I got to (finally) read all the comments left on Monday’s post Wednesday morning, and they had me chuckling, nodding my head & even wiping my eyes a little throughout. Thank you for the kind wishes & good thoughts everyone.
I got to Mercy Hospital pretty early Monday morning, met with my doctor, he explained what they were going to do—got my meds adjusted, walked on a treadmill & pretty much sat and read the book I brought along. My birthday dinner was a turkey sandwich, boiled egg, bowl of tomato soup & square of lemon jello.
(Where was that banana pudding I was promised?)
Everything went as planned, my heart rate & BP numbers reduced and stayed there, and Dr. Ahmed (my new PCP) wants me to return in a couple weeks for blood work for diabetes testing. After that, I’m to call a number given to me for the hospital’s GI dept, to set up a colonscopy.
I left Tuesday morning around 10:30am, walked almost 2 miles from Mercy Hospital to Pittsburgh’s Cultural District (where my bus stop is to take me home). I was dropped off in front of Rite-Aid Drugs, picked up my prescriptions, walked to my apartment. And it would seem then like all hell broke loose.
The moment I stepped inside, my upper abdomen on the right side felt like it exploded. It happened several times in July, and again this past Sunday night. On a scale of 1 to 10 the pain is a raging 10, but usually dies down after 1-2 hours. I’ve been assuming it’s my gall bladder.
I paced frantically, called my doctor’s office and told them what happened, they said if the pain didn’t abate then go to the Emergency Room.
I wound up calling 911 and 30 minutes later I was back at the hospital. That’s me in that picture above, the nurse is wheeling my bed to the lab for a CT scan.
(This time I grabbed my smartphone to take to the hospital instead of a book.)
They then took blood & urine, did a chest x-ray and took me upstairs for a very soothing abdominal ultrasound. The radiologist said they detected no gallstones (which surprised me greatly) but saw inflammation in my upper GI, and didn’t know why. There was no infections.
When they recommended I pursue a c-scope, I said If that’s the same thing as a colonscopy I’ll be getting one in a few weeks, and they patted my head and told me I was free to go.
Instead of making the 2 mile trek to my bus stop again, I called my friend Danielle who was kind enough to come and give me a lift home.
Once again, thanks for letting me share everybody. And Kay if you’re reading this, I thought of you when I was in the ER and they kept trying to find a vein in my arm to take my blood. Here’s how my arm looked Wednesday morning!
Oh Doug, that was an experience I hope you never have again! Glad to hear everything went well with your initial testing.
ReplyDeleteThat is quite a mark on your arm! Did it hurt?
I hope with your colonoscopy in a few weeks time you will get an explanation for your abdominal pain.
Take care.❤️
Thank you Robin, and I don't want to sound like a baby but yes those arm jabs really hurt! Anyway, I sure am hoping to get some answers too. Thanks again for your kind words my friend. 🙂♥️
DeleteThis is no way to spend your birthday week! I hope you feel better soon and get to have some fun and celebrate a bit. And they even stiffed you on the banana pudding? What nerve! Get yourself a slice of cake when you can eat it, you certainly deserve it after this ordeal.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dollar Bobi, and guess what? You just inspired me to walk to the bakery tomorrow and get a slice of cake! 🙂👍
DeletePS Bobi, if you see this by chance--that dollar bill you so kindly gave me is crisp as the day it was printed, a 1957 Silver certificate--did you know that? I am putting this away for safekeeping! Thanks again :^)
DeleteSo sorry to hear of the severe pain in you upper GI, Doug. Damn!!! The good news is that you already have your medical sleuths on the case. That's a lot of walking you did from the hospital. Lucky you have the trusty Danielle to provide transport. (What, you have a smart phone now? I'm a little tempted to replace my flip phone as well.)
ReplyDeleteHaha thanks Florence--and yes I finally got a smartphone this year, but I still miss my easier-to-carry-and-use flip! That picture of my legs up there? It's my first smartphone photo.
DeleteThat needle jab looks pretty sore. I give them 2 chances at the blood draw and then request a new nurse. How many jabs did you get? Great that you got your meds sorted. I hope the GI pain gets resolved soon.
ReplyDeleteSusan I got 3 (they went to the other arm after giving up on this one, haha). Thanks for the kind wishes. :^)
DeleteIt puzzles me that the CT scan found nothing seriously wrong other than inflammation. Hmmm. I wonder what is causing you so much pain. I am glad that Danielle took you home. She is a great friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you Gigi--I would love to know where the pain is coming from too. At least it's not all the time and doesn't last longer than 2 hours. Darn it.
DeleteI’m glad you got to go home but it must be frustrating to not know what is causing your pain. Maybe eat a little lighter until you know? I had a ct scan a couple of years ago for abdominal pain and found out my gall bladder is loaded with large stones. But I haven’t had an attack so I’m keeping it as long as I can. 😊. Joyce
ReplyDeleteThank you Joyce--and what you had, that's exactly what I thought I had! They told me 3-4 years ago I had large gallstones. I just don't get it.
DeleteDang, I can't stand it that you were in so much pain but I am relieved that you have the docs working on the problem. Glad your BP is behaving but please keep persuing this. Such a bummer of a Birthday but thank you Danielle for getting our friend home comfortably.
ReplyDeleteThanks Patti, I am grateful for the BP numbers and friends like Danielle--and you.. (I just got back from getting my BP taken, it's 121 over 84.)
DeleteWell, Dug, you have certainly had a birthday week to remember (or try to forget). Glad you didn't try to walk that 2 miles to the bus the 2nd time... and hope there are no more incidents before your colonoscopy. Enjoy your slice of birthday cake!
ReplyDeleteVery nice to read, thank you Rian--and yes I was too worn out for that second 2 mile trek! I need to get Uber installed on my phone.
DeleteJeepers! So, if you walk too much, your side hurts?!? May I suggest you become good friends with an excellent gastroenterologist? Yep, they do the colonoscopies, but let them know about the side pain before scheduling the colonoscopy. They usually take better diagnostic pics, ultrasounds, xrays, CTs and MRIs than the hospital ER. I can have spasms, which hurt, but don't explode. My gastro even saw it happen during a colonoscopy. They suspected gallbladder one time, but instead of a full-blown attack, they tested it's function by putting fluid in my vein that made my gallbladder think I just ate a greasy hamburger. It didn't like it, so they knew it was time to remove the gallbladder, which they did. Good luck with your undesired adventures. I'd ask for a refund from your birthday meal. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Linda, even though they said I didn't have gallstones I can't help but wonder if it's still gallbladder related. I think it is. I don't think all the walking cause the pain, as I do a lot of walking everyday on a treadmill. Anyway thank you again! 🙂👍
DeleteLinda has great advice! That must have been terrifying. Being in extreme pain is awful, especially for those of us who live alone. (Mari is no help at all) I hope they can get answers and find solutions. Sending you big hugs, Doug!
ReplyDeleteShe does, and thank you too Margaret. My PCP said there was nothing they could really do while the pain was so intermittent; all I know is when it gets here, it is severe as it can be. I hope all is good with you, haven't seen any updates on Stargazer recently? 🙂
DeleteTypepad was majorly messed up for a while. I've blogged a few times recently but I don't appear to be coming through on readers, including my own. Yet another issue. Sigh.
DeleteMargaret I'm sorry! I've got no notices from your blog or updates on my own blogroll. I'll go check things out.
DeleteGoodness, you've certainly had a time of it. I hope that the colonoscopy provides some answers and soon, as that gastric issues sound horrid.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are home again. Take care!
Thank you Maebeme, much appreciated. You're very kind. :^)
DeleteThat was a stinker of a birthday. :-0 Hope you stay feeling better. Congrats on your smart phone. I've had one for years but still can't do everything with it. Hope the colonoscopy is a good one especially if it was time for one anyway. Got my fingers crossed that it's just diet or something simple. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteThank you Celia! Oh boy I sure hope it's something simple too. I had these pains before in 2018, after a couple months they went away. I'm hoping for the same, but need to do more this time than just cross my fingers. And fyi, I can't do anything with this phone yet besides talk on it! :^)
DeleteThe last thing you need is more medical advice, esp. from me. All I can say is that I hope they find out what's really wrong and that you start to feel better. Take care!
ReplyDeleteTom I usually don't go looking for advice, but I'm open to it now. Thanks for the well wishes. 🙂
DeleteHoly smokes, Doug! I can't get over all you've gone through and you still don't know what is wrong. You walked TWO miles to the bus stop after leaving the hospital?
ReplyDeleteI was on a long phone call with my daughter this morning. She just had two surgical procedures on Tuesday and Wednesday. The biopsy was yesterday and she was still hurting. AND like you, said they had problems with her IV so she was icing it today. I hope your arm isn't hurting you.
I was sorry I complained about my blood draw when I looked at your arm. I hope it's not painful anymore. Please let us know how your colonoscopy goes. They gave me a different kind of prep thing to drink when I had mine done a few months ago and let me just say... stay close to the bathroom. I'm keeping all my fingers and toes crossed for you.
Thanks Kay, you're very kind. Um...will you be sharing news about your daughter on your blog? I'm sure I"m not the only one who would like to know more, but she isn't you and it's none of my business. I sure hope she's okay. And don't apologize for sharing your arm issues! But I wish you could see mine now, the bruise has been growing for 2 days! But the pain is almost all gone. As for the colonoscopy.. anything you want to share is appreciated! Thanks Kay!
DeleteEvery now and then my body plays tricks on me. However, it seems to me that you have a real Trickster who wants to play with you and put his fingers here and there and see what kind of mischief he can cause.
ReplyDeleteI hope everything turns out fine, and I’m sorry I was flippant on the previous column, seeing what has transpired.
Thanks Peter, and you've got nothing to apologize for. You're feisty, not flippant. 😉👍
DeleteOkay, Doug? When most people celebrate a birthday, there's balloons. A nice cake. Candles. People sing to you. Give you cards and presents. That's how you're supposed to do it, anyways. Next year? Try that, why doncha?
ReplyDeleteHaha yes I screwed this one up! Thanks Debby, I just hope I'm still here for the next one. 🙂
DeleteThe exploding gut sounds extremely painful, I hope they find the cause and fix it. I don't like to think of people in pain, even people I don't know. Eat smaller meals for a while to put less stress on your gut until you have that colonoscopy. I have very easy veins to get blood from, in both arms.
ReplyDeleteRiver, smaller meals is exactly right for the time being. Thanks for your kind and always honest words. 🙂👍
DeleteWell, you have an awful lot of friends here online who care about you! I am one of them, and I sure do hope they can find out what's causing that kind of pain. You are in my thoughts and prayers, friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you DJan, very kind of you and much appreciated. :^)
Delete