Off the Bike :-(

[pbbeck]

On Monday night, I checked myself into the ER with severe abdominal pain in the lower right quadrant. That night I had an emergency laparoscopic appendectomy. I have three small incisions instead of one big one. They might be small, but they HURT!

 

This was the first night I've ever spent in a hospital bed, my first surgery, and my first time being incapacitated with pain. I'm off my bike for a several weeks at least. My friend who've had this procedure say to expect at least a month of recovery.

 

Kudos to the folks at Kaiser Permanente. I checked in at 9:15, was in a bed by 9:25, CT scanned at midnight, and in the OR by 3AM. They didn't fool around. I was released the next afternoon, and yes - I hobbled into the polling place to cast my vote.

 

 

[Firefight911]

Thank you for voting!

 

Oh, and get better too would ya!!

 

Wait til you do your first abdominal crunch or sit up. It'll take a bit to break down the scar tissue. Get some physical therapy going as soon as the Dr. allows. You'll want to get some stretching going when reasonable to do so, laproscopy or otherwise.

[Boffin]

Sorry to hear that you are unwell Paul. Take it easy for a short while with no heavy lifting.

 

I bet you're trying to work this event into a learning experience for your class

 

Andy

[SageRider]

Glad things went well.

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

[PLW]

A friend of mine had this done a few months ago. He was back on his bike in a week, so don't buy into the b.s.

You may know him, he rides a blue Vrod with an ostrich seat.

[bakerzdosen]

Better to be off the bike because of the surgery than to have the surgery because of the bike...

 

I'm betting you'll be on the bike sooner than your original estimates too.

 

Feel better.

[SWB]

Much better than my daughter's experience. There was a long line at the local ER (we live closer to the border in San Diego, and ER is the free family physician for many), and it was 24 hours between first symptom and the operation (over 16 hours waiting at the hospital). My daughter's appendix burst, though the surgeon didn't spot it, and part of the appendix was left in. Naturally, it went septic, and she had a second emergency surgery a week later. After that, it got really bad. Two more weeks of hell, she lost 20% of her body weight (and she was already an athletic 110lb gymnastic cheerleader). Her systems started shutting down, and I was just about ready to pull her out of that place when the insurance company and hospital physician ceded to my request to bring in an internist, who finally got her turned around. The hospital care was abominable. Her call button malfunctioned twice and she was too weak to get to the bathroom during the first week, so she laid in urine for six hours until 9:00 AM when I came to see her. We had to set up a routine like a third world country, i.e. her mom was there 8 hrs during the day time, and I was there for about 16 hrs though the evening, just to ensure she had proper care.

 

All of which is to say, NO operation is routine, and thank God (or your lucky stars - whatever) that you DO have good physicians, a good hospital, and a good staff.

 

Get well! I had a regular appendectomy when I was about 16, and it took 6 weeks before I could walk without a "catch", i.e. a weakness or pain in my belly. +1 on the physical therapy recommendation. It's the shortest way back to the saddle.

[pbbeck]

Thanks for all the well wishes. I am fortunate to receive the good care I did. I hope you are all correct in saying I'll be back on the bike sooner rather than later.

 

"You don't know what what you got,

'til it's gone..."

 

 

 

[Kitsap]

I say give it a week and you'll be back on the bike. I had my appendix rupture and have a nice scar where they had to remove everything to clean out the mess, three weeks and I was back on the bike.

[Dietrich]

Misery loves company. Thanks for your good wishes. But we can be happy it's only a bone or your just in time fixed appendix.

Wish you good recovery. There is always next year to look forward to.

 

[Bullett]

Take care of yourself, Paul, and you will be back on the bike in no time.

[Francois_Dumas]

Yikes ! Heal fast !!

[yabadabapal]

Hope you get better soon. Im kind of curious. What exactly does the appendix do.

[Boffin]

Hope you get better soon. Im kind of curious. What exactly does the appendix do.

 

Nothing. It is a vestigial branch of the intestines which serves no purpose other than to occasionaly become infected. Left untreated this leads to septicemea which has a very high fatality rate.

 

Andy

[Motorrad4fun]

Speedy recovery

[Mike05]

 

Get well soon!!

 

Don't be in too big a rush to get back on your bike; darn things weigh just enough to pull a stitch if you're not careful.

 

Also nice to hear a story about receiving such prompt & efficient care in a medical emergency situation.

 

 

[Les is more]

I have those same three scars from Jan. of 2007. Just don't let the size of the scars fool you into thinking that you didn't just have people poking around in your abdomen with knives and staplers and such. The external signs look relatively harmless. The internal work was the same as any other appendectomy.

 

Heal fast and be kind to yourself.

[pbbeck]

Leslie,

 

Thanks for your perspective on this. All week, I've had trouble reconciling how such relatively small incisions could cause so much pain and discomfort. I guess I was minimizing how much actually went on the operating table!