Monday, February 13, 2012

I didn't really finish my appendix story, so I'll wrap it up, here. A few interesting facts, an appendix should normally be about the size of your pinkie finger nail. Mine was the size of an orange. No wonder it hurt! I also have some really nasty, but fascinating pictures the Dr gave me. I've been contemplating whether I should post them or not.
 Anyway, after that first night my fever broke, and the next morning they had me up walking around and sitting up as much as possible. All I can say about that is ouch. I also couldn't eat for a few days or take my meds because the didn't have an IV version of it.
 The nursing staff was awesome though. They bent over backwards for me, from getting me stuff to drink that wasn't available, to guarding me from unwanted visitors. They were a lot of fun too. We had some good jokes going on. Cory came every evening after work and spent a few hours with me. We had some good heart to heart talks about a wide range of things. I didn't realize how hard it has been for us to do that uninterrupted.  Just to sit and talk with my husband was so nice. I think he really needed it too. This whole think kinda shook him up. Then after he'd leave I would have a tough time. That's when I was in the most pain and also dealing with issues from not being able to take my meds. That's when one of the nurses would come and hang out with me. She was about 45 and had a main of golden hair. (I called her the lioness.) and she would tell me stories. It was perfect. The best thing to distract me from how awful I felt. I learned all about how she met her husband and how they fell in love and about her kids, and all sorts of stuff. She was a great story teller. It turned out she knew my mother in law. Weird!
 Finally after a week, they allowed me to go home. When I got home I was so happy I cried. Then I had friends and family coming over every day to help me with everything. I couldn't lift or do much. I was suffering from a guilt complex. I felt so guilty for not being able to do what I normally do, and felt like I was a burden to people. I felt so terrible inconveniencing them. I always struggle with that kind of thing. Poor Cory would come home at night and say, something like, "what are the cups doing in the pots and pans cupboard"...and that's all it would take to set me off and I'd burst into tears and feel like it was my fault and I was a failure and then after he got over his astonishment. (I don't normally break down very easy) he'd have to reassure me. =) I think it's funny now.
 So things have gradually gotten better and better, and despite my impatience, I've gotten pretty much back to normal. =) Now I'm just dealing with kids puking all over the house. Lysol and Resolve are my best friends these days. (Kendra and Carter both thought they were catching appendicitis when they got sick.)