Today I feel down. Life isn't always cheery and wonderful. A few days ago I was feeling on top of the world. Things were really starting to work out. Then, my car breaks down on Friday and things took a turn for the worse. My car was broken, my hair was air-drying (something it doesn't like to do), and I had to cancel hiking and dinner plans that I was really looking forward to. Then, Saturday at around 5:30 I wake up nauseous and sick, but I decide to push through it and take Maui to the puppy-park so he can have some fun with other doggos. Picture above is from Saturday, when Maui was a happy buppy. I felt so bad that he had been so bored with my being out of the house and too tired to make sure he gets his doggo exercise. Problem is, when Sean and I got home we passed tf out and missed the movie we were planning on seeing for date-night. We put off date night so I could get better. Sunday started off better -- went to Breakfast with my bestie! Had a delicious crepe from Frodo Joe's in Fremont! 10/10 would recommend! But would I recognize the next part of my day? Not so much.
Sunday at 16:00 I decided it was time to go to the ER. My stomach was in so much pain I could barely move or stand. After 48 hours of pain it was time to be checked out. The pain was radiating from a pin-point spot on my abdomen to the right of my belly button. Yep, you read that right: I was a classic appendix patient. After waiting 1:00 hour in the ER waiting room, I was taken to the back for vitals and examination of my stomach. Doc ordered a IV for fluid, pain meds, and CT of the abdomen. I was terrified. With my extreme anxiety sky-rocketing and my complete fear of doctors, blood tests, and big machines that make loud noises I could barely hold it together. I called Sean to wait with me and he bravely held my hand and I cried like a baby when they put the IV in my arm.
It HURT. However, just to clear something up: IV's are not suppose to hurt, but they could be hurting for several reasons -- the radiologist who also had to deal with my baby-ish crying
cleared this up for me. The anesthesiologist could have (a) missed the vein or (b) hit a nerve or (c) I could have been allergic or (e-z) some other unknown reason she didn't share with me. My IV was just hitting a nerve and I dealt with the pain until I left the ER later last night. However, you don't have to be like me - the doctor can and will start a new IV line if you ask for one. The radiologist also helped me get through my 5 minute CT scan with contrast that would have been quicker if I had just let them do the contrast and not freaked out. Whoops.
A CT with contrast feels weird. If you have had one, you know what I am talking about. When they push the iodine into your IV you feel a rush of warmth go through your body. For some reason, the warm really likes to hang out in the pelvis area and I kid you not: you legitimately feel like you've pee'd your pants. You haven't, but it sure as hell feels like you did. It's a strange sensation, but it subsides rather quickly and otherwise there are little to no other side effects. She said I could have a strange tasted in my mouth but I personally didn't. When the scan was over I made it back to the room where Sean was waiting for me and then proceeded to shake with adrenaline and fear for 20 minutes. And cry some more. And then take to Instagram to show off my IV and how brave I was. Which I wasn't so the truth is out. Later the Doc came back and shared with me the results that he could. Without getting too much into the details: I am fine and I will live and I should be better in a few days. I got to go home, I finished season 13 of Grey's Anatomy, ate a bowl of pasta with pesto, told my dog he isn't much of an emotional support dog, started the show Arrested Development, and then passed out from exhaustion.
All in all it was one hell of an adventure. But I learned a lot. I am still in a ton of pain. I am tired and run down from the iodine still in circulating in my blood stream. I am stressed about my Visa application appointment at the Italian Consulate on Friday. I ranted to Sean about how stressed I am in all capital letters in what was 7 text messages while he is at work. I am stuck at home with no car and the inability to move around so Maui is kinda pissed at me because he's bored. I want coffee from Philz because as much as I am devoted to Starbucks, some really fancy coffee seems like it would make my day.
Final thoughts: 3 piece of advice from Cat:
eat breakfast
This is something I struggled with for years and only in the last couple months since I got a kitchen have I gotten better at this. They weren't kidding when they said breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Well, maybe. Honestly, I am not sure. What I can attest for is that breakfast has changed my life. A healthy one too. I love my mornings now, making my coffee, cooking my eggs, or even sometimes just opting for some cereal. I am also a huge fan of the yogurt bowls I make myself sometimes. I am left feeling fueled and ready for a productive day more than I ever have in all the years I was not eating breakfast. And yes that is an actual breakfast I made myself and photographed.
know when your body wants some help
I have a million and one health issues so I know what my normal self feels like and what I feel like when something is wrong. I also know that hours at an ER isn't always going to seem like it was worth the time. What is worth the time though is feeling safe and comfortable. I was so worried something was wrong with me and as it turned out the answer was simply. I did not need to be hospitalized or have emergency surgery. But the 48 hours leading up to going in to the doc I was going crazy. Maybe it was my anxiety or maybe it was just feeling sick, I was not happy so I am ever grateful that I built up the courage to go in and get checked out. If you feel like something is wrong, go get checked out. You will feel better in the end, I promise.
get active
Before Maui, I did not get much exercise. The most activity I did was walk across campus to class. Since May 6th however, I have been walking and hiking and playing with my active puppy like crazy! Honestly it feels great! I love how much I have been doing and I have been feeling wonderful since getting my body moving. Soon I am going to be joining a yoga class to get stronger and I cannot express how excited I am. So you should get active too: go on a walk, go on a run, ride a bike, adopt a dog so you feel guilty for not doing anything! Or adopt a dog because it's the right thing to do!