Appendicitis
I have had acute appendicitis since Thursday night. At first I thought I had pulled an abdominal muscle, but the pain increased. By Friday night, the pain warranted hospitalization. My parents, abhorrent of the witch-doctors of O'Bleness, drove straight down to Athens to my rescue. After a painfully bumpy car ride to Columbus, and a 2-hour waiting room wait, I was seen by a civilized doctor.
They wanted to be sure that I really had appendicitis, and not a simple kidney stone or bowel obstruction, so they had to perform a series of tests. Instead of simply taking my word for it, I was injected with radioactive indicators intravenously, and through two other orifices. While my bowels were filled with a barium cocktail, I had to endure three CT scans. After all that, the doctors had a hunch that my appendix was inflamed and had to be surgically removed.
I underwent emergency surgery at 4:00am Saturday morning. I had never had surgery before, so this was a bit frightening. When I awoke from the deep sleep two hours later, I found myself shaking violently and uncontrollably. Though I was fully conscious, I could not control my body and was powerless during the 10 minute seizure. My body was in shock from the surgery. After the shaking had mostly subsided and I was able to speak, I requested pain medication from a nearby nurse. The medicine made everything OK.
The rest of my two-day stay in the hospital was rather routine and boring. The highlight of which was marked by the removal of my drainage probe. To drain excess infection from my abdominal cavity, an 8 inch probe had been inserted through my skin. This probe connected to a bag at my bedside. When the time came to remove the drain I almost vomited from the pain. I again requested medication.
By Sunday night, I was home. My four laproscopic incisions still prevent me from climbing stairs frequently but I am getting better by the day. I will look like a weirdo on the beach because they shaved my happy trail.
The doctors have informed me that my final exams will have to wait, I will take them come Spring quarter. My Spring break will hopefully be unaffected by this ordeal. I have been prescribed Oxycontin for my pain, this is as appreciated as the two-week vacation.
They wanted to be sure that I really had appendicitis, and not a simple kidney stone or bowel obstruction, so they had to perform a series of tests. Instead of simply taking my word for it, I was injected with radioactive indicators intravenously, and through two other orifices. While my bowels were filled with a barium cocktail, I had to endure three CT scans. After all that, the doctors had a hunch that my appendix was inflamed and had to be surgically removed.
I underwent emergency surgery at 4:00am Saturday morning. I had never had surgery before, so this was a bit frightening. When I awoke from the deep sleep two hours later, I found myself shaking violently and uncontrollably. Though I was fully conscious, I could not control my body and was powerless during the 10 minute seizure. My body was in shock from the surgery. After the shaking had mostly subsided and I was able to speak, I requested pain medication from a nearby nurse. The medicine made everything OK.
The rest of my two-day stay in the hospital was rather routine and boring. The highlight of which was marked by the removal of my drainage probe. To drain excess infection from my abdominal cavity, an 8 inch probe had been inserted through my skin. This probe connected to a bag at my bedside. When the time came to remove the drain I almost vomited from the pain. I again requested medication.
By Sunday night, I was home. My four laproscopic incisions still prevent me from climbing stairs frequently but I am getting better by the day. I will look like a weirdo on the beach because they shaved my happy trail.
The doctors have informed me that my final exams will have to wait, I will take them come Spring quarter. My Spring break will hopefully be unaffected by this ordeal. I have been prescribed Oxycontin for my pain, this is as appreciated as the two-week vacation.
