Cheating death once more...
Well.
That was a very unique first day of school.
For those of you who were not aware, I left school early on Tuesday only to check into Emerson hospital in excruciating pain. After lying on the floor in the waiting room, my pain subsided with an injection of morphine but I was further discomforted by having an IV stuck to me, having to wear one of those revealing hospital Johnny's, an ultrasound taken when I really had to go to the bathroom because they needed my bladder to be full to do it, and an unmentionable discomfort I was subjected to in preparation for a CAT scan.
Oh, and a midnight operation to remove my appendix.
I'm told I was quite brave about it. I can't really remember, quite frankly.
It all happened around C block on Tuesday morning when my stomach began to hurt. I assumed I was just hungry and ignored it as I listened in rapt attention to Mr. Capone's policy on medical absences (ironic, no?). After lunch, the pain became even worse. I sat through Chem by repeatedly telling Teresa and Cassi that I felt like crap. I then was running to French with T, when I was accosted by Ariel and Arthur. I was later told by Arthur that they had a plan to come up and squish me on both sides, which considering the circumstances would have rendered me incapable of walking. Thankfully, my pale affect and words of "I'm going to throw up!" halted that procedure. I walked into French and said, "Are you Madame Olsen? *affirmative* My name's Nikki, I'm going to go to the nurse now." *dumps backpack and goes to nurse* Mrs. DeBruzzi was very nice to me and called my mom. I didn't throw up until I was in the car going over bumps.
So I ended up spending what should have been French, band, and math in the Emergency Room getting poked, prodded, and writhing in pain while occasionally losing my lunch and stomach acids. My dad rushed over from work, and finally the CAT scan showed that I indeed had appendicitis.
My operation went well. It turned out only a small portion of my appendix was inflamed, meaning we had caught it early, and so they could take it out by a simple laparoscopic appendectomy. They made three holes in my stomach, two for cameras and another larger one for a tube to take out my appendix with. Earlier, while under the effects of morphine, I had christened my appendix "Bob," and had asked my mom if I could go to school the next day.
So I've spent the last couple of days recovering in Emerson. I got flowers and a teddy bear from my mom's friends at the Carlisle schools and Arthur came and made me laugh even though it hurt to do so. I had a variety of very nice nurses come and change my IV fluid and antibiotics and check my vital signs every once and a while. They also had to record my urine while I was on the IV fluid to make sure the right amounts were...uh...coming back, so I had to go through that embarrassment quite often, while unplugging my electric IV controller thing from the wall so I could move and having it beep at me the whole time. We decided it sounded like a coffee maker from all the squishy noises it would make while sorting out my liquids. At first my throat hurt from the tube they shoved into my lungs during surgery, but it's fine now. My stomach was wicked sore, and still is, but I can get up and move around on my own. I read tons of The Scarlet Letter for English. I watched Mulan ("HOW COULD YOU MISS! HE WAS THREE FEET IN FRONT OF YOU!"). I had a private room the first two days until last night when another girl moved into mine. Today my surgeon said I could recover at home, so I packed up and cheerily left.
And I just had solid food...saltines....hmmm....
So, now I can wait at home. Limitations for about a week: I can't drive (I was supposed to have a driver's lesson while in the ER, ha! Now I can say that practically everything has blocked my completing driver's ed). I can't lift more than five pounds (backpack = crap). I can't play the trumpet. I can basically walk around my house while getting tired. I guess it's better than being in tons of pain though. I should be back in school on Monday, only it could only be for a half day.
If you're in any of my classes, would you mind leaving a comment about the homework and what I've missed? Thanks!
That was a very unique first day of school.
For those of you who were not aware, I left school early on Tuesday only to check into Emerson hospital in excruciating pain. After lying on the floor in the waiting room, my pain subsided with an injection of morphine but I was further discomforted by having an IV stuck to me, having to wear one of those revealing hospital Johnny's, an ultrasound taken when I really had to go to the bathroom because they needed my bladder to be full to do it, and an unmentionable discomfort I was subjected to in preparation for a CAT scan.
Oh, and a midnight operation to remove my appendix.
I'm told I was quite brave about it. I can't really remember, quite frankly.
It all happened around C block on Tuesday morning when my stomach began to hurt. I assumed I was just hungry and ignored it as I listened in rapt attention to Mr. Capone's policy on medical absences (ironic, no?). After lunch, the pain became even worse. I sat through Chem by repeatedly telling Teresa and Cassi that I felt like crap. I then was running to French with T, when I was accosted by Ariel and Arthur. I was later told by Arthur that they had a plan to come up and squish me on both sides, which considering the circumstances would have rendered me incapable of walking. Thankfully, my pale affect and words of "I'm going to throw up!" halted that procedure. I walked into French and said, "Are you Madame Olsen? *affirmative* My name's Nikki, I'm going to go to the nurse now." *dumps backpack and goes to nurse* Mrs. DeBruzzi was very nice to me and called my mom. I didn't throw up until I was in the car going over bumps.
So I ended up spending what should have been French, band, and math in the Emergency Room getting poked, prodded, and writhing in pain while occasionally losing my lunch and stomach acids. My dad rushed over from work, and finally the CAT scan showed that I indeed had appendicitis.
My operation went well. It turned out only a small portion of my appendix was inflamed, meaning we had caught it early, and so they could take it out by a simple laparoscopic appendectomy. They made three holes in my stomach, two for cameras and another larger one for a tube to take out my appendix with. Earlier, while under the effects of morphine, I had christened my appendix "Bob," and had asked my mom if I could go to school the next day.
So I've spent the last couple of days recovering in Emerson. I got flowers and a teddy bear from my mom's friends at the Carlisle schools and Arthur came and made me laugh even though it hurt to do so. I had a variety of very nice nurses come and change my IV fluid and antibiotics and check my vital signs every once and a while. They also had to record my urine while I was on the IV fluid to make sure the right amounts were...uh...coming back, so I had to go through that embarrassment quite often, while unplugging my electric IV controller thing from the wall so I could move and having it beep at me the whole time. We decided it sounded like a coffee maker from all the squishy noises it would make while sorting out my liquids. At first my throat hurt from the tube they shoved into my lungs during surgery, but it's fine now. My stomach was wicked sore, and still is, but I can get up and move around on my own. I read tons of The Scarlet Letter for English. I watched Mulan ("HOW COULD YOU MISS! HE WAS THREE FEET IN FRONT OF YOU!"). I had a private room the first two days until last night when another girl moved into mine. Today my surgeon said I could recover at home, so I packed up and cheerily left.
And I just had solid food...saltines....hmmm....
So, now I can wait at home. Limitations for about a week: I can't drive (I was supposed to have a driver's lesson while in the ER, ha! Now I can say that practically everything has blocked my completing driver's ed). I can't lift more than five pounds (backpack = crap). I can't play the trumpet. I can basically walk around my house while getting tired. I guess it's better than being in tons of pain though. I should be back in school on Monday, only it could only be for a half day.
If you're in any of my classes, would you mind leaving a comment about the homework and what I've missed? Thanks!