It's only been a week or two since I last dropped my bombshell here about the fun we had...my sj friends whom I share brotherhood with. And since I know how fast news breaks out (like the plague, I think) within our numbers this will just be the firsthand story from me. I had been thinking of writing something here since I came home, but my blues keep me from doing so. It suddenly felt so foreign to me to sit in front of the PC, to press keys, and I had a hard time at first since the key pressing seemed to hurt me on my stitches...
Ah, speaking of stitches, yes I went under the knife of Dr. Peterson Lu in Chinese General Hospital on the night of Nov. 8, 2007- a day which was supposed to be my Bern friend's 20th birthday, but due to my personal pain, I...
2 Days Prior To Admission...
My YM stat read 53h no sleep. Skipping meals not uncommon. I was working hastily on my vid editing, literally abusing myself in an effort to be done with the film for the nursing week's film fest, which I took part in. I even recalled telling my aunt, "Ngayon ko lang inabuso nang ganito ang katawan ko." True, coz before this I always made it a point to sleep and eat enough before pushing myself to work nonstop.
1 day PTA-
The pain crept in. Wednesday was supposed to be a school day for me, as well as the agreed passing day of the film. Instead of my expected cheery recharge, I woke up with a crampy abdominal pain radiating to my left with an 8/10 grading, intermittent. I thought it must be my stress reaction kicking in, so I shrugged other possible causes and suffered there on my bed all morning in silence. I was hoping it's disappear so I can dress up and get ready for a first class.
Two hours before my lecture class at 1, I finally told my mother I didn't want to come to class. She left me. By the time she was off the pain had dulled. I was partially relieved and went on to do my finishing touches with the film.
My dad was in the house, which surprised me. He told me to get dressed and eat somewhere with him. I readily agreed, thinking that maybe the dull pain was already...hunger pains? We ate at a small cafeteria nearby, and despite my nursie conscience I dared myself to dinuguan. We had a brief bonding time. At the end of the meal I felt the pain growing intense again, like a flame licking eagerly against a high firewall.
But I told my papi, "Gusto ko po ng Kitkat." Actually I was craving for it, so we went hunting (I was already limping) in the market and finally got two. On the way we picked up supplies, as well as a lot of things he thought I'd need for school or for my toilet (every step was more agonzing than the one before it). This was when I sensed that somehow he might be up to something, or he's guilty of something so he's consenting to all my wishes then...I tested it! But that's not the point here, so anyway...
The Asian Kangaroo-
Of course there's no such specie, but I kind of turned into this as soon as I got home. After hobbling down and back upstairs to serve water to my father I instantly got into my brother's room and turned on the airconditioning unit. I just gave in to the bed and slept it off...but I woke up later, feeling the pain worseing at each moment. I was already screaming and jumping...I jumped and realized how it alleviated the pain temporarily, so that's what I did for a while.
I made like a kangaroo and jumped all over the house...my aunt thought I was losing it.
The Psychological Test-
In my desperation,I remembered that discussion I had with Jo and an episode of house wherein, to distract himself from his severe leg pain, House visciously slammed a black medicine pestle over his hand, which afforded relief while the new pain source lasted. They say it's possible because prostaglandins (which are responsible for the feeling of pain) find a new focus other than the original.
With half of what's left of my wits I took a hold of the black wireless phone and hammered my left hand twice. It actually worked, but by the time I was done screaming and holding my wrist, the pain on my abdomen was back.
So much for prostaglandin confusion...boo sadism. Haha.
The (B)Witch(ed) Doctor-
In times like this I thought I had to rely on my knowledge. Other than poring over my books (while lying down with a grimace) I had to narrow down the list of what could have caused this. With my eyelids half-closed in pain I could almost see House and his team, "Differential diagnosis, people."
I initially thought it was food poisoning. But when I checked the sighs and symptoms I threw the idea, since I wasn't vomiting anything. I checked heartburn. Hyperacidity. Indigestion. None of them could fit into my condition perfectly as a group.
I suddenly felt scared: ovarian cyst?
No way. But I already fit the at-risk age group...
Doing my kangaroo trend to the fridge, I braved the unknown and inspected the contents of the medicine box...found a good white pill (of course I read it), and discreetly took it, hoping to reestablish normal bowel functioning in an hour or two.
Night Terrors-
I was worse that ever when my mother came home. I intentionally did not try to contact her, since I didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble or go to a doctor for nothing. So she was surprised to see me moaning there on the sofa with the TV on. After a sermon and offering me a new white pill (it was different from my choice) she sent me to bed. I was writhing in pain and did not get sleep at all.
I kept waking up, but I dreamed I was put on quarantine inside an oriental palace high atop the mountain. My mother summoned 3000 identical-looking geishas to find out what's wrong with me. They were all replicas of me, except that they wore elaborate geisha robes...parang ung sa TV, si Hwang Jini ata un. They all tried to cure me. And just when I thought the last of them worked well for me, I woke up feeling all painful again.
The Lovers Carry-
I dressed in my slowest way (masakit nga) as my mtoher wanted me to go see a doc. She said it might be appedicitis. I thought then it was unlikely. Why? I dunno. Just thought it was not me who's gonna have it.
We went to Dr. Lao Lam Sun in St. Luke's at around noon. Since ma and he were really good friends (20+ yrs and counting), we managed to have him to ourselves at lunch break. After exmaining me on his table he already speculated that it was either appedicitis or maybe an ovarian problem. He arranged for bloodwork and urinalysis. And he slipped in an admission order just in case.
The walk back to the car was just...anyway in spite of my pain I was surprised when ma stood in front of me and offered me her back. Lovers carry? I declined (she can't possibly) and let my arms fall over her shoulders instead.
In the car the pain suddenly became instense, as in super super sakit, more than ever. I was crying by the time we went to the lab. My ma, realizing I had to be confined, decided not to go with the lab routine and took me to the ER with her admission order from Dr. Lao.
Making A Scene-
I needed a wheelchair when I arrived in front of the ER. They put me on the bed and started to work. That was an hour past my visit to the MD. I shouted at them all when they tried to assist me in changing positions, since it hurt a lot and everywhere.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!!!" I kept telling them.
Shane and Ma was laughing at me as I told them off. I even kept interrogating them at every procedure they wanted to do to me. Some clearly had no idea of what they were doing, which made me all the more angry. Later when I was asked for my urine sample I was surprised.
I could not produce any.
I was given an ultrasound, which went bad since they could no longer see how it was in there...wala kasing laman ung bladder. At 'gassy' daw according to one of the docs in there.
I was shivering too. I didn't even care when someone took a blood sample (the needle!). That was how gone I was.
I was febrile (had fever). But no one gave me anything except seven hours later when they gave me paracetamol- per IVP (injected straight into my vein, people) just shortly before they rolled me into the OR. The careless guy nurse did it so fast it stung my arm badly that had it not been for the pain I would have kicked him down really bad (when he attended to me two days later I reprimanded him as a paying customer should).
Inquisition Inside the OR-
Sabihin na natin na talagang the worst- most difficult- patients are healthcare workers themselves. Which almost includes me, since I'm a nursing student.
Inside the OR (as in with the lights) while the adults were busy doing the prepping (yung scrub, anesthesize, discuss, drape, arrange the team, blah), I turned to them and greeted them casually as a host would. That was when I first saw Dr. Lu, my surgeon. He introduced himself, though already masked since it was the proper thing to do. I even shook hands with him (while on the operating table ha, ganoon). Sabihin mo nang pa-epal, pero with the rights of the patient (and the difficulty of a nursie stud)I joined the briefing, slightly taking the team aback:
Me: Hello. Good evening po.
Assist: Hello, Anniline.
Me: An pong gagawin?
Anesthesiologist: First we're going to do a spinal- epidural anesthesia...just don't move.
Me: Huh? OK. Masakit daw po yan. Anyway, just tell me what to do.
*Instructions given, shot done with minimal pain, thank God for good hands*
Me: Ayan na, nararamdaman ko na po.
*Assist ties my wrists down on the table extentions a la crucifixion.* *Anesthesiologist tests me for sensation by pinching.*
Me: (removes her pinching) OK na po, basta tumatalab na po.
*Felt the wiping of my abdomen*
Me: Ummm...ma'am?
Anesthesiologist: Yes?
Me: May I sleep first before you cut?
Anesthesiologist: Yes, of course.
*They were taking a keen interest on the mapping on my abdomen.*
Me: Can you tell them?
Anesthesiologist: Yes.
*The curtain was being placed.*
Me: Ma'am, may I watch how it's done?
Anesthesiologist: No. You can't watch.
Operation took about 4 and a half hours, mga 8 something nagstart. About 1 am I was awake, trying to move my elephantine legs. And if it wasn't bad enough there was this guy in the PACU (recovery room) who made one wrong move. When I was ready for transfer back to my room, he put a stretcher beside me.
Me: So appendicitis nga siya?
Staff: Oo, sabi sa chart. O, babalik na kita sa room mo. Baka mabigla ka.
Me: Wha-
*Carried me on my neck and waist- my WAIST!!!*
I screamed a short mortal scream loud enough to make two patient's head turn to me. And to think under anesthesia sila...
Later, in my room-
Me: You're mean. I hate you.
Staff: Hindi, nabigla ka lang.
Me: Nabigla- o wag mo kong hahawakan!
*He called two staff nurses to carry me properly down to my bed. Pwede naman kasi di ba?*
OK, that's it. The recovery phase is more of a weird experience if you ask me. But before I close this very long entry I want to say thanks to all those who visited me- you are such blessings talaga. To those who texted, salamat rin. :)
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