Thanks nancy. Yeah the whole ordeal was very scary and touch and go for a while.

I also went back and read the whole thread. Thanks to everyone and your prayers and thoughts. I missed a lot of posts!

Now that I am better I guess I should explain in more detail what led up to the hospitalization. The night of sept 28 I woke in the night to a tummy ache. I thought it was indigestion so I took some Pepto, which usually helps. It didn't. I tried to sleep it off and tried to poop in the morning thinking I just needed to go, but I could not and my stomach hurt a lot just trying to go. Then my legs and arms started to tingle with pins and needles. I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't and was sweating bullets. My leg strength was waning and I could only move My legs with the use of my arms. Soon after I had a violent vomiting episode and knew something was seriously wrong.

I complained to bf and asked him to massage my legs and arms bc the pins and needles were getting really irritating and painful. My stomach was really hurting at this point and I thought I had appendicitis and would need surgery. After a few hours I begged bf to take me to the hospital. At this point my hands were locked up claw like and I could to move them at all. Once we were at the ER I couldn't really move at all. My face was even getting paralyzed.

They checked me in really quickly and gave me a MRI and ct scan. They told me the locking up was likely an electrolyte imbalance. My legs and arms were all super tense. They said thankfully it wasnt a stroke bc it was both sides of my body and not just one side. Now I wonder if I would have rather had the stroke! I think it was at this point they told me the pancreatitis was triggered by alcohol.

I also had a fever at this point and I remember them giving me Motrin to sweat it out and that was horrible. After this first day I don't remember much. The pics I saw that bf took of me during the "lost days" are very scary and disturbing so I won't post them here.

The doctors did not tell me everything wrong with me at my sister's request. She didn't want it to scare me. It wasn't until after I started getting better I found out that not only did I have the severe pancreatitis, I also had respiratory failure and liver failure. Thankfully my kidneys were not affected. After I got the breathing tube out, so many nurses commented that I looked so much better. I did not recognize a single one of them!

As for the insurance, no I don't have insurance, or Obamacare, but luckily (I guess) since I'm unemployed right now I was able to qualify to Medicaid so hopefully that will take care of most of the bill. However I did already receive a bill from the radiology people for all the x rays and scans. The bill was $900+ but Medicaid took it down mostly and I just have a small balance to pay off. I hope the rest of the bill is covered.

I don't have obamacare bc previously we were self employed and also recently moved states so we were exempt from the mandatory sign up. Also it is not cheap for people that are self employed to have health insurance, obamacare or otherwise.

Oh wow, if it hits a "healthy" person that hard, I wonder what it would do to the rest of us! I didn't know drinking could cause it, did they mention gallbladder stones? Does this mean you'll never be able to drink again? I guess it's good you can't remember parts of it, I'm sure you were in a lot of pain. Hope you never experience that again!

Hi Priscilla, I've been thinking of you. So happy to know you're feeling better! I work tomorrow so I wanted to take this time to wish you a very :witch5: :pumpkin5: Happy Halloween! :pumpkin5: :witch5:

One of my doctors said that in his whole career he never saw anyone w a case as bad as mine and survived. I dont know if drinking was the trigger for the others but it was for me. Yes i can never have alcohol again. It can trigger my pancreattitis again and next time i wont be so lucky. I guess its easier to not eat or drink something bc you cant rather than just "i shouldnt". Like someone with a deadly food allergy, that is how i must look at alcohol from now on.

The doctors did not mention gall bladder at all. The kidney doctor keeps coming in and telling me my kidneys are fine though. I dont know what thats about. Where is my regular doctor?!

I can't believe this is how I find out you were sick!! Lisa and Kristin, I should kick you both. I'm so mad at myself!!

I'm so, so, so sorry P!! Had I known I would have driven up to see you. I can't believe it took Kaji getting a mass removed to bring me back to YT only to find this. I'm so glad you're getting better. As soon as Kaji is feeling up to it, we're going to make the drive up to see you.

I have a friend that's allergic to alcohol. Last time I talked to her, she said there was something that "tastes" like alcohol or mimic alcohol but doesn't have any? Would that be okay for you to drink?...

I'm just so happy to see your strong recovery, Priscilla. This thread was so scary to read for what seemed like so long. It's so great having you back here.

Susi... As you now know I tried to contact you a month ago. You were my first thought. Sorry...... Your number won't get deleted from my, phone again!! I know you didn't know I tried!!! :love:

:/ Feeling like a total.. Well you know. I'll try not to disappear from YT again.

Lol believe me, I didn't drink alcohol for the taste!

It's great to be back. I missed everyone and checking in daily and posting. Finally bf left the iPad with me once I was strong enough to hold it up. They are not that light when you are weak! The doctor is still saying a few more days till he knows when I can get out. :thumbdown my levels are all back to normal except lipase I think and it's not even that high. I wanna go home!

It's ok. Don't worry about it. I didn't post it on my personal FB so that's why you didn't see it. What happened to Kaji? Did you get the mass biopsied? I hope it was nothing! I miss you and Kaji a lot. Hope you guys can come up once I get home and we can have a yorkie play day.

Don't worry about him. He's a tough little cookie.

I am just seeing this now. Haven't been on here for awhile.
I am so very sorry to hear all that you have been going through.
Glad to hear that you are on the road to recovery.
Yes, alcohol can be deadly especially to people with pancreatitis.
Wishing you a speedy full recovery and good health in the future.
Will keep you in my prayers.

Priscilla, so glad you are back and getting better. Hugs and the best of wishes.

WOW, this had to be just SO scary! It scared me just reading it! To have all those physical things converge on you at once, yikes.

I'm so grateful you're okay.

On the alcohol trigger issue - can it just be a small amount of alcohol that triggers an episode in a 'vulnerable' person, or is it usually triggered by more of an "indulgent" evening of imbibing (lol)...?

No more drinkies for you, young lady! But hey, there's always good drugs :D!!! KIDDING. Well, sort of. No, I AM. Kinda. :p

So sorry for you guys
 

Our hopes are with you with you for a speedy recovery! Michelle and Duncan

Yes, drinking is actually a huge cause of pancreatitis. It is extremely painful....and if as bad as what happened with Priscilla, can kill.

Priscilla, the pancreas plus the liver issues, put you at high risk of early death if you continue to drink. Yes, it is similar to an allergy. That is a good way to look at it.

I strongly urge you to get involved in a 12 step program...even if you don't feel that you have a problem with alcohol. I saw you mention that you don't drink for the taste...totally understand that! Life sucks sometimes, but sometimes the things we use to cope cause worse issues.
It would be good for you to meet others who have been where you are and have learned to cope with life without the help of alcohol. I have not had a drink since September 23, 1983. I remember that last one and pray each day to never feel like that again.

You are SO lucky to have survived this horrible event ... and I pray you take the warnings seriously.

Yeah, alcohol is such a harmful drug, much worse than some of the illegal stuff. At one time I was a pretty heavy drinker and the physical addiction is terrible for a while when you stop, but it goes away. I still do drink beer, but in very small doses (e.g. one or two beers a week and never more than that in any week).

All I ever did was EAT!!!! NO drugs, NO alcohol, NO smoking,.....I get soooooooooo sick at my stomach when I have taken any prescribed drugs for pain, (....like when I tore my rotator cuff struggling with a patient that was going crazy!) I couldnt take anything for pain....Vicodin knocked me out or 48 hours and then I vomited my guts up for 3 days.....they tried me on 3-4 different meds and it all made me violently ill. I have never been in so much pain, pain that lasted for 6 months until it healed, crying continously for 4 months until the pain was at least tolerable.........I USED to be able to take Darvon-65 but they dont even make the one I could tolerate anymore! So MY big transgression is eating!!! We all have our crutches, some big, some small, some not even noticeable to others...coping mechanisms that help us keep on an even keel.

Addiction to anything is not a weakness or moral issue. It is an illness and needs treatment just as diabetes, cancer or any other illness does.

We all get so hung up on being perfect people. Those of us who are in my age bracket grew up watching stupid perfect families on tv. ... the perfect families that don't actually exist. Ozzy and Harriet and the like....

And, yes, alcohol is a sneaky thing ... it is legal, therefore it is ok, right? Yeah, sure for some, but not good for all. The numbers of people it kills either directly or indirectly is crazy. It does not make things better...it compounds and makes them worse, whether they are physical or mental.

Ann, I hope you don't mind I answer your question as I have pancreas issues as well. I can tell you from experience, even drinking Ny-Quil that contains alcohol can trigger a pancreatitis attack as well!

Priscilla, If you'e used Ny-Quil in the past, you're much safer switching to Day-Quil. ;)

Thanks for the tip Carla. I usually don't take NyQuil so I think I'd be ok. But if I do, I'll be sure to get DayQuil instead.

I totally agree with you about the alcohol being legal people think it's ok. It's really not. It is a drug, actually a poison. But I am done with it. It's not worth the risk for me for even one drop.

No, it really is not. If you can do that on your own, terrific Priscilla...but if not, I highly suggest AA. Heck, I suggest the 12 step programs for lots of different reasons...I have often wondered if the world's problems would be solved if everyone worked a program.
It's a refreshing way of dealing with life and its bs.

You're welcome Priscila. Ny-Quil wasn't something I even gave a second thought when I took it for flu symptoms until I ended up in the hospital!
I'm so happy you're feeling much better and on your way to recovering. Praying you'll be home soon! ;)

It is something that I am seriously considering doing, w the bf. we should do it together. We would have to!

You would meet some great people and learn a lot. Costs nothing but an hour or so of your time to check it out. :) All you do is go in and listen...nothing is expected of you. Oh, and they always have coffee and goodies. :D Any questions, message me any time! :)

Sounds like a plan. After what you just beat I have all the confidence in the world in you, Priscilla!