sentimental-mercenary:

 vandigo:

bitch-jerk-assbutt-teamfreewill:

one-lastmiracle:

intangible-rice:

When I was 17 my appendix ruptured because I thought I was just having period cramps and didn’t go to the hospital so don’t tell me PMS symptoms are no big deal

this actually happened to me during my math final and i didn’t think anything of it and when i was later admitted to the hospital my math prof was asking me ‘you didn’t have to take the final! why didn’t you tell me it hurt?!?!’ and i told him i’ve had cramps worse.

he gave me 100

This is actually an extremely common occurrence simply because in sex ed they don’t teach you how to tell the difference between menstrual cramps and other more serious pains. The way to tell the difference between cramps and appendicitis is that while menstrual cramps are generalized toward the middle of the stomach below the belly button, pain from a swollen or burst appendix will start in the middle of the stomach and relocate to only the lower right side, even lower than menstrual cramps, and is a very localized pain. It also comes on extremely suddenly and will worsen over time or when you make a sudden movement, like a cough or a sneeze.

Basically, if you’re feeling any sort of pain, even if it’s menstrual cramps, don’t hesitate to tell the school nurse or a parent, or if you’re out of school and home even make a doctor’s appointment. Chances are if your cramps are that bad there’s something they can do to improve that as well.

I am boosting the shit out of that reply, because I am twenty-fucking-five years old and did not know how to tell the two pains apart

OH OOOH Is it appendix story time?!  MY TURN MY TURN.

I was 19. Here is where I slam all my nerd cred down like a bucket of fucking POGS man, because I was the president of our college’s Astronomy Club.  And every Friday, we had a public viewing at our observatory. I felt like shit that whole night, to the point where I finished out the night, and tried to sleep but was in so much pain, I got my sister (who lived in the same dorm shut up my sister is awesome).  To the hospital we go, and I get told that it’s UGH just a stomach virus and I was being a big ass pansy and to go home and drink soda.

My sister and I kind of sideeyed this because, wow man, I’ve had stomach bugs before, but, you know, when you’re 19, and there’s a doctor, you kind of shut up. 

THREE DAYS LATER *Insert Spongebob* I had laid the entire day in bed, literally unable to get out of bed from the pain. And I said I needed to stop being a wuss because I was going to fail all my classes if I didn’t get up. So I decided I’d take a shower. And there’s me, in the shower, and I’m trying to raise my right arm to, you know, shampoo my head. And my right arm wouldn’t raise above parallel. It was like there was some sort of bar or lock on the joint.

That…scared the fuck out of me, but it was day time and sis was in class, so I hobbled my stupid ass down to student health services again. They sent me to the hospital and I was sitting in the ER. My sister shows up, and, well, in addition to being awesome, my sister is HILARIOUS so by the time the doc eventually comes to check me out (because everyone but me is still riding the ‘white girl with a stomach flu’ train) we are cracking each other up! Doc says, well it can’t be your appendix for sure because you could not possibly laugh if it were.

And then he does a test.

And then he goes…OH. 

Cue assload long surgery that results in not one but TWO incisions blah blah blah that’s another story but here’s where we get into the info.

The REBOUND is the test I was taught as a kid:  Or Blumberg test if you want to google. Basically have someone push a few fingers in on the right side of your body  between your hip and belly button.  Now have them pull away, quickly. If it hurts like RISE OFF THE BED WTF on the rebound (way more than the press in) you might have appendicities.

However, some of you (like me) might have your appendix tucked away kind of weird. In which case, here is your test: the Acetabular. Lie on your left side, and have someone move your right leg back, so that your hip moves forward. You will feel localized pain in that area (off to one side) that noticeably gets worse.

There’s also the ‘hop test’ where you hop up and down and if it hurts more, yup.

In other words, IT SUCKS and ALL TESTS FOR IT SUCK TOO.  But know these, learn these, practice these on your friends. If I had known the acetabular, if the FIRST ER doctor had known it, I might not have a belly that looks like a disaster zone.