ANA Discussion Forum
AN Community => AN Community => Topic started by: EJTampa on November 17, 2009, 05:47:04 pm
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Not AN related, butI am a member of the AN community. I had abdominal pains last night about 11 PM. Got the shakes at midnight:30 and headed off to the OR. Long story short, I have said goodbye to my appendix.
Surgery was at 8 AM this morning so hoping to get out of here shortly. And for those who remember, yes, I am posting on the pink laptop! :)
Ernie
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My gosh, Ernie! I should think what you have been through with the AN is quite enough....but too bad we aren't in control! Sounds like you knew when to get to the hospital and didn't delay. And it appears that you are in typical Ernie-style good spirits. I hope your recovery is swift!! Now enough side trips and stay out of the hospital for a while!!!!
Kathy
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Sorry to hear that Ernie. What a P.I.T.A.!!!
Believe it or not, my husband and I used an appendix removal as an example of something that would have put us over the edge a few months ago. The scenario was this: Hubby had a lobectomy (removal of top 1/3 of his right lung) for lung cancer in November of last year. Come February of this year, I found out about my AN. But we were already so worn out from dealing with his fresh surgery, that we used to say "Even finding out one of us would need our appendix removed would have completely floored us after dealing with the lung cancer-but BRAIN SURGERY??". Too much.
And you got both. Poor you.
Hope you're up and around soon, and feeling much better for a very long time!
Adrienne
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Hi Ernie,
Sorry to hear that you needed an appendectomy. I guess your appendix found out about your AN and got jealous. ;) Enough is enough get well soon!
Sending wellness wishes,
Wendy
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Oh my gosh, Ernie! It's always something.
Did you have a fat graft with your AN surgery?
When I read appendix it brought back memories of my AN surgery. My docs told me they take the fat out of the left side of the abdomen so no one mistakes the scar for an appendectomy scar. Do both sides of your abdomen match now?
Hope you recover swiftly!
Jan
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Jan, my appendectomy scar is on the right side.
Ernie, maybe our appendices are having a party on the specimen shelf.
Sara
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Sara -
thanks for correcting me! You are absolutely right; appendixes are on the right side of the body. Good thing I'm an accountant and not a doctor! LOL
Jan
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Hi Ernie,
Sorry to hear about your little surprise surgery, but good to hear from you!
How are things going with your AN progress? At least the appy was just a little speed bump in the road, not a BIG BUMP
Hope you are taking good care of yourself....
Maureen ;)
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Acoustic neuroma and Appendicitis - I think you should be done with the A's now, Ernie. Move on to the B's. ;D
Steve
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Ernie,
I agree with Steve, enough of the A's!! Here is wishing you a very speedy recovery!
Brenda
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Sara -
thanks for correcting me! You are absolutely right; appendixes are on the right side of the body. Good thing I'm an accountant and not a doctor! LOL
Jan
Jan, I assumed that your doctor had told you wrong. In fact, I was thinking to put in some cheeky remark about where your doctor went to med school, or what was his class rank, but decided not too because it seemed mean and the poor guy isn't even here to defend himself.
Besides I think it's great that someone is even thinking about potential future problems that a little scar could cause. I wouldn't have thought about mistaking it for an appendectomy scar. God bless the medical profession.
Sara
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No cheeky remark necessary ;D My doc's one of the best. I just forgot to check my abdomen for the scar before I posted. Shame on me! :P
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Thanks for all the support guys (and gals). Steve, move on to the B's? Wouldn't that involve the brain? I'd like to stay an "A" student, if you don't mind :).
I'm in good spirits, but I will say this. I have more post-surgical pain now than I did with my AN (not including the headaches I get now). They really messed up my throat with the tube this time. I choke just trying to swallow water. The surgical site is still painful too. But you are right. This is a small bump in comparison. This will not have long lasting effects, other than 3 small scars.
I'm sitting in front of the television when I should be finishing up a floor installation that I started over the weekend. Doc says I have to wait until I'm healed up or I could end up with a hernia.
That's it for now. Thanks again and you all take care of yourselves too!
Ernie
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Ernie, Ouch! Glad they got it out and you are recovering! My daughter had a ruptured appendix last Sept when she was 9. It was very scary and I didn't get her to the hospital for over 24 hours because I thought it was just some viral tummy ache. Bad Mommy! She was in the hospital for 7 days and I learned some hospital stay techniques there that I could apply to my AN surgery. ;D I must say this kicked off our year of hell with me being diagnosed with the AN the following June, and I feel like we ended it with my AN surgery so hopefully you are ending your tour with an appendectomy! Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Cheryl
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I never worry about you, Ernie. You're in and out of the OR in no time. Piece of cake. But, of course, sorry you had to told to slow down again. Maybe you should pace yourself so your body doesn't revolt again!
On the fat graft thing . . . mine's on my right!!! ???
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Ernie!!! Sheesh! Don't make me be worrying about you! here's the continued wellness wishes and hoping they made your incision a pretty one to show off on Gold coast beaches.
Feel better... and let the BoSox FreeAgent fun begin! :)
Phyl
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Oh yeah, forgot to answer that question. They didn't take a fat graft. I had plenty, but they just used titanium mesh instead.
Ernie
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Ernie,
Maybe you should have had them remove all your spare parts while they had you under - save yourself a trip back to the OR! :D
Hope you're feeling better soon! STAY OUT OF THE HOSPITAL NOW!
Lori
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I never worry about you, Ernie. You're in and out of the OR in no time. Piece of cake. But, of course, sorry you had to told to slow down again. Maybe you should pace yourself so your body doesn't revolt again!
On the fat graft thing . . . mine's on my right!!! ???
Oops. Bad doctor. Maybe you need to get a tattoo that says "Not my appendix"
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Ernie ~
I was sorry to learn that you lost your misbehaving appendix (via surgery) but glad you got through the appendectomy in good shape, otherwise. Rest and heal. :)
Jim
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Hi Ernie,
I hope you're on your way to a good recovery too. Thanks for keeping us updated.
Rest!
Keri
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re: fat graft location
I thought maybe they had me tilted so it was easier to get it from the same side as my AN. Okay, who wants to do a thread "AN side vs. fat graft side"?
And maybe they figured if I do have to be like Ernie, then I won't have any more abdominal scars. I have a lovely one from two C-sections. It's a whole art project down there. Not to mention my knees, my right shoulder and both wrists. I'm a surgeon's dream!
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Art project - that's a good one. My mom refers to her scars, stretch marks, varicose veins, etc. as the "roadmap of my life."
Sara
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Sorry about the need for surgery again, Ernie. I would think it probably would be more painful than AN surgery for sure! But, hopefully, shorter recovery period...of course, you are the champ of recoveries around here!
Cindy
Nancy's survey: right side AN, left side fat graft :D
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Cheese on bread, Ernie! Enough with the surgeries!! I've had 3 since my brain got scooped, but none of them were as fun as Middle Fossa, especially with the fancy haircut. Hope you feel better soon and that you rest up and take it easy for a while. I just posted a joke on the something funny thread that should cheer ya right up!!!
Hugs,
Capt Deb(http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee60/Captdeb_photos/pirate-smiley-12.gif)
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Nancy's survey: right side AN, left side fat graft Cheesy
Well, that blows my whole theory.
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When I read appendix it brought back memories of my AN surgery. My docs told me they take the fat out of the left side of the abdomen so no one mistakes the scar for an appendectomy scar. Do both sides of your abdomen match now?
Jan
Hey Jan,
I was thinking (and looking at my new battle scars). Although my appendix was on the right side, there are no holes on that side at all. I have one in the belly button, one below the belly button, and one on the LEFT side. They said they took the appendix out through the belly button.
Oh, and I'm doing fine, but they won't let me go back to work until I get cleared by the doctor! I made a 1 week appt instead of the two they told me to. I'll go nuts sitting at home for 2 weeks :). Also - I look like I'm about 3 months pregnant. I hope that's just the gas and swelling and not the new me :o.
Ernie
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That's interesting, Ernie, I did not have any bloat after mine. However, I had the old-fashioned cut and not belly-button surgery. Did they have to inflate your abdomen to see better to get it out? If so, I'm sure it will dissipate with time.
Sara
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Yep, filled my mid-section with CO2 they did. Maybe I just need to uncork the belly button and squeeze the tummy a bit :). I called the docs office and they said it's normal.
Ernie
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my appendix was on the right side, there are no holes on that side at all. I have one in the belly button, one below the belly button, and one on the LEFT side. They said they took the appendix out through the belly button.
Ah, yes, laproscopic surgery; I know it quite well. MUCH better than the old-fashioned kind.
If you still have gas, just keep burping and it'll go away. Shoulder pain is also something you might encounter, so if you have it, don't worry.
Best wishes for a rapid recovery - and no more surgery in the near future :)
Jan
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Ernie, sorry to hear about the newest surgery, ugh! I hope by now you are contemplating that floor again. :) A few months ago I was in the ER with a gall bladder attack. They wanted me to call the surgeon the next day and schedule to have it removed but I haven't done it yet, I'm a little bitter towards surgery still, ha ha. Obviously mine was not critical as yours was. Anyway, I hope you're feeling better than your old self by now! ;D
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Ernie...I'm so sorry that you've had to go under "the knife"...again....Our prayers are with you and your family. I trust that the healing is coming along quickly.... I think surgery to the abdomen is probably one of the most uncomfortable areas to have worked on. At least we're having great "winter weather" here in FL these days...so maybe you can just get out and enjoy some of it! God bless!
Barbara
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I'm doing very well now. Very little discomfort left, and what's left of the bloating is more than likely something they call fat :). At least most of it went away.
Yesterday was the first day that I had my AN headache come back. Of course, that's because I stopped taking any meds at all for my abdomen, completely forgetting that I had to keep my headaches in check. That's a good sign that things are back to normal.
I'm looking forward to the cooler weather coming for Thanksgiving day and into the weekend!
Ernie
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Hi Ernie,
Sorry to hear that you needed an appendectomy. I guess your appendix found out about your AN and got jealous. ;) Enough is enough get well soon!
Sending wellness wishes,
Wendy
;D ;D ;D ;D
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Glad to hear u are felling much better..Happy Thanksgiving to u n yours.