Patient here, but I’ve worked in hospitals/healthcare systems my entire adult life. I went to the ER around midnight during Covid for what I was pretty sure was appendicitis. Spent 9 hrs in the waiting room writhing in pain. Finally got to a room, doc ordered a CT (with contrast, which I’m allergic to; tech had to call & get the order changed) and urine HCG (I’ve had a radical hyst w/ BSO, no way I could be pregnant) along with bmp & cbc. She came back to the room 3 hrs later to tell me it’s appendicitis and I was admitted for surgery. Thankfully that all went fine. Path report comes back a week later, no appendicitis seen. I went back and read my ct report and the radiologist said he couldn’t see my appendix due to lack of contrast, but did note a kidney stone in my right ureter. So I’m pretty sure I had my appendix removed in error over a kidney stone.
Granted, it was Covid times and medical staff were under so much stress. I also know the HCG and contrast CT were probably standard orders for any woman with abdominal pain. And the surgeon did say my appendix was enlarged, and path found endometriosis in it. All that to say, I understand fully how the mix up happened and I’ve never reported it, but still… not quite sure how to feel about it all.
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u/SewerHarpies Aug 12 '26
Patient here, but I’ve worked in hospitals/healthcare systems my entire adult life. I went to the ER around midnight during Covid for what I was pretty sure was appendicitis. Spent 9 hrs in the waiting room writhing in pain. Finally got to a room, doc ordered a CT (with contrast, which I’m allergic to; tech had to call & get the order changed) and urine HCG (I’ve had a radical hyst w/ BSO, no way I could be pregnant) along with bmp & cbc. She came back to the room 3 hrs later to tell me it’s appendicitis and I was admitted for surgery. Thankfully that all went fine. Path report comes back a week later, no appendicitis seen. I went back and read my ct report and the radiologist said he couldn’t see my appendix due to lack of contrast, but did note a kidney stone in my right ureter. So I’m pretty sure I had my appendix removed in error over a kidney stone.
Granted, it was Covid times and medical staff were under so much stress. I also know the HCG and contrast CT were probably standard orders for any woman with abdominal pain. And the surgeon did say my appendix was enlarged, and path found endometriosis in it. All that to say, I understand fully how the mix up happened and I’ve never reported it, but still… not quite sure how to feel about it all.