My Emergency Hospital Stay - Part 1

It will be a week ago tomorrow evening that I was finally released from the hospital and I would love to think all of my readers who took the time to comment on the blog, through email and even a card. Thanks you so much!

Here is a time line of some of the most confusing, scary, isolating, lonely days of my life.

May 24th, I woke with some mild stomach cramps. Goddess threw up in the morning so I assumed that perhaps we both had a stomach virus. Around 12:00 p.m. I was typing out my Lord of the Flies post and realized that it actually hurt to touch my stomach (left of my belly button.) The cramps were getting worse so I got up and started considering heading into town to mail out some packages, drop off some movies and eventually head over to the school to pick up Handsome.

When we got to the library, my cramps were severe and I told Goddess I was sorry but we would not be able to go to the library and dropped the books at the drop box. Getting back in was painful and my stomach ached terribly.

We drove back home and I took my temperature. It was 99.1. I lied down on Goddess' bed and put the TV. Cramps, stomach hurt to touch and now a fever! What the hell. Things were not good and I knew it. I asked Goddess to get the phone because I wanted to call "daddy" because I thought I should go to the hospital.

When I called and explained what was wrong he told me he was coming right home. I have never been asked to be taken to the hospital. We picked up Handsome from the bus stop and headed to an emergency center a town away.

I was actually praying that he would tell me that I had a stomach virus and the pains were gas. We were the only ones there and the kids had to go to the bathroom so "daddy" took them. They were finally gone and I was able to cry. The pain was so bad, I had been holding in the cries for everyone's sake but the nurse came over very concerned. She quickly ushered me into a room. The doctor came in 3 minutes later and in literally 10 seconds diagnosed me with Diverticulitis. He said that I had to get to the hospital right away. He came out and told my husband, to get me to the hospital right and call him tomorrow to let him know (he didn't charge us and we still have to call him).

On the way, I was very concerned. He had mentioned that if something was to rupture, it could be very dangerous. Every bump was excruciating and I felt like a ticking time bomb.

Eventually "daddy" started telling me when a bump was coming.

When we got to the hospital and parked, he turned and noticed that the kids were asleep. I told him not to wake them, that I would walk into the ER and call him when he could pick me up. It was 4:45 p.m.

He drove me to the door and I walked in. Thankfully triage was empty! Thank God! I was seen right away and assessed. The nurse eventually took me to a room and told me that someone would be in to register me. They gave me a gown, told me to change. I got on the gurney to lie down because I couldn't sit anymore. The pain was intense and I was so nervous.

Thinking that I had a signal, I IM'd "Daddy" a few times including this picture. He wasn't getting them but this picture makes me nauseous when I look at it now

I was seen by a doctor and told I would have to drink something for a cat scan. I drank it and was told that I had to wait 2 hours. Lying there in scary pain, alone, no phone signal, wondering what was happening at home and wishing I could talk to "daddy".

Eventually I asked to use the bathroom not even sure if I could make it down the hall. I went, then felt sick, dizzy and threw up, pulling the call button, as I hurled into a garbage can. I was in a kneeling position, full of fever and pain asking the nurse to help me up. They said, "take your time" and I eventually managed to pull myself up the wall.

Part 2 Coming!