Ben's Appendectomy

Ben was on a 50-miler on the Appalachian Trail with a 50 pound pack last week, so it's easy to understand why he was achy and in pain once he got home.  On Monday Ben told me he thought he was getting an ulcer from the stress of the 50-miler.  But on Tuesday, things got really bad. He was having a harder time just walking around and doing normal things.  He's had his fair share of kidney stones so he knew it wasn't that.  But his pain still seemed worse to me than what would come from an ulcer.

Wednesday morning Ben woke me up and told me he needed to go to the doctor.  He was looking into urgent cares so he could get in ASAP, but none of them could see him until a couple of hours later.  He decided to just wait until then while I was getting the kids' toast made.  But just from the time that I started making breakfast to when the kids had started eating, Ben's pain worsened dramatically.  He was having a hard time hiding it.

Finally, I convinced Ben that he needed to go to the ER.  He came to terms with that but thought he'd drive himself ON THE WAY TO WORK.  Okay, I'm sorry.  I had to say that because this is Ben and sometimes he's crazy.  (I love you, Hubs!)  I knew I was going to have to drive him there right away and so I told the kids to put on their shoes and bring their toast in the car.  We ran out the door with just my purse and Ben's work bag.

We called my parents on the way to the hospital.  I dropped Ben off at the ER entrance while I parked and waited for my dad to switch cars with me.  Luckily he arrived 5 minutes after we did and he drove the kids to their house.  Can I tell you what a huge blessing it is having my parents so close?  I didn't have to worry about packing anything because I knew my parents are always ready to have the kids since they have their own diapers, formula, pack'n'play, etc.  What a relief!

Ben started a number of lab tests right away.  While I was getting breakfast in the cafeteria they took him in to a CT scan and they confirmed that he had appendicitis.  We had arrived at the hospital at 8:30 but they told him they wouldn't be able to perform the surgery until 1:30 -- but since we're talking about a hospital here, he actually went in at 2:45.  Ben was pretty drugged up and was finally able to snooze off and on which was great since he hadn't slept really the night before.

Finally they took Ben back for the surgery.  The surgeon told us it would be a half hour procedure.  So I waited in the waiting room with my lunch and my buzzer, just waiting for them to buzz me to let me talk to the surgeon after the procedure.  But time kept passing and while I had felt peaceful all day, I started to worry more as time kept passing.  Finally, an hour and a half later, the surgeon finished the surgery.  He told me that Ben's appendix was partially ruptured and that the surgery was pretty complicated.

Apparently with a typical appendectomy, they snip the appendix off of the large intestine and staple it up.  Simple, right?  Well Ben's appendix was so sick that just when they touched it it fell right off on its own.  They weren't prepared for it and so his intestines leaked fecal matter into his body cavity and they had to clean him up inside.  The surgeon told me that Ben had had appendicitis for at least 5 days.  We consider it a miracle that Ben kept getting prompting after prompting that he needed to end the scouts' 50 miler early.  Ben's appendicitis started the day after they after they all got home.  We knew back then that the Lord must have had his reasons for letting them only cover 25 miles, but now we know.

What turned from "Since you got here so early in the morning you might be discharged tonight" turned into "You're definitely staying overnight" which turned into "You're definitely staying overnight again." So Ben and I stayed in the hospital for 3 days while we watched way too much HGTV.

We want to thank everyone who prayed for us, sent us well wishes, offered to help, and otherwise came to our aid.  I especially want to thank my parents who at the last second took all the kids for 3 days and 2 nights so that I could be with Ben through the whole ordeal.  They even had to go out and buy each of them a new outfit since they arrived in their jammies.  Overall, we are so grateful for the many experiences we had through the whole thing and we realize just how blessed we are.

(Now someone remind me of this when we receive our medical bill.)