Ok, so during the past week a large mass has developed around my abdomen. It turns out that it was a large Hematoma or pocket of blood in the soft tissue layers. This means it's not internal bleeding because it's not in where my organs are, merely between the different layers of skin and fascia. This mass had increased in size, so the bleeding had yet to cease as of Friday morning. So Krista and I took a ride to the East side urgent care facility, who's physician recommended we go back to Strong. So we arrived at strong and I was registered by 11:03pm Thursday night. We than proceeded to sit and wait in the emergency room until 5;00am Friday morning prior to being admitted to he ER.
Begin Rant:
Please note, if you need any emergency care and are not being brought in by a Helicopter or Ambulance I would recommend any one of the other Rochester Hospitals. Strong is simply inundated with every emergency call form the city, and they seem to be ridiculously understaffed and under-sized to handle the walk in patients. That's nothing against the doctors or staff their. It's just that they are at critical mass at all times, and it is physically impossible for them to give quick attention to everyone who comes through those doors. I'm kind of stuck there because my case is fairly complicated, and all of my records are within a click of a button at strong. So that's really where I should be seen.
Ok, so now the rant is done...I saw my first doctor at 5:30am and the attending physician not much longer later. Another CT Scan was ordered. I drank the tasty contrast fluid, and sat around until 8:30am and I was hauled off for my CT scan. I returned to the room after the scan and the new shift was briefed on my case and the results were in. The new attending physician called in the Trama surgeons for a consult. The scan showed a small bleed in my layers of skin an fascia, so the trama surgeons decided I was a good candidate for Intervention Radiology.
11:00am I was wheeled off to the angiogram area for Catheter Embolization. You can read more by clicking the link. The doctors cauterized a major vein leading to the branch that was the source of the bleeding and performed an embolization. Which means they put some kind of gell-foam in that area of the bleed which prevents further bleeding. This than allows the vessel to clot and the gell foam and hematoma will than dissolve into the body. From there you have lie on your back for 4-8 hours without moving the hip because they went through my groin into the femoral artery with the catheter. So if you move you risk tearing open the femoral artery prior to it healing to a point where it's strong enough to handle the movement. A few blood test later I was OK'd for transfer to same day surgical care.
This place was like heaven compared to the ER. I had my own room, the nursed Sendie was like an angel. So helpful to krista and I, plus she was very attentive and kind. I got to clean up a little because I was 12 hours post-op. It was great to wash up, and get the blood and iodine solution off of myself. I got to eat a little real food also (my last real meal was pretzels at 12:00am Friday and this is Saturday 2:30am) and got some good rest because I was in a real bed. The next shift took over at 7:00am and Jane was wonderful as well. I met with the doctor and was discharged at around 12:00pm in the afternoon.
My first day at home was ok, but Sunday I was a little dizzy and nauseas. I called the ER and the talked to the attending. He said my blood pressure was probably low and I needed some more fluids, but to call if I did that and it persisted. So here I sit today feeling a bit better, but still getting a little more rest prior to venturing back to work. So once again, crisis averted. Now I'm a little hungry so I have to scavenge up some breakfast. So...I'm out for now.
