Tuesday, January 27, 2009

1-28

This is it, folks - my last Australian blog. Let me try to explain a little better about everything that's happened:

Last Wednesday around noon, I started feeling the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. It wasn't a typical cramping pain or belly ache; it was a demon I knew wouldn't just go away. I tried to deal with it for about an hour, mostly by laying on any type of cold tile I could find (shout out to Mom), but eventually it got so bad I asked my boss to please, please take me somewhere to get help. They took me to a clinic in a mall nearby, and I was shameless in asking for medicine. Anyone who looked like they knew how to poke me with a needle, I tore at them. The pain was outrageous.

Eventually the clinic had run out of pain killer or something and an ambulance came and took me to the closest, and apparently crappiest hospital in Brisbane. I waited in the ER for someone to do something, still pleading with anyone who would listen to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING about how much I was hurting. Eventually, Narelle, my co-worker/international mum/holy, bless angel took me to the private hospital where she takes her own kids. Praise the Lord forever for Narelle.

There, I was filled with all the morphine my body could handle. A doctor spoke with me, gave me an ultrasound and spoke with me again. Apparently a freakishly large ovarian cyst had formed on my ovary, which isn't that uncommon except this was a Goliath cyst on a fairly young girl. That doctor gave me a bunch of codeine and told me to come back in a month.

I took Thursday off and didn't get out of bed once. Mostly, I hallucinated.

Friday, I went to work but didn't make it past 10 am before I had vommitted more than ever before in my entire life. The world refused to stand still; again - tile floor. I took a cab home, called my parents and took a cab back to the private hospital.

Within 30 mins, 2 doctors, several nurses, an admin assistant and Narelle were telling me I needed immediate, emergency surgery pronto, as the cyst was doing more undoable damage by the minute. I flipped, went into hysterics, because I couldn't get in contact with my parents. Eventually, Narelle talked to my dad, and I was hospital gowned, prepped and getting ready to be on the table at 5 pm (Friday).

I don't remember anything after meeting my anesthetist. I was being wheeled down a corridor, joking about being a Texan and having been in Aus only a week and a half before having surgery, and then I was waiting in post-op. So groggy, such heavy lids! I ended up back in my hospital room somehow, and immediately ate an entire box of chocolates that someone (Narelle) had put beside my bed. Before my nurse could say, "You probably shouldn't eat ye--," every last milk chocolate morsel was gone.

Throughout the night, a nurse named Raj came to check my vitals and my bandages. My belly button was (is) completely bandaged over, the once white coverings black and red from the surgery. I have another set of stitches about 5 inches below my belly button, and 2 out to each side. My stomach looks like a baseball diamond. The swelling has gone down now, but it was enormous that night and the days following. I had to slide out of bed and chairs.

I went home Saturday morning, laid in bed and hallucinated some more. Sweated a lot, talked to my parents a little. At first I didn't want to go home, but as the pain continued and the pain meds started to wear off, I began to realize the gravity of everything that had happened. So, with much trepidation and crazy internal dialogue, I decided to come home and finish my 6 months in Houston. I need a clean bill of health from my own doctor, as doctor-centric as that sounds. I need to recover in familiarity. The reasons are so many, and I've decided they are all legit, good reasons.

So, now I'm sitting for the last time in this internet cafe. I will miss Aus so much -- 3 weeks is hardly enough time to spend here, but it's better than none. I'll continue to keep this blog going, and I'll still be going to Colorado in July. But, that's pretty much it. Thank you SO MUCH for the prayers, support, emails etc. I love y'all. See you in TX!

1 comment:

  1. makes perfect sense to me :)
    glad your recouping with family.
    i think that decision was part of your "leaving behind the adolescent amy".
    though you had to endure pain,
    i'm glad you had some aus experiences!
    welcome home

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