The Pain Chronicles, VOL 2 part 1
Blog 11
Welcome Back!
My name is Wylie and I'm your PainPAL!
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Well, you're not going to BELIEVE what happened to me ... (talk about your Pain Pal! Ugh!)
It's taken me five months to really feel like I'm getting back to normal, plus process the events enough in order to write down what happened and share them. It's actually sort of perfect for PainPAL since PainPAL is a Blog dealing with Pain in its variety of forms ... and well, I just experienced some of the worst pain imaginable and I'm not exaggerating.
You may have noticed that there was a good stretch of time between my Oct 2 post and my post on Feb 4 ... there's a good reason for that: it's because I had Emergency GallBladder Removal Surgery on Oct 16. Actually I spent three full days in the Hospital, plus the trip by Ambulance to the ER, arriving around 8pm on Oct. 14, finally being released on or around 5pm on Oct. 17.
I still can't quite believe that my GallBladder burst! (Sadly the tests the hospital did, did not pick that up, and the doctors discovered it DURING surgery!) It's a DOOZY (and I mean a real F-in DOOZY!) of a story! And I figure writing about it may help someone, and that's my purpose for writing PainPAL: if I can help even one person, then the project is worth it. In this case, the first thing I learned from my experience, was when you feel sick for longer than 48hrs, and pain is involved, don't try to be a hero, GO SEE a Doctor!!! I didn't, and the Gall Bladder Burst! (I had over three full days of warning.)
Now, if you reference my Pain Chronicles, VOL 1 blog, I said 'a Storm can change everything' ... well I wasn't just thinking about all the storms we've had this last year, the three major hurricanes, and the unbelievable 'Fire-Storms' we had in Napa and Sonoma, and also in Southern California. I was thinking of a Storm as a metaphor. Certainly my knee injuries have changed my life, but now, also, my Gall Bladder experience is Life Changing!
Ok ... So what happened?!!
Well, it started on a Tuesday evening when I asked two friends to help me move my apartment around (being disabled, I have to ask for help ... that's another big lesson too: Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help!!), mainly moving my bed closer to both the kitchen and the bathroom so I could be as close to both as possible while being 'laid up' (post-op) for ~3 months ... and the bed works best.
After they left, however, I started getting sick. Vomiting and overall feeling yucky. And my stomach hurt, (really hurt) which I thought was just because/related to the vomiting. That was on a Tuesday evening. I had to scrap all my plans Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (it was supposed to be a huge week of appointments and getting things done) because my stomach still hurt and I kept sleeping a lot. I thought maybe it was food poisoning or the flu, but an intelligent person, i.e. not an idiot like me, would have gone to see the doctor.
Now one thing I know is that I'm still working on my ego and pride, but unfortunately I tried to gut it out ... horrible pun I know ... but given what you're about to hear, I get to use it. Anyway, on Saturday, I was feeling a little better, and so decided to finally try some real food (I'd just been drinking fluids since Tues eve). I tried some chicken and rice soup, but ate mostly just the broth, and not a lot, but enough because I thought I was turning a corner. Usually when I get sick, I get really sick, so I was thinking this was one of those times (I couldn't have been More WRONG!!!!). After a few bites, I found myself ready for another nap, around 5 or 6pm or so (I had been taking a LOT of those for the past few days) ... and THEN (pretend to hear sirens here!!!)
I awoke with a start ... with HORRIBLE LEVEL 10 Pain in my abdomen ... the PAIN on the right side.
Now, I don't wake up very well or smoothly in the first place, but I've awoken to my Knee Pain Many, MANY times. This was NOT like that at all! This is what I'd call horribly ACUTE PAIN in my abdomen. It was so Bad that I was taking very shallow, short, and quick breaths. And with the disorientation, I didn't know what to think either.
My theory is this: With Pain, the fight or flight instinct kicks in. But what's worse, is that the PAIN is INSIDE the Body!! So the mind has to get involved and overcome the emotional crazy-ville. Right then, I had no idea why the pain was so acute. At first I thought maybe it was a burst appendix. Also, even though my body was SCREAMING and I was literally moaning and groaning, I thought about trying to hang on and just trying to get through it, hoping it would pass, but then I thought about how SIGNIFICANT THE PAIN WAS, and decided I was probably really in some trouble, and NEEDED to get to see a doctor.
But there was NO WAY I could drive myself to the ER.
So THEN of course I found myself debating about whether to call a friend or calling an Ambulance (which I'd never done before). You see that's another of the lessons from this: I need to treat myself like I treat others. I'd have called an Ambulance for a friend or family member or even a stranger if they were hearing the sounds my mouth kept uttering without my approval (I mean it was surreal ... actually I'm pretty sure it's called delirium ... which happens when you reach Level 10 for any length of time ... and, well, my mouth would not shut up: I literally had no control of the strange noises of pain that I was making!!).
Finally I decided to call 911 for the Ambulance (but wow, I had no idea the ride would be so bumpy -- and SO NOT Helpful being on my back, my belly throbbing like a jack-hammer, and my mouth acting like the echo-chamber of a horror movie ... well, hopefully you get the idea). In about 30 mins (of agony) they finally showed up (which unbeknownst to me, really would be a foretaste of the delays and patience I'd need going forward). Thankfully we arrived at the ER, where, thankfully the ER doctor upped the pain medication that had been started in the Ambulance.
After my admittance to the ER, the doctors had to figure out what was wrong!
1st was the CT scan. Now I was just guessing it was Appendix related, but the CT scan read that it was the Gall Bladder (sadly, what it didn't tell the doctors was that the Gall Bladder was RUPTURED ... hence the LEVEL 10 PAIN!!!).
Thankfully, the ER kept my pain levels around 5 to 6, and the doctor explained I needed my Gall Bladder removed -- that it was a common procedure and that likely I'd have surgery by 8am the next morning (Sunday). Since it was approaching Midnight, at that point, the decision was made to admit me to the Hospital.
End The Pain Chronicles, VOL 2 part 1
>> I'll have part 2 ready soon (hopefully). Key highlights/low-points;) 16 hours straight LEVEL 10 pain; Surgery; going home!; two months recovery + ....
Thank you so much for all your support and reading my PainPAL Blog.
My name is Wylie and I'm your PainPAL!
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