So last night I was watching a movie with Adam when I felt something kind of strange in my front right side....and by strange I mean a severe, sharp stabbing pain in my abdomen. Within a minute or two, said pain got to the point where it was almost impossible to take anything but shallow breaths and the pain was constant no matter the position. It was at this point that I had Adam call my mother so we could go the E.R. in Petrolia. As much as I HATE taking night trips to the hospital because everything takes so long as they have to bring in the on call staff, I knew this was an exception to my rule. I guess being able to breathe kind of negates all my previous hangups. We left home at about 10pm and I was admitted almost immediately. The usual routine followed, with bloodwork, blood pressure, temp., and lots of other poking and prodding. The on call physician Dr. Daniels was concerned that I might have a blood clot in my lung, or a bleed in my liver. Obviously starting treatment for either could cause some pretty serious repercussions (like... death) so he sent me to Sarnia by ambulance to have a CT of my abdomen and chest. The ambulance drivers were super nice and even took it kinda slow for me as every bump and turn was causing really severe pain, despite the Percocet I had been given at the hospital. When the results finally made it back to Petrolia (after I did), Dr. Daniels was able to rule out both the bleed and clot. Instead, it appeared that my gallbladder was inflamed and I had something that may or may not be pneumonia. He prescribed some intravenous antibiotics for the possible gallbladder infection (administered once a day until friday) and morphine to make the infection, movement, breathing and life in general more tolerable.
I was released from the hospital this morning (because I didn't want to be admitted for the next 4 days) and have been hanging out on my bed, pretty much motionless since I got home. The morphine helps, but I only wanted enough to take the edge off, but not get rid of the pain completely, so I don't damage myself more. and last but not least; with yet another round of the antibiotics I will unfortunately have to push back my chemo another week.
The thing on my upper arm is a soft-set(?) to administer the morphine (they use a funny little device to set it just under the skin, kind of like the top of a click pen) and the wolverine claw is the IV for the antibiotics that I get to keep until friday.
I am a little disappointed with the London Cancer Clinic for not being a little more helpful with the whole situation. They have a doctor on call who is supposed there to advise other doctors in ERs across Ontario. I understand that being on call sucks but helping out a doctor dealing with a very sick patient IS YOUR JOB. Maybe try being a little more helpful. Thanks.
