So, in a nutshell, I was having crazy shooting, sharp pain in my lower abdomen on Saturday. I thought it was just a tummy ache, and I can live through that, right? Well, it went away (mostly) on Sunday, so I thought nothing of it, until it came back in full force on Monday. That's when I officially decided: natural foods diet all the way. At least for a couple weeks. I had to cleanse my system of all things processed and artificial and potentially harmful to my system. What better way than to stuff myself with fruits, veggies, and legumes? So I went out Monday night to Lowe's Foods to stock up. Then Tuesday, the pain spread. It was no longer intermittent, sharp pain, but it was all across my abdomen below my belly button and spread slightly to the left and all the way to the right side up to the bottom of my ribs. It was especially bad when I pushed on my stomach.
This was no ordinary stomachache. I felt nauseous, but I just kept to myself at work even though I wanted to leave. Then I went to do my run after work and just had this terrible pain while I was running, I kept on though. What's a little pain, right? I must have eaten something old and terrible to make me feel this bad. What the eff? (Please note, I don't actually say the F-word. I do say eff sometimes. I don't around small children or people I don't know. I don't want to give them the wrong idea about me. I'm a nice girl. And I don't curse.)
So I felt better when I got home and just curled up in the couch. I was not hungry at all though. But I stuffed some food in my mouth because I knew I should. When I went to bed (at 8:30 no less) I felt worse. All the pain was lower abdomen and and on the RIGHT. Warning lights. Loss of appetite, nausea, lower right quadrant pain. Kate told me I HAD to go to the doctor on Wednesday. No question. I mean it was pain I could live with (not comfortably mind you), but I knew something wasn't right.
So Wednesday morning I woke up and still in pain, could not eat, and just felt like I had no energy. I'm talking energy drained enough that I skipped yoga on Tuesday night. Boooo. So I went to work and called and the doctor's office scheduled me right away.
So I'm waiting around at the doctor and getting a little dizzy, and I can't even remember Casey's phone number to write on the form. What! Then I was sent back to my little room and waited around some more. When the doctor finally saw me, guess what? Pain shifted left. He was stumped. I still had some pain on the right and all the pain below my belly button, but now it was left. Again, what the eff? I legit thought I had a tumor.
He says, immediate CT scan with contrast dye. He says to the imaging center, "call my cell phone with the results." Cell phone? Not even the office? What is wrong with me? Then he said he'd call me right away. I do not want surgery...the money, the no running, the recovery, the I-have-to-be-at-work, the I-don't-want-Casey-to-feel-like-he-has-to-come-home, the it'll-ruin-my-anniversary-present-for-him. No no no. Not an option. More than that, I was deep down scared that it was a mass in my abdomen. Do I have to live with this constant pain for months? What else will I need to get better? Will I get better?
I'm a "what-if" person to the max. I think of all possibilities and run with the ideas. It was a struggle to calm down in my mind and not think of all the worst scenarios.
So I mosey (or drive) over to Carolinas Imaging Center just down the road. They are THE nicest people in the world. Nicest people ever at a medical facility. No joke. You can visit them here: Charlotte Radiology For any of your imaging needs, please go. The one in Matthews is great.
The nice ladies tell me I have to drink two LARGE containers of nastiness. The one lady (who ends up doing my scan) recommends a little variety. Take 1 vanilla and 1 mocha. I think, "I can totally do this, I haven't had coffee in a few days. Mocha sounds nice. I'm a champ. I can suck those down." Let me tell you a little something about Barium Sulfate. It does not taste good. Not even a little bit. And it certainly did NOT taste like coffee. Here they are.
Tall, cold containers of delciousness. Not. By this time mom had arrived (she's the sweetest--she left work early to come hang out with me). We chatted for a few, and I was FREEZING. This stuff was making me feel sick. Then daddy showed up too! What a nice surprise. They are the best. I had convinced myself I was fine by myself cause I was just sitting there, afterall. But it was nice to have them there with Casey being out of town. It passed the time and was comforting especially not knowing what was wrong.
So I waited an hour and half (had to drink the nastiness over an hour's length). I was not allowed to shotgun it. Then I went back, and they put in an IV to shoot the dye through my veins so I would light up real bright when I was scanned. I tell you what, that dye was crazy. I felt like I was on fire from the top of my head to my face to my hoo-hah. I legit thought I had wet the CT scan bed. I mean I had dranken (is that correct grammar?) alot of liquids. And a strange metallic, blood-like taste was in my mouth. So strange. But then that was it. Quick as a bunny. Done.
Now they said this sulfate stuff would make me go to the bathroom and not to be surprised if I went alot on Wednesday night. Well, kids, I did not go. At all. Or yesterday. What is wrong with me? Shouldn't I be going if they said to expect it? So now I'm just waiting. TMI? I don't care. Goes with the territory of 5 hours at the doctor.
The doctor called very quickly with my results, which in my mind is either good or bad. The verdict: not appendicitis or a tumor. I had a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst. That burst. Inside me. I had a pool of blood floating around inside inside me which explained the moving pain. The blood will resorb into my body and the pain will go away within two weeks. Take Ibuprofen. Can a girl not get something more powerful than that?
So I went home and to the gym. I was in alot of pain when I was working out. I could barely finish the workout which was more frustrating to me. I just cried all the way home. When I got out of my car, I just willed a new letter from Casey to be in the mailbox. To my surprise, there were 4! In that moment, I was so excited for backlogged mail. But just wished he could be inside when I walked in the door. To hug me and make me feel better. I think I cried so much because of all the unknowns and the relief all jumbled together. And him being gone and knowing the pain would stick around for 2 more weeks.
So yesterday, I stayed home from work to get back to normal and just relaxed, had a better workout, went to Barnes and Noble with my fam to hang out, and then went to get my nails done with Kate. Then we went home for a movie and dinner and bed. Low key day.
I was trying to take a picture and the best place to see the blue was against my white shirt, but it looks so awkward cause I'm trying to get my hand and hold the camera with the other and not take a full boob shot. Sheesh. Don't judge me. As long as you can actually see the PRETTY color, we're good. Kate helped me pick it out. I'm thrilled with it. It makes typing at work way more fun.
I feel like a million bucks today compared to the rest of the week! PTL!!
(Ibuprofen was plenty. And I haven't even taken any today! Sometimes doctors know what they're doing.)
I feel like such a wimp. Because so many people have so many bigger problems than this. But it was a scare. That I might be one of them. That no matter what the result was, it was God's plan. There was a purpose. And when something like that happens, it's kind of hard to completely trust and be okay with the outcome knowing the Lord is in control. He was truly watching over me. And maybe he knew better than I that I needed a day off work! Also, comes back to the blog about money, that it's something each month. Now we have a CT scan deductible to pay. He's funny. God is.
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