Monday, April 10, 2017

Gertrude Attacks

Too bad it's past April Fools Day - I was going to post a picture on Facebook introducing my new baby that we were welcoming on Wednesday (and tag my blog that told about the gallstone) to see if people just read the brief comment with the picture & said Congrats on the new baby or if they read the attached blog & discovered it wasn't a baby I had in my ultrasound picture.  Wonder how fast talk of a baby would spread? Guess that's the social psychologist side of me... Dr. Ponsford 😊

So Tuesday of this past week, I developed a very sharp pain in my back right below my shoulder blade. I figured I was standing wrong or had pulled something so I brushed it off, telling myself I'd stretch later. A few hours later the pain continued and as a sat waiting to pick the boys up from school, I struggled to get comfortable. Each position I shifted into provided only moments of relief. I tried to push the pain & discomfort out of my mind, but no luck.  By bedtime I was so achy that I had camped myself on my heating pad, hoping for some relief.  After putting the boys to bed I got ready for bed & noticed the pain shifted forward to under my ribs. This of course concerned me & I took my blood pressure... it read 179/105 and I became even more concerned.  I had Darren call my Mom to sit with the boys while I headed to talk to Zach as I knew he was still awake & would be scared if he saw his parents leave without telling him why.  I explained to Zach what was happening & that I was heading to the ER to get checked out. We hugged & prayed and then I headed out.  I arrived at the ER and because of my chest & back pain they got me right in.  I was instantly hooked up to an EKG machine. Thankfully results were fine. Over the next hour labs were run & meds for pain & nausea were given.  The Doctor suspected gallstones and said I should follow up with my primary Doctor. I returned home feeling a bit better but wondering.  I stayed home from work the next day to rest & felt bloated & full. I hardly ate as I didn't really have an appetite.  The pain hadn't returned, but had morphed into a tender spot under my rib & shoulder blade.  That evening I was nauseous & had a slight fever. It was a terrible nite without rest. I contacted work & my boss insisted I come in & have one of fantastic ultrasound techs scan me in between patients to see if I had a gallstone/s.  So I did.  Within moments of beginning the scan, I had my answer, a decent size gallstone. I lovingly named her Gertrude 😂 I had previously called my Doctor to make an appointment & she squeezed me in for the afternoon.  I took my ultrasound pictures to my Doctor & she asked if I had a preference for a surgeon.  I had already done my homework & asked my sister Wendy who she recommended & then found out who took my insurance so I was ready with an answer in case she asked.  She excused herself & called the Surgeon directly.  Upon explaining my situation, my now Surgeon made room in her schedule for a meeting & surgery too. As I write this, I'm sitting in Pre Op Registration... Surgery is set for Wednesday at one, prayers are always appreciated.

Blessings!