What an awful day!

I spent the day in the ER today.

Yep, I have been having abdominal pain on my right side for over week. Its not severe, but I am aware its there and if I move or exercise it would throb a bit.

My first thought was ovarian cyst -- given all the drugs I injected for IVF, then when the pain moved a bit higher I though gas or maybe a muscle pull.

On Tue when I saw my OB I mentioned the discomfort to her and that it may be a cyst. She did an internal and everything felt okay. She suggested she could write me an order for an ultrasound if I was worried, but I declined since I did not know how soon they would book it and I was not in too much pain.

Big mistake!!

So the pain continued on/off. I can go hours in one position with no pain, but have some sharp jabs when I move or some discomfort when I walk.

I started wondering if it was appendicitis since the location was close to where I think it is located.

This morning I woke early around 5am and the discomfort was still there. I felt like taking a tylenol, but decided against it. I pressed on my abdomen and had intense pain on lower right quadrant but much above where the ovaries could be and seemingly higher than where the appendix it. It was exactly to the right of my belly button towards my hip.

Now I have to travel on Monday to Seattle, so I decided I should go have have a Dr look at it to rule out anything serious like appendicitis. I still had 48 hrs to react if I did it this morning.

I called a "GI on Call" and his first thought was appendicitis too and said that it can slowly develop over days. He suggested that since I will be out of town for 6 days I may want to get it checked out.

I did NOT want to go to the ER -- I was not in that much pain, so decided to pay $25 and go to the Weekend Dr at my hospital system.

So, at 11am I left home to go to the Weekend clinic. My Dad said he wanted to come along.

I was seen promptly and the Dr. checked to see if it could be a muscle pull and she pressed on where the appendix is located and I sorta yelped.

So, she immediately packed me off to the ER saying I needed a CT scan.  I thought she was sending me there with an order for a CT scan, but in fact all she gave me in a sealed envelope was my physical history and her analysis.

So, I had to sign into the ER!

I was REALLY upset, almost in tears, because of its not a true "emergency" where you get checked into the hospital, my insurance does not cover ER visit.

Anyway there was not much I could do at that point. The doubt was in my mind. If I did not have my trip, I would have waited until Monday.

So, they triaged me and made me drink some foul liquid for the CT, which had the wonderful side effect of giving me the runs (sorry TMI).

 I sat alone and waited for 2 hrs after that. I sent Dad home as soon I was triaged, so he could rest.

Then finally at 3:15, I got called in for a CT scan + a dye test (holy smokes, this is going to cost me a freaking packet!!!).

Results an hour later -- Ovarian CYST on right ovary!!! 

Crap -- I Knew it!!!!!  Initially the pain was very much down there, but now it was further up which threw me off.

I wish I had done got the ultrasound order on Tue. It would have been a whole lot cheaper.

I am SO pissed at myself, and the several thousand dollars down the tube :-(

Also, I am worried about my trip. I don't know if I should fly or not. Can it burst?

The ER doc said it probably will not burst, and it was up to travel me based on the level of pain, but he did write me a note that I could use if I wanted and gave me percocet.

I really don't want to miss the trip since I missed a previous one due to me Egg Retrieval (I did tell my boss in advance that I was unable to travel those weeks, still he booked a meeting).

I am so confused and ANGRY at myself!

Not to mention that its my worst nightmare that the IVF and those drugs will further screw up my body and now my plan for donor eggs!

Can I get a break already??

Update @8:40pm EST:
- I have cooled off a bit and had dinner with the family.
- I have decided to call the On Call OB/GYN tomorrow, explain the situation and get her feedback on the travel. I am more worried abut the time in the air than anything else.
- I have taken 2 Tylenol (don't need vicodin)
- I will pack and prepare for my trip as planned and make my decision tomorrow night.
- I will google phone numbers for the nearest Urgent Care, pharmacy and closest hospital to my hotel in Seattle, so I feel a bit prepared (god forbid I need it.)
- I have a colleauge/friend staying at the same hotel so that makes me feel better than if I was by myself in a city.

That is the plan -- we shall see how it all unfolds. And I am thankful that while still not good news, it could have been worse news.