The Last Mon Standing

12:00AM, April 13, 2007, Friday. I woke up to join my sister watching a late primetime show.

12:30AM, April 13, 2007, Friday. I went too bed while a commercial was playing. Then the moment I heard the show resumed I hurriedly went back to my seat and I felt a generalized pain on my abdomen which easily subsided to a more localized one. The pain radiated from the left lower quadrant of my abdomen to my umbilicus and to my epigastric region. I thought i was experiencing gas so i told my sister. But the sensation increased until i thought of acute appendicitis.

12:45AM, April 13, 2007, Friday. I read my notes and my Smeltzer and Bare textbook. I carefully assesed my self. The pain originates at the McBurney’s point, exactly what the book says. However, I was negative of rovsing’s sign. I thought that the pain might be something caused by a kidney problem but I disregarded the suspicion because the origin of pain is very discernible.

I was already crying. Knowing that I could die if this was Appendicitis really heightened my fears. I do not want to undergo any surgical procedure, especially to go naked in front of my professors while lying on the OR table.

I stirred my father and told him that I might be having appendicitis. He felt me and told me that i was sweating profiously, that time I felt terribly cold and nauseated. My father massaged my back as I explained to him the Pathophysiology of the disease and the sole management-APPENDECTOMY. It was amazing how alert I was that time. I wasn’t panicking and I was explaining things to my father though each time I moved the pain pierces my tummy and the fear of undergoing a surgery grew.

Then i felt like throwing up so i ran to the bathroom. I puked twice and I waited if the pain would subside. My father is already changing his clothes for the hospital.

I told my father to sleep that I would just observe my self and for further progress of the pain. Actually, i was still hoping that it was not Appendicitis. He asked me if i was sure, I said yes. I went back to bed.

1:00AM, April 13, 2007, Friday. I was still awake and i started bargaining with God about how i would start going to church if… if… but i stopped the bargain and told him that I dont want to die nor do I want to have the surgery. I told him i was sorry for everything though i candidly admitted that I am not sure if I really mean every single word I said. I fell asleep. My sister was still watching the wretched Television.

03:30AM, April 13, 2007, Friday. I woke up because my father was preparing the breakfast and fell asleep again.

06:00AM, April 13, 2007, Friday. My father went to my bedside and asked me what my decision. I told him that I was still observing and if ever I felt like going to the doctor, I would. He gave me some money and my ATM card. I told him that I would go for the surgery if it were necessary. He said yes.

09:00AM, April 13, 2007, Friday. I listened to the radio. I told my sister that i was planning to go to the hospital and she should accompany me. I did not touch the breakfast in case of surgery; i had my elf in NPO (nothing per orem- nothing through the mouth).

10:30AM, April 13, 2007, Friday. My sister finally left her bed and had a breakfast. i went to the bathroom and took a bath.

12:00PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. We went to a private hospital near us. It wasn’t really big, and i was happy since our school do not send intern BSN students to that hospital. I was welcomed at the Out Patient department by three registered midwives. They thought my sister was the one who’s sick so they were surprised when I told them it was me. I told them that I went there because I felt pain on my abdomen. i tried not to say any medical terms and I didn’t tell them that I am a student nurse. Talking with them and acting like I do not know anything about the medical field really felt awkward. So I immediately told them that i suspected Appendicitis. They laughed and told me that if it was appendicitis I would not be able to walk. I felt ridiculous for the first time.

12:10PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. They told me that if I was really worried I could have a urinalysis. so I did.

12:45PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. The result came and i read the lab. i have a slight elevation of White Blood Cell and a very huge amount of pus clamps, signifying an infection.

They called the doctor to explain to me the result and of course for my check up. I told the doctor of the pain. He ordered me to lie on the bed and palpated me. He asked me if the pain increases during the moments he pushes my abdomen or during the time he let go. He even asked me about the rovsing’s sign.

12:50PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. He read my urine result and told me that i might have a UTI but he still suspected Appendicitis. So he asked for a Hematology. I went to the laboratory for my complete blood count. When the result came, he was surprised because my white blood cells have skyrocketed. “It might be an appendicitis.,” he said.

He asked me what school I go. so i told him my school. it turned out that the guy is a professor in our university. Now instead of me asking the questions, he started throwing questions about appendicitis. He corrected me many times. Then he told me that I should be confined for an observation and if ever it was appendicitis, I will undergo the operation. The cost of appendectomy in that hospital is over Php90,000.00, while it would only cost me Php5,000.00 in the general hospital that I am having my duties. However, of course I do not want to be tended by my schoolmate. Just imagine having a classmate shave you down there… NO NO

He asked me to choose A.) Should I go back home or B.) I will be confined. I chose the latter. He exclaimed, “WRONG ANSWER! C’mon, you know the pathophysiology of your disease. You can even assess yourself. Go back home and eat a lot. Return here at 5PM.”

01:40PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. I ate a lot in a canteen nearby just as what the doctor advised. My sister went to her old school for some errands. I went back home.

02:20PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. My sister finally came back and I asked her to cook our lunch. she cooked Adobo and I ate a lot again.

02:50PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. I slept.

03:00, April 13, 2007, Friday. My father came from work and asked how i was. We told him everything. I was feeling a lot ok but my tummy still ached but not as pronounced.

04:20PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. We went back to the hospital.

04:50PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. The doctor saw me and told me to lie again. He repeated the palpation earlier and asked me some question. He told me that if this was appendicitis the pain should have not subsided, but the blood result of astoundingly high White Blood Cell count still means that there is an infection. Therefore, he gave me a referral to the general hospital so I could go there in case this was Appendicitis.

05:25PM, April 13, 2007, Friday. I was relieved but my tummy still ached.

PSWhile typing this entry I still feel the same sensation in my left lower quadrant but not as painful as it was yesterday.