Happy New Year !!!

Geez, I hope your 2009 started off better than mine!

I spent New Year's Eve in bed, fighting off what I though was a stomach virus. The discomfort in my stomach area was considerable. However, at 4:00 PM, I was feeling much better and thought the thing had run its course. I was soon to be disappointed at 7:00 PM, when the discomfort came back worse - this time bordering on true pain.

It was localized on my right side this time; and I got to begin worrying about appendicitis. I couldn't do anything about this until my wife got home from work. And being the idiot that I am, I thought that I could tough it out until the morning.

About 12:30 AM, 30 minutes into 2009, I decided that enough was enough. I headed out to the local hospital emergency room in 15 degree weather. Fortunately, even though it was New Year's Eve, the staff wasn't too busy.

They started an IV and gave me three different kind of pain meds, which was a welcome relief. I even nodded off for a bit when the nurse brought me about a quart of this stuff that I had to drink in preparation for a CAT Scan. Contrast dye is what he called it. He mixed it in with some apple juice and it actually wasn't terrible.

5:00 AM came and I went for the CAT Scan. The doctor told me he was trying to confirm that it was appendicitis, as he was beginning to have doubts. When he placed his palm in certain areas, he thought that I'd be howling in pain; and I wasn't.

I came back from the CAT Scan and fell asleep again, on the gurney in a hallway. The next thing I new, the nurse had handed over to me about 5 of these paper cone things that have mesh at the bottom of them.

The official diagnosis? I'm in the process of passing a kidney stone. Hopefully, it will pass over the next 2 to 3 days. It's small enough where it is passable. I was sent home with some Cipro and some pain meds; and the admonition to drink plenty of water.

So starts 2009 - I sincerely hope your New Year celebration was better than mine!

73 de Larry W2LJ