Last Monday night I was't feeling that well, but to be honest, that's nothing new, so I just told my host Mum I would go to bed early. The next morning I got up as normal and was ready to take Marie to Kindergarten when my host Dad said he thought he should take her instead of me so I could rest. By lunch time I didn't feel any better, so my host Mum ordered me to pack my bag and we went to the hospital.
They just did the usual tests and examinations and nothing significant was found until my ultrasound. The lady spent a long time on my stomach and was continually calling over her colleagues. Apparently, I had brown "puddles" of water in my abdomen which were leaking from my inflamed appendix. Straight a way a surgeon came to make a final decision on if I needed surgery that night, and the answer was yes. In a matter of minutes many people came to talk to me, ask me questions, help me sign forms. At this point my host Mum was at home and she was talking to the surgeon on loud speaker.
I was taken to the surgery unit and I met the nurses who looked after me for my whole stay. I changed into my surgery clothes and then the surgeon preforming the appendectomy came to met me. We started speaking in German, until I asked if he could explain something in English. He then proceeds to say in an Australian accent "haha of course I can speak English". It was comforting to me to have something slightly familiar, even if it was just an Australian accent, it did make me feel better about everything.
Next I was given a pill to "relax" and then wheeled into the surgery room. I remember the nurses asking me questions and they thought my answers were hilarious haha, I have no idea what I was saying. They put me to sleep and did everything they had to do. Everything went well, and I was taken to the waking up room. I was in there till midnight, and then wheeled back to my normal recovery room. It was not a pleasant night. I could not stop vomiting and gagging even though there was nothing in my stomach because I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink for over 12 hours. Thankfully that was the worst night and from then on, day by day I got progressively better. I was discharged on Friday to my relief. This is the hospital I was in.
I am so thankful for all the lovely nurses, doctors and surgeons I met and how at ease they made me feel.
They just did the usual tests and examinations and nothing significant was found until my ultrasound. The lady spent a long time on my stomach and was continually calling over her colleagues. Apparently, I had brown "puddles" of water in my abdomen which were leaking from my inflamed appendix. Straight a way a surgeon came to make a final decision on if I needed surgery that night, and the answer was yes. In a matter of minutes many people came to talk to me, ask me questions, help me sign forms. At this point my host Mum was at home and she was talking to the surgeon on loud speaker.
I was taken to the surgery unit and I met the nurses who looked after me for my whole stay. I changed into my surgery clothes and then the surgeon preforming the appendectomy came to met me. We started speaking in German, until I asked if he could explain something in English. He then proceeds to say in an Australian accent "haha of course I can speak English". It was comforting to me to have something slightly familiar, even if it was just an Australian accent, it did make me feel better about everything.
Next I was given a pill to "relax" and then wheeled into the surgery room. I remember the nurses asking me questions and they thought my answers were hilarious haha, I have no idea what I was saying. They put me to sleep and did everything they had to do. Everything went well, and I was taken to the waking up room. I was in there till midnight, and then wheeled back to my normal recovery room. It was not a pleasant night. I could not stop vomiting and gagging even though there was nothing in my stomach because I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink for over 12 hours. Thankfully that was the worst night and from then on, day by day I got progressively better. I was discharged on Friday to my relief. This is the hospital I was in.
I am so thankful for all the lovely nurses, doctors and surgeons I met and how at ease they made me feel.