Trip to the ER

At work they just finished renovating the OR (where I work). The floors are brand new and pretty slippery when wet. So yesterday, i went out to scrub at the sink and there was a puddle of water that i didn't see (of course) and slipped and caught myself on the scrub sink. I smashed the left side of my abdomen, right under my ribs, on the sink. I went and told the necessary people that i had slipped but i thought that i was fine. It hurt but it would go away.

Right?

Not my luck.

I scrubbed into surgery and as i was standing there the pain got progressively worse. After about 40minutes i started to cry because the pain was so intense. It was this awful stabbing pain. The surgeon i was working with was concerned about my liver. I left the OR in a wheelchair and was brought down to the ER.

Now anyone who has ever been to the ER knows that things do not move fast down there. You are pretty much guaranteed to sit there for hours! Well not me yesterday! The ER dr. was so concerned that i had lacerated my liver and was internally bleeding that everything moved right along. At first they thought i would need an x-ray because maybe i had broken my ribs, but when i was examined it wasn't my ribs that hurt but right underneath where my liver is. So a CAT scan it is!

So they make me drink this contrast and its my choice of which clear liquid i want to mix it with. Apple juice, ginger ale, or cranberry juice. So i choose ginger ale. The nurse tells me that you can't really taste it anyways.

Um...yeah, he lied.

Maybe i should've chosen a different clear liquid.

It was nasty! That's all i can describe it as.

You are supposed to drink this giant, disgusting drink of contrast over a period of two hours but because they thought i was internally bleeding i only drank one cup full and was whisked off to CAT scan.

In CAT scan i climb up on the bed and lay there. The nurse begins to tell me that they are going to inject me with some contrast through my IV that is going to make me feel like i'm peeing my pants. What? Ok!

They begin the scan and inject me with the contrast. I suddenly got this warm sensation in my throat that worked its way down my body. Yup, i felt like i was peeing my pants! It was the weirdest most uncomfortable warm feeling ever! I was glad when the scan was over.

So back to the ER i went to await my results. Boy i hope i didn't lacerate my liver. I don't want to be admitted and spend a couple days in the hospital...all alone.

In comes Dr.

No internal bleeding! Yay!

However, there is a hematoma on my liver but its not bleeding. They give me vicodin, tell me to rest and take it easy, and no work until next monday.

So, now i'm home, sore with a bruised liver and all doped up on pain meds. And that was my trip to the ER.