it.
So, now it's Thursday afternoon and I'm back at home. I still don't have my bowels fully under control, if I say I need the bathroom better get out of the way! cause I'm coming in!, can't do a durn thing, can't get in my bed, can't get out of bed, can't work on the shop or the house or the van or the ...., you get the picture. I'm hoping to start catching up on my email and so-on tomorrow morning, but I wanted to get all this written down while it was as clear as it will ever be in my head.
Oh, and the pathology? nothing wrong with the appendix, nothing at all. I might have to see if the lab still has it, maybe I can see it. Doc now suspects diverticulitis, have to go in for a colonoscopy.
Gas? I think last week I was going to note that it was up at some stations to 2.87, on way home from hospital noted that EVERYONE is at 2.99. Mother's Day (Fishing Opener) is just over a week away now.
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