The time I thought I was going to die at work

Earlier this week, I was having a lot of stomach cramps. They were relatively minor though, and I didn't think much of them.

Yesterday morning, I woke up with a very uncomfortable feeling stomach. I was not nauseous. I felt just like my entire abdomen ached.

I attributed it to all of the appetizers I had eaten the night before in addition to a few glasses of our bipartisan wine and left for work thinking my stomachache would eventually subside.

As the day progressed though, my stomachache grew worse and worse.

I took a few Tums. A coworker gave me Ibuprofen.

Nothing was working, and my aches were growing worse by the minute.

I kept imagining something in my stomach on the verge of explosion. Would I die in my cubicle? Should I delete the history from all of my personal electronic devices now?

As if you wouldn't want to do the same!

Around 1:30, I was helping a coworker with a project when my pain became almost unbearable. I wanted to throw up or pass out. It felt like someone was stabbing me in the abdomen repeatedly (It felt just as violent as that image sounds!).

I told her how sick I was feeling, and she kindly encouraged me to go home.

Except I felt so silly leaving work for stomach pains. Something is just so embarrassing about leaving work sick!

Around 2:30 though, I knew I couldn't deal with the pain any longer.

My boss was in a meeting so I sent him a brief email saying that I was feeling unwell and would make up my missed hours today and Friday.

Thank God for flextime! And nice coworkers!

My fifteen minute drive home felt like hours. I couldn't even listen to music. I felt so so miserable.

Once home, I collapsed into bed, not even bothering to change out of my work clothes.

And then I did something smart and practical.

Cried.

Oh, and pondered once again if this was the end for me.

Eventually I was able to fall asleep, and I woke up feeling significantly better. My stomach was still feeling achey but the cramps were dull rather than sharp.

My mom thinks I may have had a ruptured ovarian cyst. She herself had one several years ago, and the symptoms were almost exactly the same as my own. I've done further research, and other women's experiences sound remarkably similar to mine.

Whatever the cause, I am very happy to be feeling better today and will certainly be making a doctor's appointment to have everything checked out.

Oh, and I am really glad I didn't die at work, home, or anywhere else for that matter.