A Step in the WRONG Direction

Well, things WERE progressing well with my recovery from surgery....at least until today. Today I had some unexpected bleeding, so I called my doctor to discuss it. Turns out that it wasn't a big deal at all, but while talking to the nurse, I mentioned that I had been running a fever between 100.5 and 101 last night. THAT fired up all sorts of problems!!!! A few minutes after talking to the nurse, she called back to say the doctor wanted me in the office immediately. After a painful exam, I was told that I needed labwork AND a CT scan. WHAT???? I was not pleased with this information and tried to argue that it wasn't necessary. But, the doctor didn't really care about what I did and did not want to do, so most of my afternoon was spent at the hospital. Yuck.

Apparently when the doctor prints "STAT" on everything she does, results are given quickly - go figure. I was barely home a half-hour from the hospital when the doctor herself called me. Now, when the doctor calls, instead of the nurse, you know it's not going to be good. It could have been worse, definitely, but I'm still not happy with the information I obtained.

I have some sort of fluid pocket in my abdomen. She believes it to be a post-surgical bleed and blood clot. This freaked me out, because you hear such terrible things about blood clots. So I immediately asked if I was in danger. She explained that this is NOT in my veins or bloodstream, but sitting in my abdomen. Something must have bled after surgery was through and created the spot. It should dissolve all on its own and never be a concern, but there is a chance of infection, or of it having to be drained if it gets worse (this isn't likely because my hemoglobin has improved significantly and that is a very GOOD indicator that there is no internal bleeding). I am going to be closely monitored for the next 2-3 weeks, and then I will have another CT scan.

I was basically informed that I am on bedrest, doing absolutely NO housework and NO lifting and resting constantly. If I do not do this, I will be admitted to the hospital where they can monitor me. Yuck! I'm sooooooo not one to just sit here and do nothing, but I guess I have no choice. I'm also going on a round of antibiotics of which I have never heard, which is always a little scary. Hopefully this will all end up being nothing, but for now, it's just a big ol' mess.

So, think happy thoughts and prayers if you get a chance that this turns out to be nothing. I'm very nervous about the whole thing, and not happy about the bedrest business, but I don't want to end up in the hospital, so I'm going to be good.....or try, at least!