If you follow me on instagram or Facebook, then you already know that I was in the hospital last week for a ruptured appendix. If you don’t know the story, then please read on…
Quick disclaimer: Always, always get checked by a doctor if you are experiencing appendicitis pain, which is generally a horrible pain in the lower right side of your abdomen. Unless, that is, you are like me and don’t have the textbook symptoms.
I thought I had food poisoning, the Wednesday before I went into the hospital. I was experiencing abdominal pain, but it was in the center of my tummy above my belly button. I also couldn’t eat and had some nausea and vomiting–nothing horrible though. I mean, I was driving the kids around, making dinner and doing my normal thing. I did have to lay down for a bit, but nothing alerted me to needing to see a doctor — I am also a nurse who knows the standard signs and symptoms of appendicitis, none of which I thought I had (this can also be interpreted as: stubborn with an unwillingness to see a doctor or go to the hospital unless ABSOLUTELY necessary). Am I breathing? – yes. Am I bleeding?- no. Then we are all good.
By Friday, the pain had eased and I was feeling better. The pain had eased because my appendix had ruptured. The appendix doesn’t always burst, it can be more like a slow leak. So there was pressure, pressure, pressure then a slow release, which was my appendix rupturing. This slow release of pressure had allowed me to no longer feel that irritating pain in the middle of my tummy, I was no longer experiencing nausea and I was keeping food down. I thought, well that was weird, but now I feel a lot better.
That is, until Sunday, when I started feeling nauseated, but this time with fevers. It wasn’t until Monday morning that I started experiencing pain to the touch, in my lower right abdomen. Ah-ha, now that is my appendix, at which point I headed into the hospital.
After a grueling 6 hours in the ER triage chain, I finally got a CT scan, initially confirming that there was indeed “something brewing around my appendix” and later confirming that it had ruptured, probably several days ago. I couldn’t believe it! Here I was, laughing and chatting with my husband, not feeling all that bad and I had a ruptured appendix! Everything I knew about appendicitis was thrown out the window.
What had happened (and what sometimes happens to other people) is that my body walled off the infection protecting me and the rest of my body. The protocol nowadays, in this particular instance, is to avoid surgery which can be dangerous with a high likelihood of exposing the rest of the body to the infection and possible loss of part of the colon. I freaking LOVE my colon, thank you very much! Thank you Dr.A for knowing not to cut into me. The new treatment includes IV antibiotics combined with fasting (no food or drinks) for a few days while getting IV fluids. This takes the burden of digestion away while allowing the antibiotics to work and the body to heal. It worked for me, because within 24 hours I had very little pain and no fevers and felt almost normal by the end of my stay. I was able to go home after 5 days and 4 nights in the hospital (which is not the best place to get any rest, btw).
I will be on oral antibiotics for 10 days and on a soft diet until further notice. At least, it is my own home-made food that I will be eating. I will happily take it. And, I will have surgery to remove, my hopefully calm, quiet and uninfected appendix in 3 months.
Now, I am trying to get back on track and deal with the side effects of oral antibiotics. I also have a ton of emails to reply to and overdue deadlines, so it will be quiet around here until and can get caught up!
WOW!…so glad you’re ok and feeling better…that sounds like a close call…
~Have a lovely day!
Oh Regina, so sorry to hear you’re unwell. Isn’t it amazing though what the field of medicine can do now-day’s including ‘letting things be’. Our bodies are remarkable. Rest up and wishing you an easy and full recovery.
so glad to hear that you will be alright. Glad you had a good doctor! Take special care of yourself Regina. much love.
Get well soon!
Oh my friend!! I am SO GLAD your ok!!! Xoxoxo hugs and love and healing to you my friend! So so thankful you’re doing better!
Hope you are back to normal very soon
Whoa.. now that is a story. Good to hear you are on the other side of it.
I had the same experience just this last week with my appendix. I had the same time in the hospital and treatment. I was released this past Monday and will taking antibiotics as well for 10 days along with having it removed in 3 months.
I could not believe I had appendicitis even though my husband kept telling me he thought it was, I just kept on going about my day and trying hard to ignore the pain util I could not any more.
I was glad to read your story and that you are doing well.
Wow Cynthia, that’s crazy! I’m glad you are okay too! Good luck with your surgery in a few months. Mine went as expected – although my abdomen was quite sore for a while. 🙂
Wow! I had a ruptured appendix back in 1965. I had been sick for about 3 days before going to the hospital. I had emergency surgery the same day I was admitted and was in the hospital for 15 days! My parents told me later on that for a while they didn’t know if I was going to make it.