the devil's in the detail

jake didn't know what i was talking about so looked up cholangitis in an online medical encyclopedia, and i must say it seems the clearest and most straightforward description that i've read so far.

the thing that has started to piss me off though, is realising just how long some of these symptoms have been a factor in my life. especially where it says abdominal pain "may radiate to the back or below the right shoulder blade". i have had almost excruciating pain in my back and, yes, below the right shoulder blade on and off for years - since the last time i went to malaysia, in fact, when i started getting horrible stomach cramps and this severe pain in my right arm. the doctor told me it was just 'referred' pain. but it was even a while after that before i was first diagnosed with all the gall stones.

i tell you, the 'below the right shoulder blade' pain is awful. it is so distracting, you can't sleep, it's hard to work, it just...well, radiates is a good word. it feels like there is something about the size of a screwdriver handle wedged behind your shoulder blade and it's surrounded by this sort of nimbus of pain. and all this time, i have been unable to do anything about it, and it might have been my gall bladder all along.

bah. i do trust my doctor (usually) and i know it's impossible for GPs to catch everything all the time, but....BAH!!!! i guess i'm just glad he was so busy in recent times that i had to see his colleague instead, because she did catch it. who knows? maybe if i do have to have surgery it will solve many of my ongoing medical problems that to this point have seemed incurable.

and today i am feeling absolutely revolting. just thought i'd let you know. :)