I do remember the nurse telling me they were putting a sleeping medication into the iv line, being wheeled into the operating room and getting onto the table. The last thing I remember was the nurse telling me she was washing my hand. The next thing I knew I was back in the day surgery section and the nurse was asking me how I was feeling and did I have a lot of pain. Frankly, I didn’t feel much pain at all. My hand was bandaged from the fingers down to the wrist. The surgeon cut the palm of my hand under the trigger finger to get into the area he needed to cut the tendon. I have had to wiggle my fingers and make a fist off and on for hours on end. The surgery was done on Wednesday. Today is Saturday and I can finally type again. There is little pain. I do feel a sore spot on my palm, but since it’s all bandaged, I can’t see what the problem is. Could be the stitches pulling as it heals. I cannot take off the bandage as the doctor will remove it next Thursday when I go to have the stitches  taken out.While I was given some pain tablets, they only succeeded in making me sleepy, dizzy, and gave me an upset stomach.

As long as I don’t put a lot of pressure on my hand or the problem finger, I am doing ok. I find there are things I cannot do, such as dishes (thanks to the person who invented the dishwasher I don’t need to concern myself with dishes) or pull on things (like shoe strings!). Otherwise I am doing well and looking forward to not having any pain in the finger or my hand. Getting back to being able to once again do normal things that I enjoy will be a pleasure. Thanks to Alex helping me do daily routine things that I couldn’t do and being there to make me laugh through the pain and the finger wiggling, I will be just fine in no time.

The surgeon said he will make an incision in the upper palm, usually at the fatty part under the fingers. He tries to use a “line” already in the palm so the scar will be less noticeable. I will be groggy, but not totally sedated for this procedure which will be done at the local hospital. This is considered “day” surgery although I won’t be there for long. The part I will need to watch for is any infection, so I will need to be careful in how I take care of my hand.

I am actually looking forward to not having the pain anymore. Waking up each morning with my finger in “lock mode” is not the greatest. I am also looking forward to not having the pain when I type or do other things. Even picking up basic items like a can or bottle makes me wince since the pain shoots up the hand into the wrist area. I will post again on this once the surgery has been done.

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix when bacteria multiplies, usually caused by the opening of the appendix being blocked or a gastrointestinal viral infection. If left untreated, it can rupture and even result in death. Appendicitis is considered a medical emergency, so it’s important to know how to recognize the signs of appendicitis and how to get help.

Steps

1. Observe any pain in the abdominal region. If the pain is severe, call a doctor immediately. If the pain is moderate or mild, pay close attention. Usually appendicitis pain begins at the belly button. Eventually, the pain will move to your lower right abdomen. However, the pain may also be felt in other parts of the belly, so don’t rule out appendicitis just because it doesn’t follow the typical “path”. You may feel the pain somewhere other than the typical spot. If the pain doesn’t go away after four hours, call a doctor.
   • The pain might get worse when you move, walk or cough.
   • It will usually become sharper and more severe over time as inflammation spreads to nearby tissues.
   • The pain might be eased a bit when you lay on your side and pull your knees up to your chest.
2. Avoid laxatives and pain medication if appendicitis is suspected.
3. Do the pressure check. Gently apply pressure to the area of pain and release the pressure quickly. If you have appendicitis, the area will feel tender when you apply pressure to it. When you quickly release the pressure, the pain will be a little worse due to rebound tenderness.
4. Check for other symptoms of appendicitis. Not everyone experiences the classic symptoms, but knowing what they are will help to recognize appendicitis if they do appear.[1]
   • Loss of appetite
   • Nausea and vomiting
   • Abdominal Swelling
   • Constipation
   • Diarrhea
   • Back pain
   • Tenesmus (the feeling that a bowel movement will relieve discomfort)
5. Get medical attention sooner rather than later. This is especially important with children, who are more likely to get a ruptured appendix than adults are. Their symptoms aren’t always typical, and it’s easy to dismiss appendix pain as a stomach ache–if at all suspicious that it’s appendicitis, call a doctor. There are other conditions which exhibit similar symptoms but which are serious and warrant medical attention as well, such as diverticulitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and kidney disease.

Tips

• The most serious complication of appendicitis is rupture, which can lead to peritonitis, a dangerous infection that happens when bacteria and other contents of the torn appendix leak into the sterile abdomen cavity(peritoneum), and an abscess, a swollen mass filled with fluid and bacteria.
• Many women who develop appendicitis during pregnancy do not experience the classic symptoms. The third trimester poses the most risk.
• Toddlers with appendicitis sometimes have trouble eating and may seem unusually sleepy.
• People who have special conditions may not experience the classic symptoms of appendicitis and just having a general feeling of being ill and unwell. The special conditions include:
  • Obesity
  • Diabetes
  • H.I.V. virus
  • Cancer and/or receiving chemotherapy
  • Transplanted organ
  • Pregnancy
  • Infants and young children
  • Elderly

Warnings

• Don’t ever delay getting medical attention if you suspect appendicitis. A ruptured appendix can be fatal.

Sources and Citations

• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/appendicitis/DS00274/DSECTION=1
• http://www.medicinenet.com/appendicitis/article.htm

1. ? http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/appendicitis/#1

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world’s largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Recognize the Symptoms of Appendicitis. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.