It was an unsuspecting afternoon. I had just got back to lunch with some coworkers. Sara IMed me and told me her stomach hurt, kind of like a stitch in her side. I gave her a sadface. A while later, she told me it really hurt. I asked if I should take her home but just then I got a call from her boss saying I should come get her. Sara was in so much pain she had to stand (*not* lay down) at an awkward angle to get some relief. We went on a painful ride to urgent care. There we waited 15 minutes or so to see a lady who had us wait 15 minutes or so to see a "doctor". The "doctor" came in and asked a few questions, then made Sara lay down (the most painful of positions for her) while he pressed directly on her torso and abdomen right where her pain was. "Does that hurt?" he asked her. I punched him. Of course it hurt. "Well, we don't have an ultrasound machine here to see what's happening so you'll have to go to the E.R." Awesome. On the way to the E.R., Sara was in so much obvious pain, I was honestly worried she was going to pass out in the back seat. We got to the E.R. at Rose Medical Center and despite what the news reports say, they were not over-crowded and the wait was only seconds-long. They took her back and within 20 minutes she had her first and second doses of morphine. That didn't help. She was still sitting on the edge of the gurnee with unbearable pain. Dilaudid helped somewhat. They did the ultrasound and found no gallstones or kidney stones or anything. They did a chest x-ray and found no problems with her lungs. Then the doctor told us they were going to do a cat scan which "is an expensive test" (his words). The cat scan came back with everything looking normal except a little swelling in the appendix. After consulting a surgeon, they decided she should have surgery in 30 minutes. Happy Wednesday! Sara hasn't ever had surgery before and neither of us have ever had any serious procedure like this so it was kinda scary. She did incredibly well and her parents were there with me to see her off to the operating table. She actually looked very cute in her little surgery hat and I took a picture that I'm not sure she knows about. About 2 minutes after she went in, my parents got to the hospital. After an hour or so, the very tired-looking surgeon came out and talked with us for a uncommonly long time which was very nice. He was able to do the procedure laparoscopically so she only has 3 less-than-an-inch scars on her belly. I stayed with her through the next evening when she was able to go home. She is doing relatively well now but still has a lot of pain and a stupid headache. Thanks for all the well wishings so far, I know she appreciates it.
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