My 10 year old woke up one morning with stomach pain. I thought it was constipation. After a few hours, I gave him an enema. He was still in a lot of pain and hated me now also. We finally went in and his white blood cell count was sky high. The surgeon said his appendix was also in the wrong place, attached to the bladder. She said usually people with their appendix there don’t come in until it had burst. I’m thankful he has a very low pain tolerance. After reading your story, I’m REALLY glad he has a low pain tolerance! Hopefully, you feel better soon!
I had no idea how many people had their appendixes in the wrong place. And now that I know that, I'm furious that first ER doctor didn't look in any of those places to find it.
holy cow, now that's an ordeal! You now have bragging rights for a long time though, drive yourself to the ER with a burst appendix? Now that's a tough guy!! Kidding aside however, so glad to hear that things are improving and I hope that your crew is treating you like King of the Castle while you recover.
Wow....you had quite the ordeal! Not sure how you managed to drive while in that much pain but glad you did. Sepsis is very dangerous but hopefully all is under control now and with a few weeks r&r you will be good as new. Take it easy and let those ladies in your life spoil you a bit!
Had a septic shock due to an urinary infection that went in my kidneys and I also thought I'd die... 2 month from d-day to full recovery, especially because of the antibiotics strong enough for a horse when I was 50kgs 😅
I hope you'll recover sooner ! Many thoughts and strength for you !
This happened to my niece when she was 16. She was in horrible pain and they told her it was gas and sent her home. Her appendix ruptured and they had to remove some of her intestines. You would think at this point that ER doctors would, 1) Recognize the symptoms of appendicitis, 2) Know that appendicitis does not always show up on imaging, and 3) Know that the majority of people don't have gas so severe that it sends them to the ER. I'm sorry you had to go through all of this and I hope that by sharing your story it empowers people to stand up to their doctors.
A friend of mine showed up at the ER with horrible pain. She could barely walk. The ER doc told her there was nothing wrong. She told him she wanted a different doctor. Turns out it was her gall bladder and they had to remove it right away. I'm not saying all ER doctors are bad but they are generally juggling a lot of patients at one time and trying to move them out as quickly as they can.
I had a similar experience in June, except mine was a necrotic gall bladder (yes, it was rotting inside my body. Gross.). Just a heads-up, getting the drain tube pulled out of your side is EXCRUCIATING. Make sure take the good painkillers that day. Best of luck in your recovery!
When they took mine out they told me people don't report pain, just a weird sensation. At the teaching hospital I was at, they even just have medical students do it. I started to be able to say yeah, it's weird, kinda like vomiting from the wrong part of your body. But then my student had to go get a real doctor to help because he couldn't get the tube all the way out. She looked at it and said oh yeah it looks like they used one that has a lip on the end and it will hurt, and before I had a second to react she just yanked it out. It wasn't burst appendix pain, but I was not happy.
Through the entire abdomen, but literally for 1.5 seconds. It only hurt when they were pulling it out and then once it was out the pain went away completely. If you have weaned off your pain meds, just be sure to save one to take that day. Seriously, just a second or two and then done.
I actually have a very similar story! My appendix burst when I was 2 and a half and the doctor told my mum I had colic- for a week! My mum took me to the ER when my lips started turning blue, and they said if she was any later they wouldn’t have been able to save me
Wow, that's crazy. Glad to hear that you made it through and are on the road to recovery. My husband went to the hospital for acute appendicitis, left the hospital 2 weeks later after having to have open heart surgery for 5 blocked arteries. The doctor told me that if they would have had to do the surgery 1 day later, he wouldn't have made it.
Truly terrifying - Glad for everyone's sake you survived and are on the mend. Take it easy, and get the hospital to at a minimum cover the initial $500 copay you were out of pocket.
I had a similar experience except that my appendix actually did burst. Spent 10 days in the hospital and left with a wound vac which stayed with me for 6 weeks. Good times. Glad you're on the road to recovery.
I knew it was your appendix from the first email. I'm a mom, we just know. Same thing happened to both of my sons. Oldest was sent home the first time because WBC was fine. Emergency appendectomy at 6PM the next day. The other one ignored the pain, "it's just gas" for several days until we almost had to carry him to the car. Emergency appendectomy, burst appendix, 8 days in the hospital. No, he didn't learn anything from it. Still puts off medical stuff until it's worse than it needs to be.
My 10 year old son had exactly the same: symptoms that didn't fit and ended up in hospital for 5 days. Took a long time to get him back to 'normal'. Don't try to do too much too soon. Glad they sorted it in the end!
Get well soon - as an attorney that has dealt with medical malpractice cases for almost 40 years, this story could have easily had a worse ending. Glad you are on the road to recovery.
My 10 year old woke up one morning with stomach pain. I thought it was constipation. After a few hours, I gave him an enema. He was still in a lot of pain and hated me now also. We finally went in and his white blood cell count was sky high. The surgeon said his appendix was also in the wrong place, attached to the bladder. She said usually people with their appendix there don’t come in until it had burst. I’m thankful he has a very low pain tolerance. After reading your story, I’m REALLY glad he has a low pain tolerance! Hopefully, you feel better soon!
I had no idea how many people had their appendixes in the wrong place. And now that I know that, I'm furious that first ER doctor didn't look in any of those places to find it.
holy cow, now that's an ordeal! You now have bragging rights for a long time though, drive yourself to the ER with a burst appendix? Now that's a tough guy!! Kidding aside however, so glad to hear that things are improving and I hope that your crew is treating you like King of the Castle while you recover.
Wow....you had quite the ordeal! Not sure how you managed to drive while in that much pain but glad you did. Sepsis is very dangerous but hopefully all is under control now and with a few weeks r&r you will be good as new. Take it easy and let those ladies in your life spoil you a bit!
Oh gosh, I hope you're well again very soon !
Had a septic shock due to an urinary infection that went in my kidneys and I also thought I'd die... 2 month from d-day to full recovery, especially because of the antibiotics strong enough for a horse when I was 50kgs 😅
I hope you'll recover sooner ! Many thoughts and strength for you !
This happened to my niece when she was 16. She was in horrible pain and they told her it was gas and sent her home. Her appendix ruptured and they had to remove some of her intestines. You would think at this point that ER doctors would, 1) Recognize the symptoms of appendicitis, 2) Know that appendicitis does not always show up on imaging, and 3) Know that the majority of people don't have gas so severe that it sends them to the ER. I'm sorry you had to go through all of this and I hope that by sharing your story it empowers people to stand up to their doctors.
A friend of mine showed up at the ER with horrible pain. She could barely walk. The ER doc told her there was nothing wrong. She told him she wanted a different doctor. Turns out it was her gall bladder and they had to remove it right away. I'm not saying all ER doctors are bad but they are generally juggling a lot of patients at one time and trying to move them out as quickly as they can.
Props to your friend for standing her ground. If I had done that, I could have saved myself a LOT of pain. I'll be more like her next time.
I had a similar experience in June, except mine was a necrotic gall bladder (yes, it was rotting inside my body. Gross.). Just a heads-up, getting the drain tube pulled out of your side is EXCRUCIATING. Make sure take the good painkillers that day. Best of luck in your recovery!
I cannot tell you how much I wish you hadn't told me the "excruciating" part. Although I kind of expected the worst.
When they took mine out they told me people don't report pain, just a weird sensation. At the teaching hospital I was at, they even just have medical students do it. I started to be able to say yeah, it's weird, kinda like vomiting from the wrong part of your body. But then my student had to go get a real doctor to help because he couldn't get the tube all the way out. She looked at it and said oh yeah it looks like they used one that has a lip on the end and it will hurt, and before I had a second to react she just yanked it out. It wasn't burst appendix pain, but I was not happy.
I hope this is the case. Other than the last part about the end that's too big.
Sorry, man. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say. Also, it's entirely likely I'm just a gigantic man-baby.
Any tips to make it less painful? Did it hurt just at the opening, or through your entire abdomen.
Through the entire abdomen, but literally for 1.5 seconds. It only hurt when they were pulling it out and then once it was out the pain went away completely. If you have weaned off your pain meds, just be sure to save one to take that day. Seriously, just a second or two and then done.
Good news: I got the tube out, and it wasn't too bad. Literally just one big yank. Hurt for less than a second.
I agree. Even with my special tube it was quick. I got over the pain immediately once I realized that thing was gone.
Glad you made it through James!
I actually have a very similar story! My appendix burst when I was 2 and a half and the doctor told my mum I had colic- for a week! My mum took me to the ER when my lips started turning blue, and they said if she was any later they wouldn’t have been able to save me
Always seek a second opinion!
Wow, glad you survived. Even a bad cold can kill babies. You must be incredibly tough.
Wow, that's crazy. Glad to hear that you made it through and are on the road to recovery. My husband went to the hospital for acute appendicitis, left the hospital 2 weeks later after having to have open heart surgery for 5 blocked arteries. The doctor told me that if they would have had to do the surgery 1 day later, he wouldn't have made it.
Before the deadline is before the deadline. I'm glad you have good timing.
Truly terrifying - Glad for everyone's sake you survived and are on the mend. Take it easy, and get the hospital to at a minimum cover the initial $500 copay you were out of pocket.
I had a similar experience except that my appendix actually did burst. Spent 10 days in the hospital and left with a wound vac which stayed with me for 6 weeks. Good times. Glad you're on the road to recovery.
As close as I was to death, I got out of the hospital in three days. Yours must have been very not fun.
10/10 do not recommend. 😉
I knew it was your appendix from the first email. I'm a mom, we just know. Same thing happened to both of my sons. Oldest was sent home the first time because WBC was fine. Emergency appendectomy at 6PM the next day. The other one ignored the pain, "it's just gas" for several days until we almost had to carry him to the car. Emergency appendectomy, burst appendix, 8 days in the hospital. No, he didn't learn anything from it. Still puts off medical stuff until it's worse than it needs to be.
If it weren't for our moms learning our lessons for us, none of us would survive.
My 10 year old son had exactly the same: symptoms that didn't fit and ended up in hospital for 5 days. Took a long time to get him back to 'normal'. Don't try to do too much too soon. Glad they sorted it in the end!
Apparently the idea that there are "textbook" symptoms for this are wrong. At some point, you'd think they'd update the textbook.
Glad to hear you made it! What would I do on monday mornings if you hadn't? Work?
I think your ways may have rubbed off on me at some point.
Mark from Wisconsin
You never know, I might be able to type as a ghost.
Oh my gosh, James, what an ordeal! Please take care of yourself and feel better soon.
Get well soon - as an attorney that has dealt with medical malpractice cases for almost 40 years, this story could have easily had a worse ending. Glad you are on the road to recovery.
Yeah. On the grand spectrum of medical stories, this was somehow a happy ending, as unpleasant as it was to get there.
Good heavens! You are one tough guy!