Still in the hospital. Still not allowed to eat. 5 days and counting.
I was admitted last Tuesday for observation of suspected appendicitis.
The pain was getting worse each day. The doctors were arguing is it or isn't it. My obe was insisting they proceed with surgery (she said in pregnancy the rule is if in doubt go with surgery) and though the surgeon was reluctant he was being convinced. They decided on Wed night that I would have surgery on Thursday.
Thursday morning my Filipino Mum came in and raised hell. Why wasn't there a gastroenterologist on my team and why wasn't my endocrinologist on the team and didn't they know I was high risk and complicated? And they needed a case conference before proceeding with surgery.
So the surgery was delayed for a few hours while the doctors argued and held a case conference. Meanwhile the pain was much worse. I was crying and telling them I didn't care what they did but I couldn't live with the pain like that. Finally the gastro doctor came in and did another examination and declared they should proceed.
Epidural and sedative. I was pretty awake most of the time. Felt like I couldn't breathe and they kept telling me not to hyperventilate, until they upped the sedative or whatever and finally I stopped struggling. Could feel the movements, and hear them talking. They examined everything. They found inflammation at the
appendix and colitis on the right side. Interesting experience being awake while your insides are being manipulated. Though I don't really want to repeat that for a long time (READ - EVER!)
Fast forward 2 days. I am just becoming able to walk around. Man this is so painful. My obe came in the morning with the pathology report. Subacute appendicititis and with fibrocytic changes (basically meaning scar tissue from chronic inflammation). She was apologising to me for her gastro colleagues who kept fobbing me off and said she was embarrassed for how they treated me. Told me she will have words with them. In fairness to her, she has been saying chronic appendicitis since she saw me 2 1/2 months ago. This stage of pregnancy, the end of the 1st trimester, is apparently the safest time for surgery. The baby is mature enough to handle the drugs without undue effects and yet the uterus is still small enough not to impede the surgery or get in the way.
Just goes to show, there is such thing as chronic appendicitis! THough it seems gastro doctors don't believe in it. The gastro doctor this morning was trying to tell me, yes you had appendicitis, but that doesn't mean that the three months of preceding pain was from that! Come on! Pull the other leg!!!
The right sided pain is gone. What a relief! The recovery from the surgery has been very painful. They did a laparotomy (big incision) cause they wanted to have a good look around. Am really bloated, a consequence of them doing a manual examination of the colon and intestines (which tends to disrupt normal bowel movement) plus the medicine to stop contractions. They won't allow me anything but clear liquids until the bloating goes down.
Still have epidural in place and catheter. I think they will release me by Monday or Tuesday (after I go to the toilet and do number 2!). Though how that's going to happen with no food I don't know!
Enough for now. Am quite tired from sitting up. Will lie down after housekeeping come and clean up. The catheter got disconnected. What a mess!!! Won't bore you with that.
They checked on Peanut this afternoon. He/she was doing summersaults and looking good! Am ok, and recovering. I'll update you in a few days once I get out of this hospital.
Sally