Last week, I had my appendix taken out after three days of pain. I returned to college a couple days later, and some things have definitely sparked different thoughts than normal.
1. Do people think it's weird that I'm carrying around an ice pack?
After surgery, I carried around an ice pack for the first few days, and I always wondered if people wondered why. I felt the need to tell everyone that gave me a funny look that I had just had surgery.
2. Can people tell my stomach is distended?
After surgery, my stomach became very bloated, and it made me feel weird in all the articles of clothing I put on. I just hoped people didn't think I was pregnant.
3. Is it okay if I wear sweatpants for the fourth day in a row?
When you have sutures anywhere on your body, you do not really feel like getting all dressed up. My attire for the last week has mostly consisted of sweatpants and hoping no one thinks I am a slob.
4. When was the last time I took my pain medicine?
When you sleep every time you take your strong pain medicine and have a hard time remembering the last time you took MOTRIN, you start to wonder. I finally started keeping track on my phone, to take one the worry away.
5. Is this normal?
I find myself asking if the littlest things are normal post-op. Like different pains, the sutures being itchy, and many other strange things that definitely weren't there prior to surgery.
6. Should I call my doctor?
After wondering if those things are normal, my next step is to wonder if I should just call my doctor. But, he's a busy man, and I don't want to bother him with normal surgical things so I just google it and hope for the best.
7. Why am I crying?
Apparently, post-op pain meds and anesthesia can produce some pretty strong emotional responses. I've noticed myself becoming overwhelmed or agitated easily, so hopefully, that'll go away soon for the sake of my roommate.
8. What are the odds that whatever was taken out will grow back?
Even though it's completely impractical to ever think that my appendix will grow back, I still wonder. I also really hope that never happens.
9. Did I just pop my sutures?
Every time you sneeze or cough, you feel like your organs are all falling out of your stomach. Luckily, none of them have yet. Well except my appendix, but that was on purpose.
10. How long will my stomach be numb?
Post-op sometimes the area around your sutures remains numb. After many google searches, I learned that it could be a week to years so I have a lot to look forward to.
11. Why did this happen?
Like anything that goes wrong in life I couldn't help but ask "Why me?" Sadly, there wasn't a whole lot of an answer. There hasn't been a real reason that they can find about why your appendix decides it no longer wants to be around.
12. When will I be back to normal?
With pain, swollenness, heightened emotions, numbness, and many other weird things happening you can't help but wonder when things will go back to normal.
