Friday, February 5, 2010

Today

Ok, so this is not my scan, but you get the idea..and then can zoom and go through organs and stuff while you look at it..pretty cool, eh?








My day, in short:

Overslept, got the children up (they were awake and throwing soft toys around the room)

Came downstairs, went to make hubby's bento, and then he offered to do it himself x

Got the children dressed, fed and out of the door in 50 minutes (record ;))

Dropped H off at nursery, then drove to the hospital with the seat reclined so as not to hurt poorly tummy

Got to hospital and made appointment to see 外貨 doc. ("external medicine", will never think it normal that surgery is classed as that)

Met hubby in the nick of time, as I was struggling to fill in form with kanji characters so small they looked like dark boxes

Sat and waited for about an hour or so before going in to see the doc., during which time, got e-mail from annoying woman who had offered to sell "barely worn" clothes on tell and sell and then got arsey with me because I had (very politely) asked her to photograph items and tell me the sizes...her verbal attack ended with suggesting I search for clothing at the Salvation Army..nice

Got in to see the doc., who was very nice, and wrote down lots of English for me, albeit rather advanced medical vocab., but got me to understand it too

Went off to get my blood checked and have a syringe of Heparin strapped to my forearm in preparation for giving me drugs to make the CT scan clearer

Went back to 外貨 to wait for the CT people to tell me they were ready

Got into CT room with old biddy nurse who told me I had to take my bra off as it had a wire, and then tried to "help" me to pull bra out from under my clothes while trying not to rip out big syringe strapped on my forearm, assisted by my husband..

Once bra straps were out, got told to get out of CT room as there was an emergency and made to walk into CT room prep. area (about one tatami mat size) with hubby, sleeping baby in a pushchair and sat in there for a good five or ten minutes

Led back into CT room, where hubby was made to stay, even though I said I would be able to understand, although it was slightly amusing to see him wearing a baby pink lead apron...

Had a long explanation, my trousers pulled down to my knees, and the biggest lot of drugs I've ever seen pumped into my body, plus a very icky warm feeling all over while the CT scanned my torso. Have to say, was very impressed with the breathe in and breathe out cute little face lights on the top of the CT. Very easy to understand..no need for hubby..

Went back to the doc to wait for the CT results, which they said would take between 30 minutes to an hour. Went off for lunch (well hubby ate, I picked at his side salad)

Went back to the doc who showed us the CT results on a very very cool screen on his desk. Got to see my innards, lots of fun..and told that my appendix is in an unusual location (bent under and towards my back), so a usual 15 minute operation may take an hour if I had to have it removed, as it would be easy to damage my intestines. Made sure that this could be done, if needed, without the intestine damage..and also that if doc. insisted no surgery, that I would not die from sudden peritonitis.

Got meds., dropped Y off at work, picked H up from Grammy's, came home feeling much more reassured and glad that I had gone, even though it had taken four and a half hours and cost me 12,000 yen

Now 8p.m., children are in bed, I have my feet up typing this and all drugged up while hubby works the helpline shift until 10p.m. Am feeling very lucky :)

4 comments:

  1. Duh, forgot to say the diagnosis (been here too long?!?!) is appendicitis.

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  2. WOW... Oh.. I had an MRI once.. and it made me throw up.. the ink dye? I was a teenager than.. the CT scan... did you want to throw up? I guess this is less invasive? I wouldn't want to see my scan.. looking at the photo above made me nervous.. but I'm one of those who pass out from getting my blood taken, etc..

    So you were born with your appendix in an unusual place or it shifted because of having appendicitis.

    Will you have it taken out?

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  3. p.s. you are so freak'n brave.. and what a day you had...

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  4. April Marie - thanks for your comments :) Yes! I had MRIs too three years ago when I had been having migraines. I have to say that I much "prefer" the CT scan! MRI machine is such a tiny enclosed space, takes so long, and it sooooo noisy! And that yukky ink dye business just makes it all the worse. I am very claustrophobic, so it was a harsh exercise in self-control. CT for the torso is ok for me, because the machine doesn't go over my face, and the procedure is much quicker, although I still have to say it's not the most comfortable of things.

    I understand what you mean about hospitals and blood, scans, etc. One of my friends passed out in the hospital when she had to go and have stitches taken out. I think lots of people have the same feeling. Have to say, although I can stand blood and icky stuff, I too get a strange feeling when I go inside a hospital. Can't quite put my finger on what it is though.

    We'll see how the antibiotics go for now, and if it is back again, and getting worse, then I guess I will have to have surgery. Not sure if it was always in that spot or whether it shifted! Didn't think to ask, but wish I had! I read that it's not so rare, but I often had a feeling it had something to do with pregnancy, as I had both previous bouts just after having my two children. All got so squashed up in there. Yuk...

    And thanks for the compliment! Nice to hear after such a challenging day :)

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