Well That Was A Thing...

Sometimes we all have that moment where we feel like we just dodged a bullet or had a near brush with the grimmest of reapers. For me that moment was this past Friday, when I had to be rushed into an emergency surgery to have my appendix removed. Turns out that this particular piece of my body no longer felt like taking orders and decided to go all suicide-bomber on my abdomen. Thankfully I caught it before the little bugger could blow, but that didn't make the situation any less scary or painful.

All joking aside, the serious turn of this situation was that I didn't think anything of it when the pain initially began. I saw the pain I was experiencing as nothing more than a fairly bad stomach ache I was having for whatever reason. I didn't think for a moment that something like appendicitis could or would ever happen to me, but it did, and I'm glad that I caught it early. All of this occurred while I was on the job too, and it was because of my co-workers that I actually sought medical attention. To Rick, Rebecca, and June, if you guys hadn't yelled at me like you did, the world might be short one Nathan. To everyone else I strongly implore you to seek the same attention if you have any severe abdomen pains as well. This is serious stuff that can/will kill you if left unchecked.

For those who don't know, I work in the medical field (particularly in the Emergency Room) and see stuff like what I went through all the time. After doing this sort of work for over a decade I feel like I can honestly say that you become slightly numb to everything around you and it just becomes another thing to deal with while on the clock. Having had the roles reversed on me, I'm glad to see that the individuals I work with are very professional and extremely courteous. The doctor who saw to my care while in the E.R. told me "We take care of our own here dude!" which helped put a lot of my niggling fears to rest. I want to take this moment to thank all of the staff who administered care to me during my time of crisis. I know I may not have come off as scared or in pain, but believe me when I say I was definitely feeling both.   

As of this moment I am well and taking the necessary time to recover. The procedure went accordingly, with no real complications to speak of, except for me apparently waking up briefly when I was supposed to be under heavy anesthesia. This marks the first time that I've ever had to go under the knife for something, and I do have to say that it does alter one's perceptions a little bit. I have a new found appreciation for the staff we have at my hospital, and I certainly have a better appreciation of my friends and family. The outpouring of support from everyone has been truly touching, and it warms the cockles of my heart to know that I have so many people who care about me, despite the somewhat caustic and abrasive aspects of my personality.

Thank you to everyone who came to see me, gave me a phone call, or simply kept me in their thoughts. I will be back, and I want you all to keep moving forward. Don't worry about me anymore. I'm a tough old dog, and most importantly, I can catch up!