Jar's emergency appendectomy

Wow! What a crazy time it was on Tuesday, December 18th and Wednesday, December 19th. Jar had stomach pains all day on Tuesday and really bad stomach pains that night and through the night. Finally at 4:30 I got Michael up because I did not know if we should take Jar to the Emergency Room. We just did not know. Michael decided to go to work at 5:30 a.m., and I would just see how Jar felt in the morning. Jar and I woke up at 9:30 after a very rough night, and he was still in pain. So, I immediately called the doctor's office to get him an appointment. I had to update all of his information first, so finally at around 10:00 I was given the appointment time of 11:00. I had to rush to get a whole bunch of things done (take Zena out, have Lily go pee, put Lily away, get ready, pack a bag of things to do for myself, etc.) When we got to the doctor, Doctor Jennifer Muller checked him and said she thought it was his appendix and immediately ordered blood tests and a CAT scan. We went to the hospital to get his blood tests, back to the doctor's office to get permission from Insurance for his CAT scan, then back to the hospital to have a CAT scan, where we had to wait for an hour after he drank the drink to have the CAT scan. We went home after the CAT scan to wait for the doctor to call us with the results. I thought it was going to be a couple of hours, so I changed into comfy clothes. Well, just as soon as I had changed into my comfy clothes, Jar got the call from Dr. Muller that he needed to go the the Emergency Room immediately for an emergency appendectomy. I had just put bread in the toaster to make Jar some toast...as he had not eaten anything yet that day, and it was 1:30. I rushed to get dressed, take the dogs out to pee, put Lily away again, pack a bag for myself, grab some water and a protein bar because I had not eaten either. (good thing Jar had not eaten at all yet)

We left as soon as possible to go the ER. It was probably 15 minutes or so. We waited in the ER for probably an hour or so before we went back to an ER patient room. We stayed there for another hour or so, while many doctors came in to check him, record things on the computer, do an ultrasound, get him somewhat prepped for surgery with an IV being put in his arm. Michael helped him change out of his clothes into a hospital gown. (I am sure that was somewhat embarrassing to Jar...him always being all put-together and such) Every doctor that came in asked him his name, birth date, and what he was there for (I thought they did a really good job making sure that he was going to have done what he came in there to have done). At 4:00 or so we all went to the surgery center (Jar was wheeled in the hospital bed). There he was given a cap for his head, a toothbrush to clean his teeth and mouth, and some medicine in prep for surgery. We said our goodbyes to Jar at 4:15 or so and went to wait in the waiting room while he had his surgery.

Michael and I sat in the surgery center waiting room...very quiet and no one there. We talked for a while and then had some phone calls with family. Finally at 5:15 or so the doctor (Dr. Tracy Taggart) came to let us know that the surgery had been successful and that it had been really infected and large (largest one they had ever seen...which is what all the other doctors and technicians said as well). She said that another day, and it could have ruptured. She said that a nurse would come get us when he was awake, and we could go to the recovery room.

Michael decided to go get us something to eat, because all I had to eat was a protein bar at 2:30. I was hungry. Just 10 minutes or so after he left, a nurse came and told me I could go to Jar's room now...that he was awake. I went to Jar's room...he was pretty quiet and tired, but he kept his eyes open as much as he could. Michael came with the food (McDonald's) at 6:15 and then had to turn around again to go to Safeway Pharmacy to get Jar's medicine before it closed at 7:00. When Michael got back at 7:30, we watched some TV...Jeopardy. Jar had to do a walk around the surgery center and go to the bathroom before we could go home. Around 8:30 we finally were able to head home. We were all very glad and very very tired. Jar was also very hungry. He started with a bowl of jello, pudding, and greek yogurt and then he also had two pieces of toast (he had not eaten anything at all up to this point).

Jar was not very sore that night because he had plenty of pain medicine in him from the surgery. He was able to sleep in his bed all night, which was good. The next few days he was in quite a bit of pain and had to take Aleve a few times a day. I also picked up Arnika Montana for him from the health store which helps with bruising and muscle recovery. I also got him a throat spray from the health store, cause he had a scrape from the tube down his throat.

He was given strict orders not to do any lifting over 10 lbs. for three weeks, so he got a long vacation from work. Elise was great and really worked with Jar. He had to take off 4 weeks of working out in the garage gym. Poor Jar!

We had his follow-up at the surgery clinic on Wednesday, January 2. The doctor said everything looked great and that he could go back to work on January 14. He is not to do any ab exercises for another month (so as not to get a hernia). I know that he is very eager to get back to working out in the garage. He has missed it for sure.

We are very glad that we caught the infected appendix in time, and we are very glad for his successful surgery and speedy recovery.

...at the doctor's office after the blood tests but before the CAT scan

...in the ER patient room waiting to go to surgery (Michael just arrived)

having an ultrasound to confirm infected appendix

...in the surgery center room just before going to surgery

...right after surgery (he was quite jaundiced)

...in his superman hospital gown getting ready to do his walk around the surgery center

...his surgery sites

...when we got home at 9:00 p.m. this was still in the toaster from 1:30

...his food the night of his surgery (strawberry jello, vanilla pudding, and honey greek yogurt)

...some of his food for the next few days

...one day after surgery

...what Jar did for two days after surgery (watch TV with his buddy, Lily, by his side)

...the two medicines I got for him at the health store

...Jar napped the second night we were home from 5:00-6:00 

...two days after surgery

...the day of his follow-up appointment - two weeks after surgery