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1. You can have early appendicitis and have it just go away on its own.

Even though it’s not a textbook case, I talked to my doctor about it. I had many pains similar to the one I had before having surgery, and they went away on their own. IN FACT, the pain was already going away when I had the surgery. However, the doctor recommended I had it then and there anyway because of the risk of my appendix rupturing at another time that was more inconvenient.

2. It makes you feel bloated.

Before the pain got worst I just thought I had a big meal. I was in the middle of the movies and I had to unbutton my jeans (luckily I was wearing a big hoodie). Later bloat became pain, then it focused on the right side just as what is characteristic of appendicitis. After you get the surgery, you still feel bloated. The surgery works by literally pumping you full of air so the doctors can see your insides. It goes away after about a week and the more you walk the faster it goes away.

3. Even though the surgery is relatively small, only three cuts on your stomach, waking up from anesthesia REALLY FUCKING HURTS.

When I finally woke up it hurt REALLY BAD, as in “We just cut you open and removed an organ” bad. Before the surgery everyone told me it was a very small surgery so I was unprepared for the pain. Even after I took morphine, everything was uncomfortable. I was so thirsty but when I drank water I got nauseous, I felt so weak I could move my muscles to get the water, and I didn’t have the strength to put myself in a position comfortable enough to sleep.

4. After you leave the hospital you think you are fine because you are still drugged. It. Gets. Worst.

When left the hospital on a Sunday I though I could be back to school by Monday. I couldn’t. After just a few hours after I got home I was in so much more pain and that is completely normal. Listen to your doctors recommendation as to when you can get back to work/school.

5. Your shoulder might hurt even more than your stomach after the surgery.

That was the case for me. I was taking medicine almost every hour, and that made the stomach pain manageable but not the shoulder. When they inflate you it somehow affects your diaphragm which pulls on your shoulder muscles or something like that, but the point is: IT REALLY HURTS. Try to find a comfortable position and stay there, that’s the best way that I found to alleviate the shoulder pain.

6. You’ll heal VERY fast.

Even though I was in a lot of pain for some time there wasn’t much of a transition period, one day I just woke up and the pain was almost done. The timeline was like:

Sunday- Drugged our of my mind for most of the day, then unimaginable pain.

Monday- Unimaginable pain (not as bad as Sunday tho).

Tuesday- Didn’t even have to take meds.

Wednesday- Went to school and even had my PSAT’s.