So after a solid day and a half of consistent and aggravating abdominal pain I started getting fevers, and that’s never a good combination. Up till that point I was assuming constipation and all the laugh-a-minute joy that comes with that, but a fever meant something was blocked or something was septic or something was about to blow up, and I didn’t see Ex-Lax or Pepto helping that, much.
My fevers were around 100.7 – just enough to worry, not enough for an obvious ER visit – and we weren’t positive that it would be considered an emergency and therefore covered by my insurance, so we went to an urgent care place first to let them make the call. Doctor there took my money and said get to the ER and let them make sure my appendix wasn’t about to blow, and hie us hence we did.
At the ER we got in fairly quickly (i.e. under an hour) and the nurses were great. The admitting nurse told us to call the next nurse we’d see “Candy,” because they had all decided upon their “hooker names” today (the admitting nurse was “Bambi,” we found out later). After I was shown to a room and given a robe “Candy” came in, set some IV stuff down, and said this was going to hurt a bit. “Ah, you’re that kind of hooker,” I said. She laughed, and Teres and I both agreed that hookers with needles were a bad combination.
I got a shot of something that turned me into a fully aware, yet mindless shambling thing (my medically-aware housemate told me later it was a relative of thorazine, and if that’s true it was the kind of relative close enough that thorazine should never marry it) and got CT scans, which revealed that it wasn’t my appendix. They didn’t show what it was, though, and the doctor assumed diverticulitis. He told me about and made sure I understood what I needed to do, and I responded with perfect clarity even as I immediately forgot everything he was telling me because I was still doped to the gills. Teres got everything, though. I think.
Apparently diverticulosis is a condition where your intestines have little bubbles, like bulging places in an inner tube. Normally food whips past them, but if you have a low-fiber diet bits will accumulate in those bubbles and the the pain begins. That’s diverticulitis.
I now have a clear, liquid diet for the immediate future, a high-fiber diet for the rest of my life, and most likely a colonoscopy in the next six months. Also prescriptions for various antibiotics, something for nausea, and Vicodin so I can play House.
All of which is a great way to begin my vacation, which started today.
So, how was your day?
Well, that’s not fun. I hope the pain goes away soon. Take care.
I’m sure sorry to hear that, what a bummer. My sister has it, so I understand how painful it can be. Be sure to include a veggie of some sort with every meal, a handful of baby carrots, lettuce, that sort of thing. Avoids nuts, corn and anything with seeds. Just thought I’d share a little advice, hope it helps. Be well, see you on Twitter!
Man, that sucks. Best of luck to you. I’ve seen my fair share of illnesses; my father had colitis and acute pancreatitis and is currently suffering from Chrone’s. The medication he’s taking for it has made him dangerously overweight, too.
Illness sucks, especially serious ones. Let’s hope you can keep this under control.
My pa has that. He had to change his diet but not as much as you’d think. No seeds in anything (including tomatoes and cucumbers). No pepper. But bananas are your friend. (water soluble fiber). Take care.