It all started the middle of last month. It seemed like a bit of stomach flu, you know, the kind whether you are not sure if you need to sit or kneel in the small one-seat library (the room with the fan). So I stayed home from work (a new job; had just been there a week), doing the liquids and chicken soup. To no avail.

Went to the doctor two days later (Thursday), he though stomach flu also, so advised rest and bland foods. Sunday rolls around, still sick. Just enough energy to use the TV remote. Not enough energy to use the computer (that is quite unusual).

So went to the ER on Sunday afternoon. Had an x-ray that possibly showed some internal blockage. Got a CAT-scan that showed the same thing. So was admitted to a nice room (single) in the hospital. Was feeling slightly better on an ice water (plus IV) diet. Got some real food for breakfast and lunch on Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon, that food left the building the way it came in.

Doctors decided that there might be some intestinal blockage. Scheduled for some laparoscopic poking around on Thursday. Wednesday my atrial fibrillation kicked with the irregular heartbeat. This happens occasionally, but usually resolves within 2-3 hours. It still hadn’t resolved by Thursday AM, and the anesthesiologist wasn’t happy about an operation with an irregular heartbeat, so spent Thursday with various drugs trying to get the heartbeat back to normal.. That happened late Thursday night, so Friday AM the doctors approved the surgery.

That happened Thursday afternoon. The doctore poked a few holes in my abdomen, stuck the camera inside, and looked around the intestines for a blockage. Didn’t find one, so he decided to head for my appendix. And found that infected and impacted, so removed it.

One day of recovery, and home on Saturday, 12 days after this all started. Two weeks later, the ‘plumbing’ is still not quite normal (which is normal, I guess). But I have gone back to work, and am generally a bit better.

The advantage is that this ‘diet’ has resulted in a loss of about 18 pounds (that’s a good thing). I’m just not thrilled about the technique involved.

Still not quite at full energy. And the diet is not quite normal yet (no MOINK Balls for me). “Output” is not quite normal yet, although improving.

And I am back on the computer again. There was minimal computer use during that two weeks (the first week at home). And I have had excellent care at the hospital, and much spoiling at home by my good wife. And some interesting computer work since returning home (as you will see in the next post).

So, my appendix has gone the way of my gall bladder. Out through a small 1/2″ incision.

Things are  a bit better than before.