It was deep into the night, early morning actually....3am, when I was wakened by a very sharp pain on my right side. It had been bugging me on and off the last cppl of days, but I had ignored it. Easy to do. It was just a mild ache previously. But now a sharp burning fire was raging in my right side. Wtf??!
Bending right or left was painful. So getting out of bed, basically a mattress on the floor, was interesting to say the least.
My two cats Nikko and Merry watched. They were used to this. Different day. .same shizzle!
I have early stage liver disease, (non-alcoholic liver disease) so bells and whistles are going off right and left in my head. Should I give it a bit and see if it just passes? Umm.....OUCH! NO!! Could it just be a kidney infection? Can it wait until morning??!! OUUCCHHHH! Hella no! Ok... it's tolerable when I stand straight...just stand straight..can I get myself to the ER? OK we can do this!
Coat on. Keys in hand. (Wake up roomy in charge n lettem know so they don't freak out if you're not there when they get up). Get in the van and drive. We're almost there. Almost there...! WE'RE HERE!! Phew.
I'm quickly processed at the ER front desk while standing very very straight and wincing. They know me here. Unfortunately. I have never been to an ER as much as I have been in the last year. Oh joyyy!!!! 2017! Year of the ER! And so far 2018 was starting off the same!!
Off we go! "Triaged" as they call it and into a room. One urine sample later, I have been gowned and an IV placed in my right arm. How's your pain? they ask. It's mostly a 7. But spikes to an 8, then at times settles to a 6. It helps standing. Can I stand? And I can't bend right. Ahahah!! Or left apparently. I pace back and forth. The nurse tells me the Dr will be here soon and leaves.
I look at the clock. It's now 4:17am. Is this a really bad kidney infection? Maybe it's a stone? What if it's more serious? Who do I call? My other sister, I guess. The one sis who's my rock. A big part of my support system. She's in a hospital the next town over, recovering from hip surgery. This is the worst timing! Owe owe!!
The Dr arrives. He checks things. Palpates certain areas of my right side, stomach and abdomen. Ouch ouch! He asks me about bruises. Bruises? There's bruises on my stomach. I had no clue. He leaves giving orders. Blood will be taken. Tests will be run.
What if this is serious? I am totally unprepared. I have no will. Not that I have much but still...and what about all things I still wanna do? Wanna see? I don't even get to see one thing on my bucket list? Not even just that one national park?
Grandma's dresser. The one mom gave me but is now at my other sister's house. Well she's watching it but I should put that in the will. Who should it go to? The niece's don't want it. And us sister's..well no use there. We'll all be dead. It should go to Lisa's kids. They would appreciate it. Cherish it. Continue the story.
Regrets. Do I have any regrets? Do I really regret any the choices I made? Even not marrying Eric? Not choosing Eric? No. The skydiving. The plane flying...being a nanny. Seeing the East coast. So many things I did that others my age didn't. Nope. In all honesty. No regrets. Really.
A medical person comes into my room. He's taking me for a cat scan of my abdomen. I'm rolled into another room on the gurney. I shift onto a very narrow bed. Hands over my head, the slowly guide me through the donut hole. I hold my breath as instructed.
Back on the gurney, I'm back in my room. I'm told to give it a good 45 minutes for the Dr to get my results. I channel surf to keep my mind off things, while in the back of my mind hoping it's just a kidney stone. I have found a comfy lying position with my right leg bent and braced to keep me from jiggling and hurting my side. Don't bend left or right. Be tall like a tree. A tree? Aren't they crooked?
The Dr appears from no where. Everything actually looks good he says. No infections. No stones. His concern was my appendix but even that looks good. Yes early liver disease but my liver is still holding it's own. But the bruises are of concern. They see that with shingles. I'm to watch for shingles. Most likely though, I did something to the muscles. Something muscular, but if pain worsens, I'm to come back. Immediately.
I am not only relieved, but grateful. Shingles.... seriously? Really? Am I old enough? Yes, you are responds the nurse. And they're painful I am warned. Shingles? Wow. Hey. Don't they have a shot for that?
I dress in relief. Drive home and climb back into bed. The flipping sun is up. Nope. No regrets.
*All pics from Pixabay
