May 25 2008
NOT the stomach flu!
I am writing this from my bed at the Sanpete valley hospital. The date is Sunday May 25th. I was diagnosed with appendicitis on Wednesday May 21st and went into surgery about an hour later. Here is how it all went down:
Sunday night (May 18th): start feeling sharp pain all over my stomach.
Monday: pain is worse this day, culminating at 3:00m with the onset of a six-hour puke-fest. Puke-fest concludes at about 9:00 pm, but pain is still bad.
Tuesday: severe pain all over my abdomen. At this point I have concluded that I had a bad stomach flu and the pain is just sore muscles from aforementioned puke-fest. Pain is not any better by bedtime. I writhe all night.
Wednesday: wake up and decide there is something more going on. I get into the doctor and he runs some tests. At first they think it might be a severe bladder infection or kidney infection. Doctor begins poking around my abdomen and I yell “Ow!” when he pushes on my right side and lets go. Doc sends me to hospital to get fluids ( I was very dehydrated) and blood tests and something for the pain. Yay! Arrive at the hospital and get my IV, and they draw my blood. Results show my white blood cell count at somewhere near 20,000 (normal is usually around 6,000). That means my body is trying to fight a major infection somewhere. They decide to run a CT scan and find my abdomen full of fluid and an appendix that doesn’t look right. Surgeon comes to tell us all this and that they need to operate immediately. I come out of surgery minus one burst appendix and a damaged right fallopian tube. (It’s okay! I’ve got another one!)
Since then I have been laying in the hospital getting pumped full of fluid and antibiotics. Apparently I was much more sick than even the doctor realized. So they are taking every precaution to get all the infection out and make sure I’m totally out of danger before I go home. This is the sickest I have ever been, the worst I have ever felt, and I would rather go through childbirth than have this happen to me. I have never felt more helpless or frustrated. But also never more grateful for a body that can recover from something like this and for an amazing surgeon with so much experience and a strong testimony. Thanks mom and dad for dropping everything to be with me and taking our kids so that I could focus on getting better for them. Thanks to my bros and sisters for the beautiful flowers and card. Thanks Jensen Fam for taking care of our kids all day Wednesday while we were dashing back and forth from clinic to home to hospital. Thanks to all our family and friends who have been praying for us and calling to see how everything is going. Thanks Kim for being my nurse and errand boy, for helping me change my clothes, pick things up off the floor, so many little things that I can’t do by myself right now. I love you! He’s working on a book entitled: “The Art of Sleeping on Hospital Furniture”
It’s one thing to have an appendix that needs to be taken out. It’s quite another to have one that has burst and shot infection-filled pus all through your abdominal cavity. A normal appendectomy takes around 20 mins. This one took an hour and a half, because the surgeon had to flush all the crud that had been sitting in there since probably Monday. Since they closed me up, they have been pumping antibiotics into me all day, every day. I swear it’s leaking out of my pores and I can taste it in my mouth. That said, it’s easier to understand why it has taken me so long to recover from this. My body is just starting to learn to function again. But I am doing better and I might get to go home tomorrow. I will keep you posted!
I was so glad to read your new message. You are sounding much more like yourself which means you really are starting to feel better. HOORAY> We have been very concerned even though we know all this recovery takes time. Welcome back,
Love Mom
What??? I feel like such a horrible person that I didn’t know! I am glad that they figured out what was ailin’ ya, and that you are feeling better! Gosh! I knew I was eagerly awating your blog come back for a reason!
We are so glad you are getting better. Troy is glad to hear the veterinarian knows his stuff about appendix on people as well as horses. We love you!
What?!!! holy crap, charlynn! I am so glad you are okay. That is super scary business. If you need anything at all, let me know. You’ll be in my prayers.
This is so crazy. We were in Richfield and Kayce told Mike that you were in the hospital. I am so glad you are feeling better. Take it easy and try to get some rest.
I am such a bad friend. Oh my crappin’ crap! I got back in town from a trip on Wednesday and had no idea. MAn, you are an adventurous person! and you are such a strong one, too. I am just glad to hear that it is going up from here! I can’t believe you didn’t have to go to the ER sooner! You are so strong! Your pain tolerance level is probably oh…300 percent higher than mine! I’ve got to call you…
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