The great appendectomy of 2010

I must have a flair for dramatic medical conditions. Remember the blizzard colonoscopy of 2009?

Whenever I feel like I've "overdone it" since Sophie was born I would get this pain in my right side like I pulled something. I always took a couple of ibuprofen and the pain died down. Last Tuesday (12/22) however, I got home from shopping with my mom and the pain progressively got worse. I was convinced I must have pulled something again until the middle of the night when the ibuprofen was not working and I couldn't sleep (and it was so sad because Sophie was sleeping beautifully). After doing some research I concluded that it must be my appendix or my kidneys causing the pain. I called the OB and they saw me Wednesday morning and concluded that it was probably my gallbladder and ordered for me to have an ultrasound on Thursday. Insert many tear filled phone calls on the way home from that appointment because y'all...I love some Chick-fil-a and red meat and I didn't want to have major life/diet-altering, diarrhea causing surgery when I had a 3 week old at home. My pain grew worse as we waited for Thursday morning to the point where pain pills barely touched it. I developed an awful fever and vomiting. Steven was wonderful at taking care of me and cleaning up after me when I couldn't make it to the toilet in time. It was funny when he would make me take the bucket with me to nurse Sophie in the middle of the night.

Needless to say when Thursday morning arrived I was MISERABLE! The pain was worse than labor contractions with pitocin before I got the epidural because at least with contractions you get a break every couple of minutes. We went for the ultrasound and the tech said there were no gallstones. I left the hospital in tears because the pain was getting worse and it seemed there was no hope in sight. We came home and I took some pain pills and went to sleep while Steven tried to get in touch with the doctor to talk about my ultrasound results. The Dr. got me in with a general surgeon at the hospital who concluded that it was probably my appendix and had me admitted to the hospital for a CT scan right away.

About 4 hours later after getting checked in and drinking lots of nasty contrast stuff (I wouldn't wish that nasty concoction on my worst enemy) I had my CT scan. Maybe 15 min after my CT scan they were prepping me for surgery because it looked like my appendix was about to rupture if it hadn't already.

Surgery was quick and I was back in my room 2 hours later and was discharged on Christmas Eve less than 12 hours after surgery. They told me it looked like my appendix had been flaring up for a long time or that it progressed really quickly. I did have pain in my right side during pregnancy but I dismissed it as round ligament pain or Sophie kicking an organ.

I am recovering pretty well. However, I developed some nasty allergy/sinus junk and it hurts to cough and sneeze with an incision in your tummy. A visit to the minute clinic on New Years Eve has helped in feeling better with that though.

I am so blessed though. Steven has been so sweet taking care of me and Sophie. He gets up with me in the middle of the night to change her and bring her to me to nurse and then puts her back to bed for me since it's hard to pick her up and get up with her in my arms. Steven's parents were wonderful to come and stay with her while I was in the hospital. Both of our moms and some friends came to help me with Sophie after Steven went back to work last week.

The bright side is that at least I've met my deductible and out of pocket max for 2010 so it was really like a BOGO deal. Have a baby and get an appendectomy for free.

Hello 2011, may you be healthy and uneventful.