Thankful Thursday

Today is truly a Thankful Thursday.

Just a few hours ago, I was in the emergency room -- in extreme pain and struggling to breathe.  I was pretty sure I was having a gall bladder attack, but I was also more than a little bit worried that maybe I was having a heart attack.

The fact that I even asked my husband to take me to the ER was a sign I was taking the situation very seriously.

The check-in process went smoothly and I didn't have to wait long before a nurse (tech?) took me to a triage room.  She checked my blood pressure and asked some questions -- she wasn't very friendly, but she knew what she was doing.  In no time flat she had me hooked up for the 12-lead EKG.  She also took my temperature and pulse rate.  In less than ten minutes she passed me off to a transport person who wheeled me to an ER exam room.

This is where things began to bog down.  A nurse asked me to undress from the waist up and put on a gown.  She said that the doctor would be in to see me soon.

Lies!  Lies!

We waited and we waited and we waited some more.  While we were waiting there was a "Code Red" accompanied by repetitive announcements, electronic beeps and really annoying flashing lights that seemed to go on forever.

Shortly after the "Code Red" ended, I realized that I had absolutely no pain.  No pain anywhere -- not in my chest, not in my abdomen, not in my back -- no pain.  Great.  I finally decided to come to the ER and now I am pain-free.

Not long after my good news-bad news revelation, the doctor came in.  He seemed really surprised when he asked how I was feeling and I told him I felt great.  I bet he doesn't hear that very often!  We talked about the pain I had been experiencing and decided that since I had made it this far, it would be a good idea to run some blood work and have an ultrasound.

Both the phlebotomist and ultrasound tech were great.  Unfortunately I had to wait way too long for Transport to pick me up from ultrasound.  And once I was back in the exam room it was another long wait for the lab work to come back.

Finally the doctor and a nurse came in and talked with me about the test results.  The ultrasound showed that my gall bladder was filled with stones and sludge.  No surprise there.  I was almost positive that the episodes that I've experienced for far too long were due to gallstones.  The blood work showed elevated gall bladder, liver, and pancreas enzymes that indicate gall bladder disease and pancreatitis.

The doctor really wanted to admit me to the hospital, but there was no way I was going to stay overnight.  If I had still been in pain, I might have considered it.  But I didn't feel there was any reason for me to be under observation when there really wasn't anything to observe.

So now I'm faced with the next step.  I have a referral to a surgeon and I need to make an appointment with him for a consultation.  I'll admit I'm scared, but I was even more scared this afternoon when I was afraid that I might die.

I am incredibly thankful for the medical care that I received.  Every hospital employee that I came in contact with was incredibly professional, and with the exception of the first tech, they were also personable and caring.  Chances are I'll need surgery in the near future to remove my diseased gall bladder, but I'm glad that I have that option.