I am currently in bed. I have been spending the last week in bed and will spend the next 2 weeks in bed as well. Yup. I was rushed to the hospital at the end of last week for nausea, vomiting and intense pain. I had been feeling iffy for a few days but brushed it off as a 24 hour thing. Things weren't getting better, I hadn't been able to eat for over 48 hours and couldn't even hold water. I was afraid for my band so I decided going to the ER was the best way to be sure I would be ok. After waiting several hours (and slowly sipping on some Pedialite) I finally saw a doctor who advised me I had an abscess the size of the palm of my hand!
When he told me that, things went from crazy to crazier and everything happened really quickly. One moment I was talking to the doctor and the next I was giving instructions to my boyfriend to contact my work and saying goodbye as I was being wheeled away to the operation room. I was getting surgery within minutes. I was terribly scared. I kept praying "God give me strength. God watch over me." I kept repeating it even when I was given oxygen and trying to fight the anaesthesia until everything went black.
I woke up and it was time to wheel me into my room. Everything had gone well. It's the first thing I asked. I was still really groggy but I was curious enough to ask how long I had been out and I was under for about 20 minutes. When I got to my room I grabbed the telephone and failed my boyfriend's number. He couldn't stay because the visiting hours were over but he wasn't even home yet. I got around to calling everyone I could (including my work) and then by 11pm finally decided I couldn't find the painkillers anymore and I drifted to sleep.
The next morning was interesting. I was allowed to eat so their choices were a bit overwhelming (I hadn't eaten in 72 hours by then). My nurse (is there a male name for nurse? Man nurse?) tended to my wound and gave me meds, removed my IV and overall sickly person needs.
Soon enough I met with my surgeon again and got the ok to go home and it was time to go.
Surprisingly I wasn't prescribed anything for pain and the whole process was really overbearing. I hadn't taken my anxiety meds for 4 days by the time I got home, I was really tired and uncomfortable and had to take baths 2-3 times a day with a tube sticking out of my skin. I had a major meltdown and I am thankful I had my stepmom there to help me (and support me mentally!) as I really needed help.
The next day was my first appointment with the nurse to tend to my wound and a new problem arises: she can't clean out the drain. Nothing to worry about according to her, but I couldn't go to sleep with that on my mind. I call the hospital and explain what is going on. After placing me on hold for 5 minutes, they advise me to go to the ER immediately. My heart sank. I was exhausted. I was fed up. I was miserable and I didn't need this right then. My prayers kick in again until the triage nurse sees me (happens to be the nurse who prepped me up for surgery) and after inspecting my wound and speaking to the doctor it turns out I'm ok.
Now the "fun" part. So since my surgeon was on his last day of work before going on vacation he took advantage of the fact that I was already scheduled to meet with my bariatric surgeon on Wednesday to follow up on my abscess and remove the drain. That was exciting. So as uncomfortable as I was I still managed to go to my appointment and did my usual task of filling out a questionnaire on what I ate in the past month, how it went, and the fun part: weighing myself. I walked over to the scale. Turn it on. Watch the numbers adjust. 360. 350. 349.6lbs. WHAT?! I blinked. I couldn't believe it. I beat the 350 mark and I honestly didn't think anything like that would happen. Last month I had gained 4lbs up to 368lbs. I had lost 19lbs in a month??? I walked back to my seat with a huge grin, forgetting about the fact that I had a tube sticking out of my skin, forgetting the pain. That was the best feeling. I got to my phone and texted my family and friends. I was so happy. Then everything happened quickly and my name was called and before I knew it I was out the door on my way to pick up my prescription (painkillers at last!) and heading home.
So since then things have been stable. I am getting treatment for my wound daily by the nurses at the clinic, eating normally now and sleeping a lot (thanks to my medication...)
The pain is easily managed now with the medication and sleeping helps me heal. I'm able to wash normally but still sit in the tub every now and then. I'm hoping this heals quickly. I had no idea what to expect when I showed up at the hospital last Saturday (and I was certainly not expecting this!).
It's been a learning experience for sure. When the surgeon first told me I had an abscess I thought "oh ok. Stick a needle, remove the bad stuff, bandage it real tight and I'm good to go" and boy was I wrong! I learned that you need to react quickly to anything odd when you don't feel well. Had I waited any longer it could have attacked my muscles and it could have been worse. Sometimes (and most of the time) you cannot take it upon yourself to take care of the world. I cannot heal everything and I can certainly not fix everything. I need to learn to trust others and that I cannot control every situation that arises.
I will go back to bed now as I have another day ahead of me (with another appointment with the nurses) so I'll go back to bed. I will keep praying for my health and speedy recovery.
gabythegirlnextdoor
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