...No One Thinks About Appendix

...Until an occasion brings that word forward again.


The last time that I even thought or discussed about appendix was nearly forty years ago at high school! We kids would know of someone who had been out of school for a brief period and wondered ..where's Johnny? Then he would show back up showing off his scar of courage for getting his appendix out. We would think that was kewl.


I don't know about you but all I knew about the appendix then and before last week was it was located somewhere in the lower right region of the stomach area. That was it! 


Okay, time for a bit of education!

ap·pen·dix/əˈpendiks/Noun

1. A tube-shaped sac attached to and opening into the lower end of the large intestine in humans and some other mammals

(I had just  googled this to see what it looked like...ewww and odd)

next word: 

ap·pen·di·ci·tis/əˌpendəˈsītis/

Noun: A serious medical condition in which the appendix becomes inflamed and painful

(Yep, it is that...painful)

and last word:

ap·pen·dec·to·my/ˌapənˈdektəmē/

Noun: A surgical operation to remove the appendix.

Well Folks! That is what happened to me!

It was strange really. I felt a discomfort at first on the night of the 27th of June. Then the morning after, I called and canceled two of my appointments (non related) because I was uncomfortable to go. I felt the pain was worse and ruled it as another kidney stone. I made an appointment to see my doctor which was scheduled for next day, the 29th. The pain began around the mid belly area an.d then became localized in the lower right region of the stomach. I still was betting it to be another kidney stone and my doctor did too. I had a C-Scan done right away. I waited in the waiting room and became very very uncomfortable. I told the receptionist that I have had it here and is going home. I had been at the doctor for three hours at this time, told them to call me when they find out and got some pain med to make it through this.

The phone was ringing as we walked through the door. Do not drink or eat anything, I was told. My doctor had conferred with another doctor... My appendix has ruptured! WHAT? I shook my head in disbelief. My appendix ruptured? again...WHAT??? Well we got a taxi to the hospital as we were told that THEY are waiting for me on the  second floor for my surgery!

That was last week! I came home on the forth of July. Yep! Today in a bit, I have an appointment with my surgeon to check and see that I am still out of the woods for any possible infection. I am sore from the surgery but am gaining strength each day.

Through this I have learned a lot ...more than I ever wanted to! 

I will share with you... if you feel pain that starts around the belly button area and it does not improve, gets worse in the lower right region of your stomach. Go to your doctor right away! The sooner that they rule the pain to be appendicitis, the sooner they take care of it, the better your recovery be. You see, as what happened to me, when the appendix rupture, you can become very sick to the infection from the rupture. 

An infected appendix is inflamed and filled with pus. It can burst and throw the infected material throughout the peritoneal cavity. Peritonitis is the condition that quickly develops, requiring the abdominal cavity to be opened up and flushed out. Otherwise, the toxicity of the organs would be fatal.

Sorry to leave this kind of thought with you but if you thought like I did (that it only happen to kids), this can affect anyone who still have his or her appendix no matter what age!






One more note... there is no found necessity of the appendix...just like the tonsils (yep, I still have mine)

Oh... I am doing just fine considering!

and I am NOT showing off my scar of courage!