Appendicitis sucks!

Last week on Wednesday morning I started having strong pains in the middle left side of my abdomen.  I didn't really think too much of it because this happens to me a few times a year.  The pains are fairly strong but they usually only last a few hours.  The pain seemed to ease up around 2pm which was good because I had to pick Savannah up from school at 2:30pm.  I had plans with my aunt to come over for a quick visit at 3:30 (she had not given the kids Christmas gifts yet).  By 3:00 I was in much more pain again.  Jay got home from work at 3 and I told him he was going to have to take the kids for a while because I had to lay down and rest.  My Aunt came and went and I felt bad I didn't get to see her but I was in too much pain.

The pain kept getting a little worse and a little worse as time went on.  My 5pm I had started vomiting.  I knew I was vomiting from the pain and not because I was sick.  The pains were like a severe labor contraction that wouldn't let up.  This wasn't cramping.  It was a strong constant pain.  Jay took care of the kids all night and put them to bed at 6:30pm because he has a meeting for work he had to go to.  I layed in bed all night in awful pain only getting up the be sick.

At 3:30am I knew something was wrong.  My pains were never this strong for this long.  I woke Jay up and told him we had to go to the ER.  He called his mother (who lives next door to us) to have her come stay with the kids so we could go to the hospital.  (Back story:  Jay's mother has a phobia of the stomach bug.  Like she is DEATHLY afraid of vomiting.  It's one of her worst fears.)  Reluctantly, Jay's mom came over to stay with the kids.  She was deathly afraid that I had the stomach bug (because I had abdominal pain & vomiting) so I called my mother to come stay at our house as soon as she could.  (Back story:  I never ask my mom for anything ever because she is always makes me feel VERY guilty for any help she may give.) 

So we get to the hospital at about 4am.  After multiple IV lines of morphine & anti nausea meds my pain was under control.  I had blood tests, a pelvic exam (so fun!) & a CT scan which showed that I had Appendicitis and needed surgery.

We were in the ER until 12noon when I went to be prepped for surgery.  Jay had a great time watching all of the crazies who had od'd or came in drunk.

I had surgery at 12:30pm on Thursday that lasted about an hour.  I was in the recovery room for a few hours after that.  We were home by 5pm.  They had originally told me I was going to have to stay over night but my appendix had not ruptured so I was able to come home.  I was so grateful to be home with my babies.

I had a mini breakdown in the ER when we first arrived and I was told I was going to be given Morphine for the pain & that I couldn't breastfeed for atleast 48 hours.  I don't have a good breast pump so I thought this was going to be the end of the line for us.  I was so heartbroken that this was going to be the end of my nursing days forever.  I felt like Shane and I were being robbed.  I had decided many months ago that Shane would be the sole person deciding when we would be done.  No one else.  I was beyond pissed at my stupid appendix for this.

When I came home from the hospital I tried the hand pump I had but it wasn't really working.  I purposely only took Tyle.nol and not the Percocet that were prescribed so that I could attempt breastfeeding as soon as possible now that I was home.  I was told I could breastfeed while on the Percocet but I wasn't not comfortable with that.

So yesterday (Saturday) afternoon (48hrs after surgery) I attempted to nurse Shane for the first time since Wednesday morning.  I couldn't believe that I had milk!  It was fairly painful to have him on my belly (I used the Bop.py) but he was nursing!!!  I am so happy that we are back to nursing twice a day again.  I am so freaking proud of my body!

I was able to shower yesterday for the first time since Wednesday (ewwww!!!) & I have been told I can't do any heavy lifting, bending, stooping or straining for 2-4 weeks.  Considering I am a SAHM I am not sure how that is possible.  Jay is going back to work tomorrow afternoon.

We had plans to go away this coming weekend to Newport Rhode Island that we have cancled.  This was going to be the first time we have been away as a couple since Savannah was born.  We are majorly bummed about it but we will hopefully reschedule when I am feeling better and able to enjoy the time away from home as a couple.