The Bickston's: My (no longer there) appendix!

Let me give an update on what has been happening this past month, cause it's been a crazy one!!!

On May 20th, we left our house very excited and ready for our family vacation to visit my dad and stepmom in Florida.

On the way to the airport, I started getting weird stomach cramps. I told Matt, but figured it was nerves from being so anxious about flying. Anyways, we got to the airport and I thought maybe I needed to eat something so I would feel better. We got food, I ate and we headed to our gate. At that point, I literally had to run to the bathroom and started to throw up. It didn't stop there. I continued to throw up for THE REST OF THE FLIGHTS. Both flights to be exact. Pretty much the entire way there I was either throwing up in a bag or in the bathroom. Worst day ever. Oh and Porter noticed that things were off, so he was being a giant toot the entire way there from San Antonio. But, this mama did not care because I felt like I was going to die.

So we land. and have to sit on the tarmac for ONE hour because of the weather. I'm not kidding when I say worst day ever.

When we get to the carousel to get our luggage, I decide to call my nurse and tell her what's going on. At this point, I am trying to keep down gatoraide,but it's not working too well. She tells me she will call me in medicine, but if it gets worse to go to the ER.

So we get in the car and head to their house. At this point, I am almost in tears with the worst stomach cramps I have had in my LIFE and I've been in labor. Much worse than labor. I start to feel like I'm having small contractions and we all decide it's best if I go to the ER and get help.

When we get to the ER, I get all checked in (a pretty long process) and by this time it is around 10 o'clock at night. We both kissed Porter goodbye in the car because we know that this will be the first time we are away from him for a night. Little did we know it would be two nights and three LONG days. Not the kind of getaway we were envisioning. But, anyways, the nurse evaluates me and tells me I am super dehydrated and I am having small contractions. All seemed well with Connor though, so that's all that mattered in my mind. At around midnight, she gives me medicine and tells me to try to sleep.

Around 2 am I am continuing to throw up and am throwing up my medicine, too. It was horrible. I have never felt so awful in my life. Around about that time I start having severe pains in my right side. I cannot turn on either side to sleep because it is extremely painful. The nurse comes back in and tells me that it's not good. She mentions, "Well, I'm not the doctor so I can't diagnose you, but I think it may be your appendix." UM, WHAT?? I never even thought of that. I just thought I had a bad stomach bug.

All my thoughts from there were crazy. How on earth are they going to get it out? I mean, I'm pregnant. To say I was scared was an understatement.

The nurse told me that as soon as she could get a hold of the doctor, she would get me pain meds. Around 5 I got the pain meds. They were good, but she could only give it to me every 4 hours and it would start to wear off around 3 hours in. You can imagine the pain I was in.

At 8 o'clock the doctor came in. He asked me some questions and then pushed around on my stomach. I just about JUMPED off the bed when he poked my appendix. OMG. He then told me they were going to take an ultrasound of my stomach.

Not to go into too much detail about that, they saw nothing. So the surgeon comes in to evaluate me. He does the same thing the doctor does, and once again I just about jump out of the bed. He then tells me that he's pretty sure its my appendix, but they are going in blindly, not sure what they will find. We schedule the surgery for 3 pm. Those were the longest hours of MY LIFE. They were behind in surgery, so I actually didn't get to go back till 4.

They came to get me, wheeled me back in the bed (kind of cool) and took me to get prepped for surgery. Matt was able to stay with me through that, so that was comforting.

They made a special cocktail of anesthesia since I was pregnant, but there is always the chance of something going wrong. At this point, I wasn't nervous at all. I had given it to God and knew that the surgery had to take place for me and Connor.

Side note- Anesthesia is no joke. It knocked me out in like 2 seconds! Then, it was surgery time.

When I came to, they informed me that my appendix had partially ruptured. They went in laparoscopically and took my appendix out through my belly button. The scars are relatively small and I was really impressed. I had many visitors because I have a lot of family there. My nana, uncle and aunt all came. As well as my dad.

I spent one night recovering in the hospital.

I cannot brag on Matt enough. He took care of me like a champ. I'm so glad that God picked him to be my husband because that man is wonderful.

Porter was VERY WELL taken care of by my stepmom while we were in the hospital. He did great for them. Napping well, sleeping well, and eating well. Of course! ;)

Overall, I am recovering very well from the surgery. About one month out and I feel like a normal person again. I couldn't hold Porter for one week. Matt took care of us the week we came home too. He was a huge help.

Here are some pictures from the hospital!