The Sickness Unto Death

Pain is waking up at night, turning over on your belly and realizing with a yelp that, "Hey! That hurts!"

Pain has also localized to the RLQ (right lower quadrant) of the abdomen, not that the rest of my stomach feels so hot, either.

For one, I haven't been able to eat anything without regretting it miserably afterwards, so I've stopped eating, although it's sad, because now I look at food and think, "So. hungry. but. so. much. pain. if. I. eat."

It's so much pain if I don't eat, actually.

You all must think I am a big wuss. And perhaps, I am.

A bigger woman would have gone to work this a.m., without eating or drinking, and done her 12 hour shift.

I am thankfully, not that woman, and chose instead to have a battle with my Moral Conscience for two hours before calling in sick at 4 a.m. this morning. I even did my own little nursing assignment, complete with listening to bowel sounds (hyperactive) and doing percussion (at which I suck) and noting extreme tenderness in the RLQ. I don't know if any of these findings are significant, but they were in tune with "Reasons why I feel like ass at 3 a.m."

I did say I was going to the doctor and would call at 11 a.m. if I could come in, because I felt very guilty about calling out sick. (The sicker I am, the guiltier I feel about calling out).

Meanwhile, I feel as if someone is drilling a hole in my right side, and gnawing away doggedly at my epigastrum.

Pepto Bismol, Elixir of Life, for once, you have failed me!

I weep, and gnash my teeth.

Because this shit hurts, for real.