Waiting for an ambulance

[waitingandwaitinggg]

Dh is in severe agony, has been the last 3 hours. He has gallstones and we think it's an attack, he cannot function , being sick, tightening pain.
Have two babies to deal with whilst dh like this. I'm upstairs whilst dh is with the paramedics downstairs I'm looking after the babies. Wish I could be down there with him !! Never seen him in so much pain before, this is definitely the worst he's ever been.

Fuck the baby wants a bottle but I can't leave the toddler in the bed awake and take the baby down while I go make a bottle. Don't know wtf to do

Put the toddler in the cot? How old are they? Take them both downstairs for early breakfast?

Take a deep breath. You can do this on your own.

I could take them both down but I don't want to scare them with strange people in the house and dh making the noises he is.
Also the toddler will go insane if I put her in the cot and take baby down.
Wouldn't be bad if toddler had the ipad in the cot in this situation ??

Do whatever you have to, use anything, to help get through this. Your poor husband, I hope he's more comfortable soon, it's a dreadful pain.

Give the toddler the iPad.
I know it’s very stressful but try and be calm - the toddler ( and the baby) will pick up on your anxiety.
I hope your DH is soon well.

Handholding from Australia.

This is the time for doing whatever works - rules be damned.

Try and let toddler see daddy at some point so you can explain it properly later. Much better than daddy just disappearing.

Then, if you need to leave toddler with a babysitter later to go the hospital yourself, some context is already in place.

They've taken him to hospital now.
Toddler was okay with the ipad while I made baby a bottle and my mom is going to come over this morning to help as I've got an appointment with ds at 11!!
So frightening as although he's had these attacks before they've always gone off after a couple of hours and with codeine, this time nothing was working and it was just getting worse. They have him morphine here but it hadn't kicked in by the time he left.
I'm hoping they take it out today !

The pain was going up like indigestion aswell which has never happened before but it could've been the acid from vomiting

What's the likelihood they'll take his gallbladder out today ? Not likely ??

Vanishingly unlikely. They like to have the infection under control before operating. He might be in for a few days for pain control

@EnfysHeulenEira omg a few days really ? If that is what has to happen then of course but he won't like that one bit !!
Usually they come and go within 3 hours, it takes it out of him and he's really fatigued but the pain goes which is the main thing. I really thought they might just get rid of it. Does it mean it's infected then ?

I had gallstones and 4 years ago had a big attack that had me vomiting non-stop.

Made my way to A&E where they found I had a temperature, I hadn't noticed because the pain was all encompassing.

Blood tests showed infection so I was admitted and put on IV antibiotics. That was the Sunday. I was given IV antibiotics, oramorph and codeine and kept in while they tried to reduce the infection but it didn't work. On the Wednesday morning they decided the only option was to remove my gallbladder, so that was done Wednesday afternoon.

It was badly infected so they had to do a wash out and put in drains so I had to stay till they could be removed which was the Friday.

You can't really gauge how long he'll be in for as they tend to make decisions day by day, sometimes hour by hour, so the best you can do is look at your next couple of days and try to make sure you have options and people who could help out if needed.

If he has to stay in then he'll need a bag taking in. I had nothing in hospital at all because I didn't think I'd be staying and it was during Covid so no one was allowed to visit to bring me anything.

• PJs - soft, comfy and stretchy
• wash stuff
• chargers and devices
• squash to add to the ever present jug of Luke warm water left at bedside
• snacks that can be left in bag.
• moisturiser/lip balm. Hospitals are hot and dry.
• some cash for vending machines, tv cards, little shop
• payment cards in case the above take cards

@InfoSecInTheCity thank you that's so helpful. And sounds horrible for you ! But I bet you're glad it's out now?
I did check his temp but it was fine at the time. He was actually cold and clammy

Unnecessary

My Dh went to a&e with acute gallbladder pain 6 times and had to wait for 6 months before they removed his. Every time he went he was put on IV antibiotics due to the infection. Our hospital made lots of errors with his care in the run up to his surgery so yours might not be so bad but they repeatedly said they couldn’t remove while infected.

@ClytemnestraWasMisunderstood as was your goady comment. Time of worry really no need for your unnecessary comment was there.

That's so bad, I hope we don't have the same thing. Would he definitely have a temp if it was infected do you know ?

Hopefully your husband is feeling better already, likely he has started anti biotics and maybe some IV fluid along with pain relief.
It is unlikely they will remove the gallbladder today as they need the infection to be treated, he will no doubt have a CT scan to see where the stones are. Sometimes they can do other procedures to deal with the stones.

Very stressful for you of course, however, your husband is safe and you need to look after yourself and your dc..

I had similar with my gall bladder, went to a and e where I waited about 9 hours then finally git some pain relief stronger than paracetamol from them. My had necrosis and it still took about 5 days before they operated. They tried to clear the infection first but obviously too late. They had to leave 20% inside me as it had stuck to internal walls/organs. The lady next to me was similar but just infected, she got sent home after a week on iv antibiotics etc to wait for her op. This was pre covid also, nhs in much worse state now.
My temperature was not especially high if I remember right.

My partner had his Gallbladder removed last month, never had gallstones that he was aware of but a bout of food poisoning that hospitalised him caused his GB to flare up and ultimately rupture.

His was removed 2 days after admittance from A and E , this was after several scans which showed a stone blocking the bile duct. He was seriously ill by this point

So yes, they may remove it depending on what's going on.

Really hope your DH is on good pain relief and a treatment plan is implemented xx

Wow so many gallbladder horror stories ! I know one of the stones he's got was huge even the doctor was white shocked when it was discovered. I'm really worried about him.

I've messaged dh but haven't heard anything back. Do I ring the hospital yet to find out how he is/what's going on? Will they even tell me ?