For most of us 2020 was a real doozy of a year. So many things happened or should I say didn’t happen. For the first time in my life I really struggled with my health. I have always had a bit of a wonky tummy so in the beginning of this journey I didn’t think too much about it.
I remember it was the first weekend we had been out of the house since quarantine started in March. It was May and my kiddos last day of school. My amazing Mom had a graduation for them in her backyard. Along with their cousins and “teachers” AKA my sister and me! We got awards, flowers and crowns. All together we did it! Survived the first round of home school. The next day we went out to lunch, first time out and about. It was truly great!
I also had my very first hair appointment. Keep in mind I am blonde. NOT the best year to be a blonde! Let’s just say I took the ombré look to a whole new level! My appointment was on that Sunday. I was SOOO excited, literally counting down the seconds. Well I woke that morning feeling very sick to my stomach. But I just shook it off and decided to workout. Thinking I may just need to sweat it out. So I did and afterward I felt worse. I had extreme nausea and started to dry heave which then turned into vomiting. Needless to say I never made that appointment. Insert sobs!
This all started at the end of May and continued over the coarse of the summer. One June morning, I woke up feeling VERY off. Started throwing up and was overly nauseous. Also, had this strange, almost churning feeling behind my belly button and my stomach was very bloated. After googling symptoms – conclusion: death or maybe appendix! 😉
Immediately I called my sister who is a nurse. I was crying in panic, because I was scared and didn’t know what was happening to me. At this point I thought my appendix had ruptured and I was home alone with my kids and in legit panic. Ended up in the emergency room. And after several hours and a CT scan of my organs. They determined it was colitis. Which is in infection of the colon. Gave me some heavy duty antibiotics and sent me on my way.
I eventually recovered from that but never felt good or well. I still would randomly get sick throwing up and I literally felt nausea 99% of the time. At that point I starting to wonder if something was really wrong with me. I was thinking IBS, crohn’s disease?! I then scheduled a colonoscopy with my Gastroenterologist.
Fast forward a couple months and it is now September. I know, I know, it’s been a long 4 months! And we are just getting started on the real issue. It was Labor Day weekend and my Mom was having a BBQ and pool party. I remember I ate lunch and after I felt so sick. Like super tired and my stomach was killing me. It was super bloated and I had that strange churning feeling again along with sharp jabbing pain on the right side of my belly.
I ended up going to the party and just barely eating and just pushing through. But I knew something was not right. Like worse than before. And of course it was a holiday weekend so my doctor was closed on Monday. First thing Tuesday morning I called my Gastroenterologist. And then called again and again and again. Come to find out their phone lines were down. Like what are the odds?! So this is the third day of nausea, sickness and pain. I finally got through to them on Wednesday and insisted on an appointment. They told me there was nothing till the next week and I basically said to them if you don’t get me in I am going to the hospital.
That afternoon I was able to get another CT scan. I was in so much pain I couldn’t even sit down. I just stood in the waiting room, in tears, till it was my turn. By the time I got home my doctor called me saying I needed to get to hospital as soon as I could. I had appendicitis. I immediately started crying. I was so scared. Keep in mind we are right in the middle of Covid. So I had to go to the hospital alone. Check in alone. And have surgery alone. It was so awful and scary. My family and husband were very scared as well because they had no idea what was happening.
Went into surgery the next morning. It was really rough. My appendix had ruptured at some point over the previous days. My insides were badly infected. I hadn’t eaten in 3 days and was beyond bloated and sore. I had two incisions and a drain tub coming out of a hole in my abdomen. This was THE most painful thing I have ever experienced in all my life. Just writing this make me tear up because it was truly traumatic for me.
I could barely walk. I couldn’t not sit up by myself. I couldn’t lay on my side to sleep. I was on so much medication I didn’t really eat for several weeks. I got SEVERALLY constipated and literally would scream and cry in pain.
It took me one entire month to recover. I laid in bed and on my couch the entire time. I would take at least 2 naps a day because I was so physically weak. I literally thought I would never recover. It was the craziest, hardest and most painful thing I have ever been through. Y’all it made child birth look easy! And I’ve had a c-section and v-back!
Then I remember on Friday, October 9th exactly 33 days later I woke up and I thought it’s over. I am well again! Something just felt different and I knew I was back to normal. I have always been healthy and never really thought about what it is like to be sick and feel sick all the time. I will never take my health for granted. I am so thankful to be healthy. I have not been sick since or had a single issue since. I mean who knew something the size of a green bean could cause so much pain!
Ironically my older sister also had appendicitis a few months later and went through a similar experience. Clearly our bodies are not designed for the ole appendix! My younger sister also had hers out when she was 18. Normal experience at least!
I do not think our situations are common but I never once thought I would go through something like this. Trust your body! If you feel like something is not right. Get in to see your doctor.
I would love to hear if you had a similar experience or know of someone who did.
For a more uplifting personal story 😉 that actually changed my life for the good check out my Ablation story!
Take care of yourselves my friends!
XOXO, Ivy
