Personal Narrative: Misdiagnose

Misdiagnosed

November was when the pain started. I was dizzy at church one Wednesday night. I did not think much of it. Though, now, I think I should have. Looking back, I should have mentioned it to someone there or I should gone home early, but I did not. I did not do anything I should have, and maybe if I did I would have been further along in really figuring out my new illness. Maybe I would not be so lost in all the craziness of having a chronic illness. Maybe I would be back on my way to a healthier life.
On the way home from church that first night, my chest began to hurt and I felt like I could not get any air. So, like any other teenage girl, I told my mom. She was worried, so the next day she took me to the doctor. I sat there

What was the diagnosis? Pleurisy. Now, pleurisy is no big deal. Inflammation of the wall of your lungs, and it will go away. No big deal. Except it did not go away. Next thing I knew I was at the doctor for stomach pain and chest pain in December. That night I was rushed to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, in fear that I had appendicitis. Once again, I found myself listing off symptoms. “Stomach pain, fatigue, chest pain, nausea dizziness,” I would list off to them.
Only to have them reply back with, “Where is it located? Does the pain rebound? I’m just going to press on your stomach in certain areas.” One ultrasound and some awkward questions from my doctor later, my new diagnosis was Mesenteric Lymphadenitis. Mesenteric Lymphadenitis is where lymph nodes in your stomach are inflamed. From research on the internet on several medical websites, I found out this diagnosis is often given when the doctor has no idea what is wrong with you. Well, most of the time that is true. “The pain will go away in a couple of weeks,” they told me.
“And if it doesn’t?” my mom

The pain did not go away. I was at the doctor again the next week for worrying back pain starting. The pain was near my kidneys which was not only worrying me, but everyone else. After a many doctor visits, my mom was worried about me for a completely different reason. She thought I was missing too much school. The decision was made that I would not go to the doctor again until the summer. So when June 2015 rolled around, I expected that I would go to the doctor. Well, I did not. I did not go back to the doctor until July. I found myself listing off symptoms to someone who actually seemed to be listening. I was diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. He sent me off to Arkansas Children’s once again. They set me up another appoint with a gastroenterologist. So, we went to see the gastroenterologist. After a couple of questions, she decided to set me up an appointment to get an Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with