Sooo, I've been MIA for a bit. When I get very scared, I sometimes isolate. In this case particular-- I had no answers for what was going and and therefore felt kind of crazy and had no answers for others. This all started last Monday morning, about 6 am. I awoke with a weird feeling in my stomach and went to the bathroom. The next thing I knew I hit the floor with a severe, stabbing pain in my stomach. My legs, hand and face went completely numb and I almost passed out. I crawled to my phone and called my dad- "I'm scared. Come over." It felt like an hr, but he got there. I managed to make it to the car and headed to the ER. Half way there the pain seemed to let up. By this point, I had decided I must have had an ovarian cyst rupture. I decided to go home and make an appt to see my OB GYN and avoid the ER at all costs.
I saw my ob gyn and after a vaginal ultrasound (Ouch!!) they determined a cyst had ruptured bc of all the excess fluid and gave me pain medication. I was still doing so badly my doctor offered to have me admitted to the hospital for IV fluids and pain meds, but who wants to go to a hospital if they can avoid it? I went home. I took my meds as ordered, and Tuesday I started feeling better.
Wednesday morning, shit really hit the fan. I awoke with a fever of 102 and terrible chills and more stomach pain. Off the the ER. There they ran blood tests, another ultrasound, filled me up with morphine and determined nothing was wrong and sent me home. Even though the morphine had barely touched me (and I am usually very sensitive to things) I figured they must be right so I listened. They said I would be fine. Later that day, I started to become delirious and my dad begged me to go back to the ER. For those of you that know my dad, he is very laid back. I scared the crap out of him. So I tried a different ER this time. This time I got a CT scan. NORMAL. Wtf. Seriously? What is going on. They next day I talked to my OB GYN again and she thought I was having a missed appendicitis and wanted me to go back to the ER. After two visits in one day, in my mind there was NO way I was going back to the ER. I was popping my pain pills like candy and still in excruciating pain. I was ready to throw the towel in. I never got depressed- but I was so very sad and frustrated. What if this was a new Lyme symptom? Everything else I have gotten through, but I didn't think I could go on like that.
My parents were amazing and very supportive. I know they were very scared. Monday I had an appt with my FP Dr who is treating me for Lyme. She could tell something was very wrong with me. She talked to my ob gyn (they are in the same practice) and they both decided I needed to go back to the ER and try to get an exploratory laproscopy. So off to the ER I went. They wait was going to be at least 4 hours. I was trying not to take anymore pain medicine for a proper assessment and I thought I was going to die there. Both of my doctors thought it was appendicitis and one of my doctors had called ahead trying to get me in quickly. Unfortunately, Monday's are bad days in the ER. There were a number of traumas and other people very sick. Finally, after sitting for 3 and 1/2 hrs, I started bawling hysterically and almost passed out. This got me a bed in the HALLWAY. After being assessed by the doctors, I could tell none of them thought anything was really wrong with me. Luckily, my doctor called me when I was talking to a Dr in the ER and I don't know what she said, but she got me admitted. After 6 hrs of hell, I was taken to a room in the observation unit. Luckily, I had a very nice nurse. I had another CT that night. CT's are scary to me, and I just imagine all the radiation going into my poor body. My body was already polluted with so much pain medicine.
The next day, I was told I was basically impacted. The pain meds had pretty much stopped any flow in my body. The dr's figured that was it, so they ordered stuff to make me 'go.' Wait a second. I went through all of this bc I needed to (excuse my language) SHIT? I don't effing think so. Many of my labs were out of whack too, nothing scary though. I was so lost and confused.
Later that evening, I finally got my answer to EVERYTHING>> Epiploic Appendagitis. http://radiographics.rsna.org/content/25/6/1521.full
Very uncommon, so of course I'd get it. But I was SO happy! It fit my horrible symptoms perfectly. And better yet- it resolved itself. I could go home and NO surgery! Thank the dear Lord.
Today, I am feeling much better. Still sore and some minor stomach cramping, but I am walking upright again. I put on mascara. I'm not pale and sweaty. I'm not throwing everything up. I ate a little. What a difference! Even though this week was pure hell, it did make me realize something. I live with chronic pain and random weird symptoms bc of my Lyme disease. But I am functioning. I am still able to do a LOT and for that, I am so grateful. It was almost a little wake up call to yank me back into the moment and appreciate being able to eat, sleep, shower, drive, work (even the small amount I do) etc. It showed me how my parents will be there through anything. Although my mom did say next time she is in the hospital with me, there better be a baby at the end. HA. My friends that knew about this were amazing and supportive as well. My boyfriend came on the last day so he 'luckily' got to miss most of the madness. I am just so happy. I am going to get back on my healthy healing path now. And I hope I never have to look at a pain pill again, haha. <3 <3
