Emergency Surgery

Tuesday 3/5/11:  In the middle of Raphaela's swim lesson, I feel an odd gurguling in my stomach and figure it's something I ate.
Wednesday morning 4/5/11, 3 am:  Wake up with severe cramping and nausea, it reminds me of my usual PMS only a little bit worse, so I sit on the toilet for about an hour and then go back to bed, figuring it will go away by the time Raphaela wakes up.
Wednesday morning 4/5/11, 6 am:  Raphaela wakes up, and in between waves of sharp stomach pains and vomitting bile, I somehow manage to get my daughter dressed (including cute little pig tails), feed her breakfast and driver her to Gan.  I drive myself home from Gan, park badly and collapse.
After trying several people who just happened to be in my speed dial, I reach my friend Rachael and beg her to either kill me or get me to the emergency room.  This pain is worse than any labour complications I can remember.
Wednesday morning 4/5/11, 10 am:  We arrive at Shaarei Zedek hospital where they want me to walk myself into the emergency room while Rachael parks her car. I collapse on the spot because I can no longer feel my legs and arms, they call a gurney to get me inside.  The attending asks why I am here, and I tell them that I have diagnosed myself with acute appendicitis, and that it is best we remove it before it ruptures.  They all look at me with skepticism and say, "What, are you a doctor or something?"  It is only on the second ultra sound that they find that I am correct, and they schedule me for immediate surgery.
Wednesday night 4/5/11, 7 pm:  After a back up in the surgical unit, and after I finally get Morphine (Lovely Morphine) to control the pain, I am wheeled in for surgery. Rachael has been with me the entire day, getting me through the hospital system and becoming my secretary;  canceling patients and making arrangements for Raphaela.

In a state of extreme grace, the Head Nursery teacher and her husband assure me that they will adopt Raphaela - take her home at night, feed her, bathe her and love her - for as long as I am incapacitated.

I spend the whole day crying, thinking that the last time I will ever see my daughter was this morning.