Day 60

Woke up at 3am in intense pain.  After 2 hours of no relief (and no sleep), I realized I needed to call an ambulance and get myself to the Emergency Room.

Max was pretty shaken up.  I was home alone with him, so I had to wake him up and call my grandmother to take care of him while they rushed me off.  He was crying when the police and paramedics arrived, but they managed to calm him down by talking to him about things like his age, his hobbies, things not involving his mother doubled over in pain, answering questions about her health.

It was my first ride in an ambulance, even though my dad was an EMT and then a firefighter for years and years.  It was mildly surreal.  Snow was falling.  I could see the red lights flashing, but the pain made me almost feel like I wasn't fully attached to my body.  As a matter of fact, I clearly remember numerous times saying, "I just want to leave my body for a while until this goes away...it hurts so bad."

Once at the hospital I was forced to wear one of those backless hospital gowns that didn't quite fasten right.  I don't sleep in a bra, so it was super uncomfortable to be that free in the chest area...especially since my nurse ended up being male...and super cute.  (Turns out he was married...which really made me feel better when I yacked 3 times in front of him...)

They took my vitals, gave me a delicious GI Cocktail (Lidocaine, Malox, and some other stomach stuff...think thick, minty, numbing, grape milk shake), and some anti-cramping pills.

-Nothing.

Then they took me down to X-ray.

-Things looked normal.

Then they drew 4 vials of blood and shot me in the ass with more anti-cramping medicine.

-Again, nothing.

Finally they hooked me up to an IV, gave me fluids and anti-vomit meds because at this point, I was on the verge of horking all over the place.  I apologized to the cute male nurse about looking so terrible and mildly whining because of the pain, when he said, "Darling, if you're the worst patient I have today, I'll be lucky.  Now, take these meds...they'll help with the ones we're giving you through the IV, because we can't have you throwing up."

To which I responded by immediately puking my guts out 3 times.  Amazing, right?

The doctor came in, she informed me that she didn't think it was gall bladder related because the pain was on the wrong side of my body.  All the tests came back normal, but the pain wasn't getting any better.  She ordered a CAT scan to check my aorta.

I was so out of it:  tired, spent, still writhing in pain.  I didn't care about the fact they were pumping me with iodine, or that it did, indeed---just as the tech warned---make me feel like I peed my pants.

When the results came back, the doctor was surprised.  It WAS gall bladder.  A rather large gall stone as a matter of fact.  That known, they could FINALLY give me some pain meds...which, after 7 hours, I greatly appreciated.  They kicked in in about 30 minutes, while I was getting an ultrasound to check the size of the stone and the rest of my digestive system.

An ultrasound is a much different experience when it has nothing to do with pregnancy.  I had hoped, because I was starting to feel better, that the tech would write "Hi Mommy!" with an arrow pointing to my gall stone (which I've lovingly named "Gally")  just for shits and giggles.  But she didn't.  I can tell you though, some of my internal organs look like prehistoric creatures.  Like a raptor is nesting near my liver. 

...or maybe that was just an effect of the pain meds. 

After 8 hours, I was released.  I have to rest, and then follow up with my family doctor...followed by visiting a GI specialist.  What a start to the holiday season, right?