For roughly 6 months, I had been experiencing horrendous pain in the right side of my chest. The pain was so bad that I couldn't do anything but double over and cry. The first experience I had of this pain was in class at College and it started off as stomach ache, but then the pain spread to my chest. I went outside for some air and within a couple of hours, a first aider had seen me, an ambulance had been called and my Mum had rushed over to me from work. I had an ECG done, but nothing was found. It was suggested that I went to A&E and after being examined for a second time and various tests having been done, again nothing could be found. By this point, the pain had started to subside after not having shifted for 6 hours. My Mum and I were left dumbfounded of as to what could have caused something so horrific.
The next day, the same thing happened. After this, it seemed the most sensible thing to do was to book a Doctor's appointment. From there, I was referred to hospital for an ultrasound on my womb. The technician happened to be checking the righ side of my body when he asked my Mum "Are you aware your daughter has gallstones?" Of course both of us were in shock, but at the same time I was relieved that I could pin point blame on what was causing me so much agony. I was prescribed Codeine and was put on the waiting list for gallbladder removal surgery as the Doctor was concerned about me having gallstones at such a young age.
A few months went by and I was still experiencing the pain, but due to knowing what it was I was able to remain calm when it happened which made it pass a bit quicker.
Nearly 2 months ago, I had an appointment where I met the Surgeon and was given the information I needed. Not long after that, I was phoned by the William Harvey Hospital and was told that I had been booked in for a Pre-assessment appointment. The day of the appointment, I was phoned and told that I was going to have the surgery the following weekend. I was ecstatic that everything was going to be sorted before Christmas and that I would no longer have to be in pain.
I was all prepared for the surgery, but was quite nervous all week. I was phoned again and the surgery had been moved to a day sooner, meaning that a different Surgeron would be operating. I hadn't met the new Surgeon so this made me a little more nervous.
The day of the operation came and I wasn't allowed anything to eat or drink unless it was black tea/coffee or water with 2 paracetamol, not to be taken after 6am. Mum and I got to the hospital for 7:30am and were seen rather quickly. I met the Surgeon and he drew me a diagram of exactly what he was going to do. By about 8:15 I was walking down to theatre and I have never felt my legs shake so much. I'd never had an operation before so I think part of me feeling scared was not knowing what to expect. I remember being asked whether my Mum was my Mum or my sister to which I said that she was my Mum and assured the man asking that she was in her mid-twenties when she had me. After that, I was out like a light.
When I came to, apparently I tried laying on my stomach (as that's how I normally sleep) and that the Nurses had to grab me to make sure I didn't as I had 4 cuts on my front; 1 below my belly button (where they put the camera), 1 in the centre of my chest (where they removed the gallbladder from) and 2 spaced far apart on my right side (where the surgical tools were used). I briefly remember poking my Mum to check she was real and then I went straight back to sleep. The rest of the day was a bit of a blur, but I do know that the staff on the ward were accomodating to my every need and made me feel really comfortable.
Once home, I just wanted to lay down and continue sleeping, so that's what I did. I couldn't move much and wasn't particularly hungry. By the beginning of the following week, my appetite started to come back which wasn't a great thing because I then proceeded to throw up everything I'd consumed for the next day, meaning I was taking in no food, painkillers or fluids, but I do have to thank my sister for looking after me best she could. Due to being a couple of days post-surgery, I should have been improving a little but I seemed to be doing the opposite, so Mum and I spent the evening on the phone to the emergency Doctor and we were told to drive back to the William Harvey (even though it's about an hours drive) as that was where I had the surgery and that the surgical team were waiting to see me. Between the hours of 9pm and 5am I was given anti-sickness, almost 3 bags of saline solution (I was that dehydrated) and a paracetamol infusion. At 5am, half asleep the Doctor who had been checking me over while we were there said that I was being admitted. I was put on a head and kneck ward as that was the only bed that could be found and dozed for a short while. At 6am, my heart rate was checked and from then on, it was a mixture of sleep, being asked if I wanted breakfast which I couldn't have because I'd been booked in for an ultrasound, various Doctors checking me over, more Nurses checking my heart rate, getting an ultrasound done on fresh wounds (not fun!) and then going back to my bed to find that Mum had dropped off supplies for me, but she wasn't there as visiting times weren't until 2pm. After struggling to dress myself, I finally managed to hold down some food. I thought that if I could hold down hospital food, then I must be fine. The Surgeon who operated on me came and checked me over and insisted I stay another night, but I was feeling so much better that all I wanted to do was go home. Finally, after being given various drugs at about 4:45pm, I was allowed to go home for the second time in the space of 3 days. Had my Mum not insisted we go back to hospital, I think I would have been seriously ill, so I am very thankful to her for that, even though I didn't seem it at the time.
For the rest of that week, I just slept, took the medication I needed to and ate whatever I fancied until I started to feel my normal self again.
Now, nearly a month after surgery I have experienced little to no pain and my scars are healing nicely.
Dotty
X
The next day, the same thing happened. After this, it seemed the most sensible thing to do was to book a Doctor's appointment. From there, I was referred to hospital for an ultrasound on my womb. The technician happened to be checking the righ side of my body when he asked my Mum "Are you aware your daughter has gallstones?" Of course both of us were in shock, but at the same time I was relieved that I could pin point blame on what was causing me so much agony. I was prescribed Codeine and was put on the waiting list for gallbladder removal surgery as the Doctor was concerned about me having gallstones at such a young age.
A few months went by and I was still experiencing the pain, but due to knowing what it was I was able to remain calm when it happened which made it pass a bit quicker.
Nearly 2 months ago, I had an appointment where I met the Surgeon and was given the information I needed. Not long after that, I was phoned by the William Harvey Hospital and was told that I had been booked in for a Pre-assessment appointment. The day of the appointment, I was phoned and told that I was going to have the surgery the following weekend. I was ecstatic that everything was going to be sorted before Christmas and that I would no longer have to be in pain.
I was all prepared for the surgery, but was quite nervous all week. I was phoned again and the surgery had been moved to a day sooner, meaning that a different Surgeron would be operating. I hadn't met the new Surgeon so this made me a little more nervous.
The day of the operation came and I wasn't allowed anything to eat or drink unless it was black tea/coffee or water with 2 paracetamol, not to be taken after 6am. Mum and I got to the hospital for 7:30am and were seen rather quickly. I met the Surgeon and he drew me a diagram of exactly what he was going to do. By about 8:15 I was walking down to theatre and I have never felt my legs shake so much. I'd never had an operation before so I think part of me feeling scared was not knowing what to expect. I remember being asked whether my Mum was my Mum or my sister to which I said that she was my Mum and assured the man asking that she was in her mid-twenties when she had me. After that, I was out like a light.
When I came to, apparently I tried laying on my stomach (as that's how I normally sleep) and that the Nurses had to grab me to make sure I didn't as I had 4 cuts on my front; 1 below my belly button (where they put the camera), 1 in the centre of my chest (where they removed the gallbladder from) and 2 spaced far apart on my right side (where the surgical tools were used). I briefly remember poking my Mum to check she was real and then I went straight back to sleep. The rest of the day was a bit of a blur, but I do know that the staff on the ward were accomodating to my every need and made me feel really comfortable.
Once home, I just wanted to lay down and continue sleeping, so that's what I did. I couldn't move much and wasn't particularly hungry. By the beginning of the following week, my appetite started to come back which wasn't a great thing because I then proceeded to throw up everything I'd consumed for the next day, meaning I was taking in no food, painkillers or fluids, but I do have to thank my sister for looking after me best she could. Due to being a couple of days post-surgery, I should have been improving a little but I seemed to be doing the opposite, so Mum and I spent the evening on the phone to the emergency Doctor and we were told to drive back to the William Harvey (even though it's about an hours drive) as that was where I had the surgery and that the surgical team were waiting to see me. Between the hours of 9pm and 5am I was given anti-sickness, almost 3 bags of saline solution (I was that dehydrated) and a paracetamol infusion. At 5am, half asleep the Doctor who had been checking me over while we were there said that I was being admitted. I was put on a head and kneck ward as that was the only bed that could be found and dozed for a short while. At 6am, my heart rate was checked and from then on, it was a mixture of sleep, being asked if I wanted breakfast which I couldn't have because I'd been booked in for an ultrasound, various Doctors checking me over, more Nurses checking my heart rate, getting an ultrasound done on fresh wounds (not fun!) and then going back to my bed to find that Mum had dropped off supplies for me, but she wasn't there as visiting times weren't until 2pm. After struggling to dress myself, I finally managed to hold down some food. I thought that if I could hold down hospital food, then I must be fine. The Surgeon who operated on me came and checked me over and insisted I stay another night, but I was feeling so much better that all I wanted to do was go home. Finally, after being given various drugs at about 4:45pm, I was allowed to go home for the second time in the space of 3 days. Had my Mum not insisted we go back to hospital, I think I would have been seriously ill, so I am very thankful to her for that, even though I didn't seem it at the time.
For the rest of that week, I just slept, took the medication I needed to and ate whatever I fancied until I started to feel my normal self again.
Now, nearly a month after surgery I have experienced little to no pain and my scars are healing nicely.
Dotty
X
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