So, I’ve had a rather interesting week that involved literally no classes or campus events. I returned to campus on Tuesday after being extremely ill on Monday night and having severe abdominal pain throughout both of those days. I assumed I had a stomach flu because another of my friends was also ill. On Tuesday night, my fever rose to 101.2 and I started to wonder if it might be something else because my friend had not been feverish, although all of the other symptoms matched (albeit his were more mild). I could not sleep at all on Monday night or Tuesday night between the pain and being violently ill, so needless to say by Wednesday morning I was rather tired of it.
On Wednesday morning my fever was still over 101 so Phil insisted that I needed to go to the emergency room. I had him call campus safety and describe my symptoms to get their advice. Campus Safety suggested I go to the emergency room as soon as possible because of the pain in the lower right abdomen and the persistence of the symptoms over several days. They offered to take me, but instead I had Phil give me a ride to the emergency room because I am not really comfortable with hospitals and I wanted him there with me. I was told very quickly by two doctors in the first section of the hospital I was taken to that I most likely had appendicitis and that I should have come to the hospital sooner. I had several scans done that confirmed it and was told that as soon as a surgeon was available I would have to have surgery because it was an extremely bad rapture and I had waited too long to come to the hospital.
Thankfully, my mother managed to arrive before I had to go into surgery and I was able to get an email off to all of my professors that I would be missing classes for the next few days at least with Phil’s help. I had the surgery and spent until Friday afternoon in the hospital. I was glad to go back to campus, although with doctors orders to basically go to class, do homework, and sleep. I was really scared because I had never gotten so sick before nor had I needed surgery, but thankfully I am recovering nicely. My professors and friends have all been wonderfully supportive in making sure I am getting enough rest and all of them expressed that they were willing to work with me to make sure that I get enough rest the next few weeks.
I really appreciated all the support I got from my professors here and how quick they were to offer to help in any way that they can. My Arabic professor even checked in with me on the phone while I was still in the hospital just to see how I was doing. My employers in Admissions were also extremely understanding about me having to miss one of the major visit days even though I was on the schedule and had not really been able to give them much notice. I never realized how many people I know and care about my well-being here until I got so many phone calls in the hospitals, so many messages checking in on me and how I was doing, and so many visitors in my first day back on campus just to make sure I was doing okay. Even my old employer stopped to check in on me when he could tell I was in pain walking to the dorm right after I got back to campus. I felt even more like the people here are my extended family in the face of all the good wishes, very gentle hugs, and support I received over the last few days. I have always really loved this campus and the people I know here, but their support has made McDaniel even more special to me and it is something I will never forget.
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