24 May 2011 (Tuesday)
I remember quite well that it was Tuesday (24 May 2011) morning when I started complaining of awful sharp pain in the stomach... the same kind that I had during the h.pylori time... and that morning I had milk from the office fridge which didn't feel cold like it should, but I drank it anyway... it was really painful, like having knifes jabbing at you all over your tummy, but i held on and continued working. I really thought it was the h.pylori coming back, since before that I already had some gastric pain and went for a breath test the week before when I took bro to the hospital for his chicken pox (which landed him there for a week).
By lunch time I really didn't had the mood to eat, but I was hungry so followed colleagues out to grab a bite. I knew I had to go to the hospital already, so got the GL and borrowed colleague's car to drive to the hospital. But as the pain was really bad, I told my colleague to send me there instead. I spoke to Dr. Thye in the morning about the pain (while asking for my HP results), and she asked some questions and said it was possible food poisoning. However, she said I should see Dr. Tee since he follows on my gastric issues (although she checks for me as well), but as I'm more comfortable with Dr. Thye, I figured I should just see her and let her check me out.
I actually got to see her pretty fast that day. When she examined me, the only thing I could tell her was that the pain was running everywhere! Wherever she pressed, I felt pain. She told me to rest in the hospital after the jab I was going to get (at the injection room) as it would make me drowsy... so thank goodness Poh Ling (colleague) drove me there if not her car would be stuck at the hospital! She also told me to go back to the hospital and see her if the pain doesn't subside by the next day. Well since bro was still in the hospital, it was easier for me to just rest and then go to his room (isolation room may I add). Another lucky thing was Cheryle (cousin) saw me outside the doc's clinic as she was there for her appointment as well, and I got her to get my medication and send it to Ben's room while I go sleep at the injection room =P.
That time was 3pm when I got the injection... boy it did make me drowsy immediately, but the pain relieve was most welcomed! I told the nurse to wake me up when they were going to close... but the next thing I woke up, it was 5.30pm, and no one was around at the specialist clinic area, and they were closing the shutters!! What happened to waking me up????
Well at least after waking up, the pain was gone... went to bro's "morgue" room which was freaking cold (he wanted it real cold so that his chicken pox scars doesn't itch... but brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...think it was set at 16C), took the meds that Cheryle collected for me and went outside to the sitting area to sit instead of the freaking cold room... but still felt cold, I sat at the stairwell while waiting for mom & dad to arrive. I actually felt better... until going back time where I threw up my meds... but since I felt ok after that... didn't do anything...
At home... midnight... tummy started to ache big time again... couldn't sleep... tossing and turning... but I guess I must be too tired as eventually I KO-ed in bed...
25 May 2011 (Wednesday)
When I woke up about 8am... guess what?? PAIN... and I couldn't get up!! right... I forced myself up and went to the toilet... just dead... pain... went back to bed and slept again... mom came in at about 9am and the first thing I told her... get me to the hospital... I knew it was bad when I couldn't get up!
Well I don't know how I looked, but must be bad... first thing she did was called dad to come back but he was in a meeting and he told her to send me to the hospital. I forced myself up to change my clothes but dang the stupid pain was all over again, just worse than the day before... and its not concentrated to one spot!! I told my mom just send me to Assunta's emergency dept and they'll know how to call Dr. Thye... and then dad called again, saying that I need to follow proper company procedure yada yada... and need to get a referal letter from the panel clinic first before I can go... I was like whatever let's go!! Thank goodness the GP clinic was just right outside my house... and I could hardly even walk in there... when the doctor saw me, he wrote the ref letter and told mom to send me straight to the hospital as I need drips... I guess my face must have somewhat changed but I have no clue what happened (later on mom told me my lips were turning black...)
In the car I was drifting in and out... I know mom doesn't really know how to go to Assunta so I still had to give her directions to get there... Well we reached there and went down at the ED entrance and got a wheelchair to push me in... heck I could hardly stand up when I got out of the car! Good thing Umi (housekeeper) was with us to help. First thing the ED folks did was gave me IV drips (ciprobay antibiotics and saline) and also pain killer... took blood as well for tests... I have to say I did feel much better after the IV went in... stayed in the ED for about an hour or so while waiting for the ward room to be ready... They told me Dr. Thye would see me after that (I kinda expected them to inform her immediately since I was in ED but looks like they didn't as bro said she had no clue I was warded when she went to see him during her ward rounds)...
Bro was discharged that day, and I was admitted on that same day... like we're taking turns to stay at Assunta... Bro came over to the room to pass his laptop to me. As I was in pain, I couldn't walk straight and was basically walking like an old lady (pulling along the IV pole)... and he couldn't stop laughing!!! Now... laughing is contagious... so when he laughed... I laughed... and when I laugh... OUCHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I soooooo wanted to smack him at that time... hahahaha
About 4pm Dr. Thye came to the room to see me... first question: "Hannah!! What happened?? Pain still there ah??" She was surprised when my bro told her I was admitted... at that time I was pretty much myself then again as the IV did make me feel much better although still in pain somewhat... I took the opportunity to ask her whether there's any family rate discount... LOL...Suspect was food poisoning (really bad one)... I did tell her that the pain was better now at that time... but just that everytime I get up its a chore and walking around is a chore...
Got the same painkiller jab the day before... which worked but made me super drowsy... and news must have got around that I landed in the hospital... because after I got the jab, 5 yi (aunt) and uncle KL visited me in the room! Only one problem... I was soooooo drowsy (sleeping when she came in) that I have no idea what they were saying or what I replied!! Talk about bad timing... hahaha
I kept people updated through facebook and during my bored moments, I started texting friends and calling them to inform... I had actually planned up a lot of activities for the weekend and the next week was conference at PD... with me landing in the hospital and not sure when I was going to get out, I had to cancel my plan for friday night stayover at Shane's... and hope for the best I could get out in time for the conference. After all, it was my birthday the next day.... LOL
26 May 2011 (Thursday)
Happy birthday to me! Yeah... pretty sucky to need to spend your birthday in the hospital and in pain whenever you walk or move around... the TV shows on the hospital TV channel was the same as 3 years ago when I landed in the hospital for high bg and almost DKA (dx time)... Thank goodness for the laptop to kill some boredom. Got a lot of messages on FB and sms to wish me happy birthday... but pretty much bored as there was nothing much to do but watch Big Bang Theory and sleep.
Doc came in about 5pm, and she said whatever I'm having is really bad as fever was still there (2 days now) and temp not coming down, potassium levels dropping and a few other blood levels going whacko... and suspicion could be UTI as well (I did complain of difficulty to go to the loo)...I asked her what to do for the potassium levels? She said to take more bananas or potatoes (ooo carby stuff)... I then told her that the pain although still moving around, has focused more on the right side now... immediately she was like... Appendix???? I'm scheduling you for ultrasound now!! (and turns to the nurse for the forms to fill up)
I started to update mom about the potassium, possible UTI and then going for ultrasound thing... and then Shane called to ask what I wanted as she's coming over to visit that night (birthday ma...)... so since potassium low and I don't like bananas... KFC mash potatoes!! Then Yau called asking me what kind of birthday cake I want... so looks like I was going to have a party in the room with 2 of my close friends! (ironically both are 11 and 12 years older than me respectively)
Anyway Shane came at about 6.30... and I still haven't gone for my ultrasound!! Super slow!! Turns out the radiologist had gone back (after 5pm) when Dr. Thye ordered the ultrasound... so the radiologist on call has to come back to the hospital from her home... dang she must be staying quite far or just got stuck in the jam!
Finally got pushed to the radiology dept at about 7.20pm with Shane accompanying me... the ultrasound took super long... with the radiologist kept zooming in at my right side going over and over at that area... I've done various ultrasounds before and they were usually done by 10 mins... the stone look on the radiologist face doesn't help either... I asked her anything?? she said hmmmmm... not really clear.... I asked appendix?? she said maybe.... hello!! clearer answer a bit can ah?? like that's going to help... after going round and round... finally she was done at about 8pm... see long right???
Anyway I was hungry by that time since the last I ate was 12pm (still had quite a normal appetite actually throughout the day)... and Yau was waiting for me at the ward lobby area with the mini cake... and Shane brought KFC... makan time!!!
Birthday mood in the room... Shane even manage to find a lighter to light up the candle and sang happy birthday... the nurse that came in to adjust my drip also had a small share of my cake... mash potatoes and the cake tasted good (anything is when you're hungry)... Yau had to leave to go to her mom's place midway... and parents came in at about 8.45 with cranberry juice for the UTI la... more food la... lets just say festive mood... LOL
Happily celebrating in the hospital
Do I look sick in this pic apart from the obvious IV on my hand giving it away? =P
About 9pm, the door opened and Dr. Tee walked in and was greeted with the festive mood in the room (with Shane happily eating her KFC). Hmmmm... I knew it wasn't good when a surgeon walks in at night with his shirt out and not his usual smart look (with tie...he's my doc for gastric issues). He came in with his usual smile to talk about the ultrasound results. He said the film wasn't clear but it looks quite indicative of appendicities with my symptoms, and that he would want to do open cut to have a better look inside as he's not sure whether it has perforated and laproscopic surgery is not an option. He explained that it would be about 5cm cut and the surgery procedures (yada yada)... and then he said... OK lets do the surgery now and I will wait for you at the operating theatre. RIGHT....... I was like errrr... @_@ ... I just ate??? ... and he was like, what did you eat??? Mash potatoes and cake and some KFC? ... solid food... scrap plan to do on the spot surgery...
After checking the slots available in the op room for the next day, 7am slot was available and I'm scheduled in for that time. So fasting time starts NOW... but I'm darn thirsty from the cranberry juice, can I have a sip of water?? NO!! Complete fasting now... (and the nurse comes in with a big FASTING plate to be put on my table)... and being the stubborn me... i took some water to wash my mouth and "coincidentally" swallowed some =P ... like that 2 mins is going to make a huge difference?? (maybe it does... but at that time all I wanted was to get that sweet sticky taste from the juice out of my mouth!)
So my birthday present of the year was an appendicities dx and a surgery scheduled the next day (almost on the spot!)... took to FB immediately to update the whole wide world and also send out a few text messages to a few close friends (especially those with no FB or don't check their FB)... told Adeline on skype that I was going in for surgery the next day and she was like huh?? what?? Didn't really got to tell her what happened as so many people were in the room and pretty hard to type with people talking to you and by the time I could reply her she went offline... hahaha... replies on phone and fb started to come in... whoa busy busy replying folks!!
Parents left at about 10pm since dad said he will come early in the morning although I did tell him not to as he has to wake up really early then... Shane stayed a while more and started to fiddle with the fasting sign... changing it from fasting to farting!!
After updating Yau on what Dr. Tee said... she came back to the hospital and accompanied me till about midnight (working day for her the next day too!!)... she said that's what friends are for (and very much indeed!! something I valued much and also partly how we got even closer after that as friends...as previously we were just colleagues and not even that close since she's finance and I'm at purchasing)... in the meantime the anesthesiologist came in to ask me some questions and briefed me what's going to happen during surgery.
Yau asked me whether I was scared... after all this is my first time going in for surgery. I don't know... I was pretty calm at that time... guess you can say I just trusted the doctors to do what they need to do, and also leaving it all to God for his healing hands and guidance for the doctors. I actually slept pretty well that night... eventhough still in pain whenever I move (it never really went away anyway).
27 May 2011 (Friday)
I was woken up at about 6am by the staff nurse to prepare to go to the operating room... dad was already in the room and was there probably about 10 minutes... I guess he couldn't really sleep much eventhough I did... Was given a super big sarong to wear... only problem was I had no idea how to wear it... LOL... after some help and fiddling around, I was pushed to the operating theatre area in another bed. At the operating floor, I was asked to move to another bed as it was "cleaner" ... ok... so with all strength mustered I moved on my own (bear in mind that everytime I move... OUCHHHHH) to that "cleaner" bed and waited to be wheeled in to the operating theatre ... was asked to sign some authorization paper and they took my glasses away. I had to tell them to keep my glasses near as I wouldn't be able to see anything without it!
After waiting for about 10 minutes in the cold room (brrrrrrrrr), I was wheeled to the theatre and saw Dr. Tee in his surgical scrubs (although very blur... no glasses) and all the surgical assistants around busy doing something... then they asked me whether I can move on to the operating table on my own... move again?????? well since I'm still able to move around but just in pain... I pushed myself up from the bed and moved on to the operating table. Seriously the theatre was super cold... when they asked me whether I was OK... I said feeling cold and they covered me with some warm blanket thingy, and blew hot air inside... ahhhh comfy.... then they told me to verify my signature on the form and I was like... I can't see!! They started to look for my glasses but I guess they held it close enough to my face for me to verify the signature. As my hands were exposed to the cold air and not under the warm blanket thing, I told them to cover my hands later on as cold. The next thing I remembered was hearing some laughter and seeing a figure injecting something on the IV port on my hand, and I guess that's when the aneasthetic worked.
The next thing I knew, I woke up to quite a noisy surrounding, on a bed, feeling cold, with the assistants surrounding me asking me whether I'm awake? Am I OK? Any pain?? and doctor doctor, patient is awake... me blur blur...asking for my glasses to see and then Dr. Tee appeared...
"Hannah, your appendix was perforated and it was quite messy inside with puss all over. I had to use 5L of water to flush out all the puss. From what I saw, I have no idea how you still had the mood to eat KFC last night!!!" ... so I had a busted appendix and a really busted one =P ... Dr. Tee said that he suspected that it might already have been perforated on Tuesday itself, and that my high pain tolerance levels totally worked against me as usually the pain would be unbearable for most people, which might have caused the delay in the diagnosis. It was a good thing that I didn't go into septic shock from the busted appendix... the strong antibiotics they gave for the "food poisoning" did work in a way I guess. They showed me my busted appendix before sending in to the pathology lab for testing... Honestly I didn't really see it clearly as they didn't give me much time to see, plus they took such a long time to get me my glasses. All I remember was it was brownish and fits into the urine specimen container.. plus I just woke up and was still quite blur processing what Dr. Tee said. Before they wheeled me back to the room, the nurse / surgical attendant asked me whether I felt any pain or discomfort... honestly, I felt nothing... no more pain... stark contrast to what I was feeling for 3 days. They gave me another jab of painkiller for just in case.
Once at the room, it felt like I haven't peed in 10 days. Told the nurses that I needed to go to the washroom, and they were really helpful, to the extend that they followed me into the washroom @_@. Since they needed to measure the urine output, they gave me a container. Fine... and then they waited for me... INSIDE THE TOILET!! hellooooo... privacy??? They say they have to be there to make sure I'm ok yada yada... ok fine... stay... only one prob... although I really wanna pee... I couldn't!! walau.... and there they were just waiting there... trying to make me pee like a small kid by whistling...turning on the tap water... was pretty funny actually... Finally I told them to just let me take my own time and I'll call them if I need help... that's what the buzzer's for anyway...
I really took my own time... but it still didn't work (torture!!)... every 5 minutes the nurses would come and ask whether I'm ok... until my parents arrived... and then they told them that I've been in there for about an hour now... Mom told me to come out and try again later... geeee super uncomfortable feeling... finally after about another 30 min... finally able to released!! What a relief!! (TMI... sorry =P)
I think I freaked the nurses out everytime I got out of bed as I would just get up and walk. After being used to being in pain everytime I move or get up, I wanted to enjoy the no pain feeling!!
In the afternoon Dr. Thye came in to see me and the first thing she said to me..." Hannah! Your pain tolerance level is really high! 3 days you tolerated somemore! some people would be like crying heaven and hell already on the first day. Told you see Dr. Tee on Tuesday you don't want... see if not maybe can do laproscopic surgery instead." =P ... hehe stubborn me mah... =P... She said the same thing as Dr. Tee, that my high pain tolerance worked against me in delaying the diagnosis (atypical?). Plus she said she asked Dr. Tee last night why he didn't operate on me on the spot, and his answer was I was having a party in the room! =P
Anyway, couldn't eat and drink for the next 3 days as I had to let my "insides" rest after the surgery... so glucose drip was my food and saline drip was my water (along with antibiotics)... throat was super dry and itchy and I was allowed 1 cube of ice to wet my lips and throat (tastes sooo good at that time). Dr. Thye took pity on me on the Sunday and said I should be able to at least drink but Dr. Tee overuled!! =( ... 3 days of tummy growling but I guess since they were giving me Nexium jabs to protect my stomach on the antibiotics effects, I didn't get any gastric pain. Plus I guess with all the antibiotics pumped into me, whatever h. pylori bacteria would be gone! haha
Sunday night... I was allowed clear liquids!!!!! Although I wasn't dehydrated, but water tasted sooooooo darn good!!!! and also the soup they gave me...Then, I was allowed to take liquids... although the chocolate drink at the hospital tasted horrible (wasn't milo... but some cheap chocolate 3 in 1 powder), at that time it was good.... Tuesday, Food!!! But Dr. Tee told me to take it slow... the good news spread and cousin brought noodle soup with radish when she visited... yum yum... maybe it was because I hadn't eaten for so many days, I didn't feel good after that lunch... oh well at least it was yummy =P
I was discharged on Thursday (2 June 2011) and was told to take it easy and had 2 weeks hospitalization leave. Followup with Dr. Tee on the following Monday. Since no one said I'm not allowed to drive, I was driving around immediately. Chinese have this "taboo" that seafood shouldn't be taken after surgery to avoid itch or something, but since the doctors didn't say anything can't be taken (I did ask...), dim sum (full of prawns) for lunch the next day!). My mom was like... you sure?? Oh yeah!! No extra itch felt after the lunch =P. Yau was like... you crazy girl!! LOL
Since all my plans were totally screwed up due to the "food poisoning" that became appendicities - birthday celebration, philharmonic orchestra concert show and also attending the conference at PD after 3 years, parents and Aunty Lena decided to treat me to a concert of Broadway songs at the Philharmonic hall (told me while I was still in the hospital). Pretty excited as it was my first time there, and since had to be there early to avoid the crazy KL Friday jam. We had 3 hours to kill, so what do we do? Walk around KLCC and I wasn't actually supposed to walk that much!! Wanted to ask for a wheelchair but I decided I'm OK, so just walk walk walk, rest when tired, then walk walk walk again! ... well bad idea =P ... cause while I did enjoy the show a lot, all the walking and standing made my wound area all swollen... and I couldn't go back to the hospital as Dr. Tee and Dr. Thye are both on leave away in Penang! So... gotta wait till Monday's followup.
Followup day, the swollen area was due to collection of stale blood. Dr. Tee could only shake his head when I told him I walked 3 hours at KLCC before the wound swelled =P. So had to draw out those stale blood and basically he used a needle and syringe to draw out, poking in at several areas to draw from different angles till the swell goes down. And yes, I was staring at him poking me during the whole procedure =P. No pain (like tiny feeling of being poked) and kinda reminds me of the insulin jabs since its around the same fatty spare tyre area. Dr. Tee kept going sorry... little bit more... and I was like, no worries I'm ok. It was quite a lot of fliud drawn out and I still have the picture (won't post it to make sure you still have appetite =P), and looks like the chili sauce that comes with the chicken rice. This continued for the next few followup visits as I still had fluid buildup under my wound, and he almost had to reopen up the wound to make sure there is no infection. I was quite tempted to take the video of Dr. Tee doing the procedure but didn't do it =P. Yau was like, you watched at the whole procedure being done?? I was like yep!! and she was like... whoa, I wouldn't even want to look at it!! The thought of it is scary enough being poked in and out multiple times!!
In the end everything turned out well I guess. The 2 weeks of leave ended fast, and I got 3 months MC from the gym since no heavy activities allowed. Still went for the planned Langkawi trip and subsequent Redang trip after that, although I couldn't do discovery scuba due to the surgery (within the last 6 months, it was only 2 months). My weight dropped to 58kg (although it was 64kg after I was discharged due to all the water pumped into me =P), but obviously the weight slowly went back up but I guess I still enjoyed it for a month or so, hehehe.
OK, just realised I took one month to write this super long post. LOL!!
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