For Victory Part 1, go here.
So I have an update to the crap I've been dealing with.
While still waiting to see a GI specialist and waiting to get in to get a colonoscopy to confirm whether I do indeed have crohn's, I went to see my doctor. He had gotten the results from the CT scan and it showed an infection in my intestine.
He consulted with both the doctor who reads the CT scan and the GI specialist and put me on Prednisone (a steroid). I took that faithfully for about a week, trusting that all those doctors knew what they were talking about when they proscribed it.
I shouldn't have listened. I should have gotten a second opinion.
As I said, I started taking the Prednisone on Wed., Apr. 24th. Not only did it not help at all (and only serve to give me a puffy face), but by the first of May I was in terrible shape.
I was still swollen and in agony from the pain, but I had also woken up that morning leaking pus and with a small sore on my gut.
I got dressed and my mother took me to outpatients at the hospital where the doctor on call there looked at the wound (which was much worse at the time from the friction caused by my jeans and underwear rubbing against it. It went from a small sore to a straight line right across my belly) and said that he would have to get the on-call surgeon to come have a look at it to see if they were going to drain it in that room or up in the OR.
The surgeon looked at my CT scan and at my wound and then threw one hell of a curve ball my way.
Apparently the infection was so severe that I needed emergency surgery. I was basically on Death's Door by that point. If I had waited another day to go to the hospital I wouldn't be here typing this post right now.
He removed the infected part of my intestine that very night and put in an opening for a colostomy bag, which I've got attached right now. Luckily, he said that it would only be temporary, and that he could reverse it when I'm doing better.
And, just because I can never seem to do anything half-assed, he also had to take my gallbladder out.
I had no idea, but according to him the gallbladder had gallstones and hadn't even been working for a couple of weeks now.
I was feeling no pain in it or anything, so I was quite surprised when he told me that the gallbladder would have to go too.
It showed up on the CT scan that I had gallstones (which my doctor didn't bother to inform me of ) which is how he knew.
I suppose since the gallbladder aids with digesting fatty foods, and I was avoiding such things just in case I did have crohn's (along with a lot of other things I'd love to eat ), that I just never ate anything that would trigger any pain or attack in it.
So here I am right now, in my hospital room, letting you guys know what's going on. I'm just thankful that I'm able to do so. I tell you, I gave everyone quite a scare once they heard just how bad I was.
But don't worry. I'm doing so much better than I was, and feel better than I have in a month. Can't keep this lady down for long!
So I have an update to the crap I've been dealing with.
While still waiting to see a GI specialist and waiting to get in to get a colonoscopy to confirm whether I do indeed have crohn's, I went to see my doctor. He had gotten the results from the CT scan and it showed an infection in my intestine.
He consulted with both the doctor who reads the CT scan and the GI specialist and put me on Prednisone (a steroid). I took that faithfully for about a week, trusting that all those doctors knew what they were talking about when they proscribed it.
I shouldn't have listened. I should have gotten a second opinion.
As I said, I started taking the Prednisone on Wed., Apr. 24th. Not only did it not help at all (and only serve to give me a puffy face), but by the first of May I was in terrible shape.
I was still swollen and in agony from the pain, but I had also woken up that morning leaking pus and with a small sore on my gut.
I got dressed and my mother took me to outpatients at the hospital where the doctor on call there looked at the wound (which was much worse at the time from the friction caused by my jeans and underwear rubbing against it. It went from a small sore to a straight line right across my belly) and said that he would have to get the on-call surgeon to come have a look at it to see if they were going to drain it in that room or up in the OR.
The surgeon looked at my CT scan and at my wound and then threw one hell of a curve ball my way.
Apparently the infection was so severe that I needed emergency surgery. I was basically on Death's Door by that point. If I had waited another day to go to the hospital I wouldn't be here typing this post right now.
He removed the infected part of my intestine that very night and put in an opening for a colostomy bag, which I've got attached right now. Luckily, he said that it would only be temporary, and that he could reverse it when I'm doing better.
And, just because I can never seem to do anything half-assed, he also had to take my gallbladder out.
I had no idea, but according to him the gallbladder had gallstones and hadn't even been working for a couple of weeks now.
I was feeling no pain in it or anything, so I was quite surprised when he told me that the gallbladder would have to go too.
It showed up on the CT scan that I had gallstones (which my doctor didn't bother to inform me of ) which is how he knew.
I suppose since the gallbladder aids with digesting fatty foods, and I was avoiding such things just in case I did have crohn's (along with a lot of other things I'd love to eat ), that I just never ate anything that would trigger any pain or attack in it.
So here I am right now, in my hospital room, letting you guys know what's going on. I'm just thankful that I'm able to do so. I tell you, I gave everyone quite a scare once they heard just how bad I was.
But don't worry. I'm doing so much better than I was, and feel better than I have in a month. Can't keep this lady down for long!
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