My Laparoscopic Appendectomy

I have always seen classmate going absent during my schooldays for appendectomy and I thought it must be a really horrible experience. Any sort of surgery sounds disastrous to me because that means you are going to get your skin cut open and be deeply wounded. Yucks. I always believe to avoid going under the knife for that reason is to not jump up and down and run around after meals (that was what adults told us if we don't want to be infected with appendicitis). Throughout the years, I have been really cautious with my activities after meals. Still, it came to me.

It started with a horrible stomach ache after my after-meal "baking session". The pain wasn't any normal stomach pain I experienced where it usually happens somewhere around the middle of my abdomen. It felt like a spasm in my rectum that makes sitting and standing painful. Since I couldn't sit, I curled my body lying sideway on the bed hoping the pain would go away. The pain didn't went away after an hour, I knew something was wrong.

The first doctor I consulted in an emergency department nearby my house suspected stones after taking my urine sample. She then administered some pain killers and sent me home for observation. I was not satisfied with the consultation because no other tests were being carried out besides a simple urine test despite the unusual pain I was experiencing. I knew something must be wrong in my stomach because I have not experienced a pain like this that lasted for hours.

I went home nonetheless because I was too tired to go elsewhere.

Not sure if it was the pain killer, pain was relieved a little after a few hours and I could sit normally as long as I don't plonk myself down on a chair. I thought everything will be alright after a few more hours but I got unusually bloated stomach after my dinner that night. The bloat was accompanied with dull pain around my naval that lasted one whole night! Knowing something was wrong with me but unsure what was that worried me. I started imagining all sorts of possibilities and disease I could be getting until the next morning.

I went to work as usual despite my bloated stomach. Pain was still happening around my naval and my normally huge appetite was lost. Therefore, I left office early that day and went to the hospital nearby my office for second consultation. I informed the doctor about my first consultation in another hospital. She looked through my urine test result and immediately put me under an ultrasound check to rule out possible gynaecological and urological disorders. FYI, Urological stones cannot be safely ruled out via ultrasound but an experienced Urologist will let you know if you need to proceed with CT Scan. I did not went thru a CT scan because the urologist found an internal swelling at my bottom right abdomen which I would push his hands away every time he presses against.


I was immediately admitted into a wad after the consultations. This could probably be the last picture I took before all the post surgery pain kicks in.


I did not have the time to think nor Google how I got this appendicitis, a nurse handed me a surgery gown and made me sign a lot of surgery consent forms with me lying on the bed which I did not have the time to read through. Here I am getting ready to be wheeled into the operating theathre after a blood test and one last examination by my surgeon.

I could still remember the long journey to the operation theatre. The journey wasn't literally long. I was fearful of the uncertainties ahead because it was my first surgery. Nurses and anaesthetician were comforting me with light jokes and casual chats as they wheel me towards the theatre. I was being transferred over to the operating bed when arriving outside the recovery room. Not long after I was being settled on the operating table, knowing that I am fear of needles, gas was administered and I felt into a very deep sleep.

An extreme pain woke me up from my sleep. It was a pain that I had never experience in my life, and probably one I did not want my worst enemy to suffer. I couldn't feel my legs nor move because of the extreme pain in my abdomen. I thought the anaesthetic didn't worked well and I got up during the procedure. Besides screaming in pain I kept asking the nurses if the surgery was over. They injected me with a dose of pain killer to relieve my pain and wheeled me back to my room from the recovery room.


Antibiotics were administered via IV during the first 2 days of post-surgery to prevent wounds from being infected because I couldn't eat nor drink. Doctor told me that IV drips can be removed if I have no issues eating and drinking. To get rid of the needle, I started eating around the 2nd day. I managed to take in food and water but in a very minimal portion. The minimal I mean here was one to two tablespoon and that was enough to make me bloated for hours. I thought nurses would immediately remove the needles when the doctor allowed me to go without the IV but unfortunately, IV tube can be removed but needle has to be kept in my vein for just-in-case until discharge. *rolled eyes*


Middle one is my naval and another two cuts on my lower abdomen. This picture was taken from top lying 45 degrees on my bed because I was too weak to walk. Every step to the washroom was a struggle during that period, especially within the first 2-3 days of surgery. I could't do without a nurse's assistance during the first day and gradually improve during the 2nd and onwards.

The surgeon called this a "key-hole" surgery where 3 small incisions of not more than 1 inch each were opened on your naval, left and right hand side on your lower abdomen. The simple medical name for this surgery is called a laparoscopic appendectomy where surgical tools and a "camera" was advanced into your abdomen via the 3 incisions made to perform the removal. Recovery time for laparoscopic appendectomy was much faster than a traditional appendectomy because incisions were much smaller.


Here's my sister Joanna who took care of all my meals. Meals were served 5 times per day to my wad. I got bloated after one to two spoons so she helped me finish the rest. She was lucky because food were only served during the second day after my surgery because I was too weak to eat during the first day. My younger brother who stayed with me throughout the first day has to buy his own food downstairs, which I believed he enjoyed doing.

My appetite improved slowly by day and only after about a month I regained my usual (huge) appetite.

I was blessed to have both my younger siblings during my post-surgery period otherwise it would be very difficult for me without because I couldn't move around freely. I need help even on the smallest thing like filling my glass with water and charging my phone, opening door to the washroom (the door was equipped with door closer that made it difficult for you when you're super weak) which I did not want to bother the nurses with as they have more than one patients to take care.