Appendicitis Surprise

I just got home from checking on Steve after his appendicitis surgery. He was supposed to be backpacking in the Grand Canyon this weekend, but his plans changed just a bit!

He had a lot of abdominal pain all day on Thursday, but of course, he didn't see a doctor. (I think when you work in the medical field, you are less likely to actually go see a doctor, and more likely to wait it out.) He was supposed to leave for his trip at 3:00 Friday morning, but he finally gave in Thursday night and called his friends to cancel. Poor guy -- He's been packed for this trip for a week, and has been looking forward to it for months. (Obviously, I didn't learn my packing skills from Steve. I'm never ready until a few minutes before we walk out the door.)

It's a good thing his symptoms started before he left on the trip. I don't imagine that his appendix would've lasted long during the hiking, and I'm pretty sure that Medivac Helicopters carry a pretty pricey copay on any insurance!

Steve took himself to the ER this morning at 6:00 a.m., after finally conceding that maybe the pain was getting worse and was not going away. He pretty much knew from his symptoms what was wrong, but he still had to endure a CT scan (and drinking a liter of yucky contrast dye), and a four hour wait to get the final diagnosis--acute apendicitis. (Personally, I think there was nothing "cute" about it. ---okay, I just had to make the dumb joke. . . couldn't resist!)

We thought he was going to have surgery around 2, but he didn't go in until 7:15! He didn't eat much on Thursday, and he had to go all day today without eating or drinking a thing. He was a trouper. Aside from an occasional, "It sure would be nice to eat," he really didn't do any complaining.

Thanks to my friend Michelle for taking Melissa and Megan while Lacie and I hung out with Steve at the hospital, and thanks to my friend April for staying with my kids this evening while I went to check on Steve after his surgery.

I think seeing your husband weak, heavily sedated, and barely able to communicate is pretty high on my "things I never want to do" list. He didn't look so good when I first arrived, but by the time I left he was sleeping peacefully.

We are blessed. Life is good.

Oh, and Happy Birthday to Lacie! She didn't get much of a birthday, today. I'll have to do her birthday blog later--when we get to celebrate.