So the week from hell continued...I was having a perfectly lovely day with my BFF(J)--shopping for new make-up at the MAC counter at Nordtrom's & getting a mini makeover together & then onto the McDonogh-Gilman game--where BFF(A) met us. Her son goes to McDonogh and BFF(J)'s goes to Gilman. After the game, which Gilman won, we were off to wine tasting. This time another friend of ours, runner gal came along. Met up with SM too--the fates seemed to be shifting in my favor when all hell broke loose.
First, though, all the friends came back to my house for a little wine & some great cheeses I'd picked up at various places during the week. We were all sitting around my dining room table with a little Truchard 2005 Pinot when I got a pain that made me double over. I thought maybe it was a little gastrointestinal distress--HS game food is never good--but I'd only had a couple fries....
I went in my bedroom to lie down hoping the pain would go away, but it just increased. My friends did the best they could, offered to take me to Sinai Hospital, but I thought it would get better so I waved them off. For a couple of hours it did feel better, then the pain was absolutely excruciating--it burned and I felt like I had the chills as well. By this time it was about 1:30 AM & I was beginning to also get violently ill. That actually helped a bit & for a little while I thought I'd get better--mebbe a stomach virus or something--24 hr. thingy. But then I noticed a huge lump right next to my belly button--2 AM I knew I needed to go to the ER. Called my folks who offered to take me to Sinai (this hospital was obviously the choice du jour...). I knew that I needed to go way sooner than they could get to me & that if I went by ambo I'd be seen quickly instead of writhing in pain in front of a bunch of similarly adorned people.
I call 911 & the paramedics arrive just in time for me to start heaving all kinds of nasty from the depths of my stomach. (Thankfully my son was staying with my folks last night--he didn't need to see his mom in such obvious pain.) They tell me that Sinai is out of beds & chances are I'd need surgery so it was either Northwest Regional or GBMC. The plus about living in Baltimore is the dearth of hospitals--most of them quite good. So hmmm...GBMC it was. It was so quiet there when we arrived, & I was seen right away so I knew I'd made the right choice.
I was admitted pretty much right away & was told that I might need surgery straight away. MIGHT being the operative word...heh. I had a golf-ball size hernia that was making its nasty self known--I don't think I ever felt pain like I did then...but having surgery straight away? If I was going keel over then I'd get it done--I wanted to know my options. My BFF(J) needed to read the CT scan & I really couldn't afford to not go to work--this week will be a critical one! So the only mistake that GBMC made was that they told me that I was getting prepped for a 10 AM surgery. I never had any discussion with the surgeon--so I quickly said, "Nope. No way, not until I get all of the options explained." I must say however, that the folk there were great & the surgeon & I did talk--it wasn't critical that I have the surgery immediately so at least I can plan accordingly--but I must have it soon.
Ah..the next twist in the gut!
