Annnnd now for a new installment of "You Know You Hate Your Job When!..."

This week's topic: You Would Rather Get Appendicitis Than Go To Work.

Indeed, perhaps a little extreme. However, I must admit that when I saw the urgent care doctor's orders that I stay home from work for 3 days I was pretty content...despite the fact that these words came right after the following discharge orders: "To ER for immediate surgical eval.!" My positive attitude was likely driven by the fact that I highly doubted that I actually had appendicitis.

It all began with a horrible Tuesday. 6 hours of less than extreme learning later, I faced an unhelpful TFA focus group and my program director pulling me into a private room to share her concerns, "I just wanted to make sure you're ok." Holding back tears of frustration and exhaustion, I drove home in quite a foul mood. After a near-scalding shower and a quick teary session in front of the roomies, I was heavily encouraged to call in sick on Wednesday. But with true-to-TFA ignorant determination, I said no no, don't be ridiculous, I will attempt to close the achievement gap in the face of any stomach pain or mild depression.

At 4am the next morning, I did not feel the same. Barely able to sit up in bed without crying out in pain, I determined that calling in sick was the appropriate move. Playing along with what most people would do when staying home from work, I visited the urgent care center. My next move was to check myself into the ER, of course, as noted previously.

My awesome roommates joined me to learn that I would need immediate surgery, occurring about 1:30am that night. Waking up from surgery in intense pain the morphine dose was dramatically increased and my groggy, sleep-filled Thursday in the recovery room began. Thankfully, one of my roommates stayed with me through the delirium on Thursday and brought me home.

All in all, everything worked out. I am now home, only a day later than planned, recovering well.

Moral of the story: if you have intense abdominal pain get it checked out immediately and if you would rather be in the hospital than at work - perhaps a career change may be in order...