Pesky Appendix

On Thursday the 18th of November I woke up with severe abdominal pain.  I had some things I HAD to do that morning so I popped some Aleve and went on my merry way... or pained way.. or well I just went.  After I completed what HAD to be done I went home.  I ran into Leo and Andrea.  I was still in severe pain.  Thinking that taking a nap would help, I went upstairs to lay down, though it was quite uncomfortable.  I did eventually fall asleep and when I woke up I still hurt. 

     "What?" I thought. 
     "What is going on with me.. why am I in such pain... I have taken stomach medicine, antacid medication, Aleve and nothing has worked..."

This was also the opening night of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.  I had plans to go to Cincinnati for dinner with a group of friends and then off to the movie.  I was determined to go.  I had planned for this night for about a month and nothing was going to stop me, not even an upset stomach.  So after the nap I got dressed as Random Slytherin student 11 and realized in the process that I had left my movie ticket at work. So after dressing and grabbing everything I would need...ie cloak, wand, Slytherin tie, pouch, etc... I got in the car and drove to work.  All this time I am still in pain and of course the traffic was backed up.  It felt like it took forever.  I finally arrived and went inside... feeling horrible... got my ticket and decided that even if I didn't make it to dinner the movie didn't start till midnight, I could conceivably go to an Urgent Care and see what is wrong and still make it to the movie.  So off to America's Urgent Care I went.  I wanted to be sure that I NEEDED to go to an ER due to exorbitantly high copay for ER with my insurance.  35$ for an Urgent Care is way better then 200$ for an ER.   What I found out is if you are having abdominal pain they refer you to the ER because they only have an X-ray machine, no ct scan. :(  Boo.  So I didn't waste my money there... I called my mom.

I told mom that I had been having abdominal pain all day (by now it was 5:15) and that it had not gone away or abated at all. 

     She said "Erin, go to the ER."
     I said "Where should I go?"
     She said "Where are you at?"
     I said "I'm driving on 315 S."
     She said "Go to Mt Carmel West, I will meet you there."

So I did.  When I arrived, there were only a couple other people waiting.  I checked myself in at 5:30 and waited for my mom to show up.  She arrived not long after I did and then we waited.  About 7 pm. I was called back to an exam room.  The ER doctor was very nice and she pressed around on my stomach and asked where it hurt.  I said all over... until she pressed down in the right side and realized that real pain came from there.  My right side.  My appendix.  She said you either have a nasty case of constipation or you have appendicitis.  You are going to need a Ct scan.  Then she said some other people would be coming in and she left.  I guess I should say that I had never been admitted into the hospital in my adult life.  I had never had a ct, I had never had an IV.  I had never had surgery where I was cut open and things were either removed or repaired.  I had never had strong drugs.  I was about to experience it all. 

I met many very nice doctors, nurses, students, residents and technicians all who were working on making me feel better.  I joked around with everyone, answering questions and then asking questions of my own.  Thomas came in and put in my IV and then drew what seemed like vile after vile of blood.  I was proud of my self for not crying and for not freaking out.  I think mom was too.  A 3rd year student name Kim came in and asked me my demographic information and the standard questionnaire... "Do you smoke? Do you drink? If so how much a week? She then looked at me and then looked at my mom, sidled a little closer and asked "Do you use recreational drugs?"  I had to laugh because I'm 31 and if I did, it wouldn't be any of my moms business in the first place but I don't so it didn't matter anyway and mom said "She is 31 I don't care."  However Kim was very nice and very easy to talk to.  She eventually wants to go into Internal Medicine and I think that is grand.  Where ever she goes she will do well.  Then a nurse came in and said it was time for my CT.  So I put on my shoes and walk down the hall.  As I said before I had never had a ct, but I wasn't afraid of having one.  I knew the basic concept.  However when I walked in Technician A asked me if I was ready for my ct. I said yes.  I laid down and then she mentioned that I was going to have an enema.  The contract fluid would be given to me in that fashion so they could do the abdominal ct.  I bolted right up out of the ct machine and looked at the Technician like she was crazy.  NOBODY had mentioned an enema.  Technician A said "I'm sorry. The doctor didn't tell her about the enema" and Technician B said "They never do."  So after calming down and realizing that if I didn't do this then I would have to drink the chalky mixture... I left my modesty and dignity at the door and suffered through.  I will not go into any more details than suffice it to say I made it through and they were able to determine that Yes, I did in fact have appendicitis.

Back in my room, confined to the bed... I waited for my mom to return.  She had gone out to make some phone calls...When she got back I told her about the indignity of the surprise enema.  I also had a few minutes to text my friends who were having dinner at this point in time.  Pictures were sent and I was happy to see my friends having a good time.  More people wandered in and out asking questions... the ER doc came in and confirmed my appendicitis and I looked her straight in the eye and said "You didn't tell me about the surprise enema.  She had enough grace to look abashed at this and said I don't because people tend to freak out over them.  I said I could see how that could happen.  It's not every day a person gets an enema... or maybe it is, but not this person.  LOL.  Anyway, after that she asked if there was a surgeon I wanted and mom piped up with Dr. Buday and he just happened to be the doctor on call, we found out a little later, and I got my first taste of some serious drugs.  Dilauded... is... amazing.  It made me wooshy in the head immediately. It dulled my pain considerably and made me rather loopy.  Next in were Vijay the 3rd year resident and Kim the third year student.  Vijay gave me a neurological exam... I told him I thought it unfair to dope me up with drugs then expect me to follow his finger with just my eyes.  He didn't even crack a smile.  He checked my pulse, listened to my heart, had me breathe deep, checked my pulse in my feet, tested my reflexes and worked his way back up.  He said he was going to do something and I piped in with "Do the hokey pokey and turn yourself around..."  He smiled a little then.  He moved to my head and neck and and just as he layed his hands on me there was a "knock" on the curtain... I said "Just a minute!  I'm being felt up in here!!"  Finally I managed to get Vijay to smile and laugh.  My whole goal. 

I think that is all I will say for now.. there is much more but this is getting rather long.  I am still planning on going to Colorado, I am just glad that this happened while I was still home instead of out there.  :)

In the beginning...

Back in February or March of this year.. or possibly even earlier... like January... Leo spoke of the possibility of he and Andrea moving to Denver next year for a job.  Cameron Mitchell is planning on opening a restaurant in the Historical District of downtown Denver called Ocean Prime and Leo was seriously considering applying for the position.  It works well for them both as Andrea's family lives outside of Denver.  I sat stunned because I immediately thought "Where am I going to go?"  I have really enjoyed living with Andrea and Leo. We all get along and it has worked out really well for me.  So I asked them..."What happens to me?"  and they replied... "Why don't you come with us."  Or something to that effect.  I thought about it...and thought about it... and these thoughts flitted across my mind..
    
     "I am 30 years old and I have lived my entire life, here in Ohio."
     "I am not married."
     "I don't have any children."
     "I don't own a home."
     "Why NOT go to Denver??"

As time went by, as it always does, Leo applied and was being "considered".... I finally came to my decision.  This will be my last year at the Ohio Renaissance Festival.  This will be my last year as Queen Elizabeth.  This will be my last year in Ohio.  I announced, in the kitchen to be exact, that "Yes.  I would go with them to Denver... after all three incomes are better than two."  What a wonderfully freeing declaration. 

Not long after that I told my mom that there was a chance that I would be moving to Colorado.  She didn't believe me, not at first and well, I don't blame her. It's a crazy idea.  It's far away from home and everything I have ever known.  I would be leaving my nieces and my nephew and all my family.  I would be, essentially on my own to succeed or fail, accordingly. 

I'll tell you a secret...  The whole idea for me, is very exciting.  :)

So here I am.  Two months from possibly going to Denver.  I say possibly because the restaurant is still having problems with opening. See, in a historical district, there are rules and regulations about transforming a plain old building into a "new" old restaurant.  Signs have to be a specific size and color, apparently, and when renovating the inside there are certain things that have to be done all the while holding the integrity of the building in place.  Tricksy is what it is.  So the opening, which originally was supposed to happen in December, has been pushed out to February.  If everything goes to plan we will be moving out there in January... but if not we won't be going until a bit later.

Looks like I should probably start packing... <g>