Dr.'s Visit

  So for the last three years I’ve had pain in the same place in the upper right quadrant of my abdomen.  When it happens seem random and sometimes it’s just discomfort and others it’s a sharp stabbing pain.  I also have waves of intense nausea and sometimes I let myself throw up instead of trying to muscle through it.  Obviously this is not pleasant and I’ve been trying to get the flight doctors to help me with no success.  Usually they act as though it’s something I should just deal with.  I’ve had then ultrasound my gallbladder twice.  The first time was because I was in the hospital at the beginning of this pain because I had become septic and the second time was this summer after I kept passing out and had severe pain while deployed.  The first time they found a thickening of the wall of the gallbladder and the second time they found sludge.  Finally the other day I had my yearly flight physical and I basically refused to leave the doctor’s office until he sent me to someone else.  He reluctantly agreed once he realized I wasn’t going to be shamed out of my argument and he referred me to the general surgeon.

   My appointment was at 1330 and I arrived about 20 minutes early.  Five minutes later I was called back to the examination room where an airman basic comes in to take my vitals.  I sit and wait for about ten minutes when there’s a knock on the door.  I expect a doctor in either a lab coat or Colonel rank to come in.  In walks a young woman in ABU’s wearing cadet rank.  Yes,  I’m serious…a college student.  I resist the urge to tell her to get out because really I doubt the surgeon is any better.  She asks me what’s going on and I tell her the long drawn out three year long story. 

Cadet: “well I see where on your last ultra sound they found sludge and a pollup.”

Me: “Uhh they didn’t mention a pollup…”

Cadet: “Oh well they’re probably just assuming it’s benign.”

Me: “Is that pretty standard to assume an abnormal growth in the same location as pain is benign?”

Cadet: “I’m sure it’s fine.”

Me: “Great.”

She then begins to tell me how the gallbladder works…like I haven’t googled the organ that’s hurt for the last few years that they keep looking at and finding things wrong with but doing nothing about.  She explains that since it doesn’t hurt right after I eat that it’s probably not my gallbladder but that they can order a hida scan to test if my gallbladder works. Ok yeah sure great whatever.  She goes on to say that she thinks I have several problems and that my gallbladder is just a small part of what causes my symptoms.

Cadet: “So the pain is always in the same place?”

Me: “yes, right here.”

I pointed to the one little miserable spot on my stomach.

Cadet: “So it doesn’t radiate or feel like that anywhere else?”

Me: “No. This spot. Right here. Three years.”

Cadet: “well they may want to try some kind of PPI to see if that works before they just cut you open.”

PPI is medication for acid reflux.

Me: “Great”

Cadet: “ok well the surgeon is running behind but he will come in here and talk to you.”

Me: “Thanks”

She leaves the room.  I’m laying on the table bored out of my mind.  I fall asleep five times and I’m somehow getting enough signal on my cell to try and text people.  Luckily Mary Wynne pities me enough to make fun of the fact that they’re going to kill me.  At one point I fall asleep and 3 airman come busting in the room.

Airman 1: “Uh I think this is the wrong room”

Airman 2: Looks down at a small yellow card “What’s your name?”

Me: “Jacqueline McLain”

Airman 2: “Yep, wrong room.”

Lil assholes woke me up for no reason!

I sat there for two hours before I could hear the cadet outside the door talking to someone.  She tells him that I have pain and that he should try a PPI first.  He walks in and introduces himself.

Dr: “Well I’m not so sure it’s your gallbladder but we’ll order a hida scan but that’s going to take a few weeks to get scheduled and then a week after that come back and we’ll talk about it.  Do you ever have heart burn?”

Me: “No”

Dr: “So your esophagus never hurts?”

Me: “No”

Dr: “ It never hurts right here?” Runs his hand up and down where his esophagus is.

Me: “NO! and I know where my esophagus is. IT HURTS RIGHT HERE! RIGHT HERE! FOR THREE YEARS I HAVE HAD INTERMITANT PAIN RIGHT HERE!” (obviously I was pointing the spot)

Dr: “Well maybe it’s acid reflux so I’m going to prescribe you some nexium but we’ll still order the scan.”

Me: “So we’re still assuming that pollup is benign?”

Dr: “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Me: “Great”

He left and I went to the pharmacy to pick up my pills.  I am not sure what is going to piss me off more…if it’s just an overwhelming amount of acid in my stomach and none of the 50 other doctors suggested this solution or if it’s my stupid gallbladder like I’ve been screaming for three years and I get to wait another month.  It’s fine…what’s a little pain, nausea and vomiting between friends.