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We’ve all likely experienced a time or two in our lives when feeling sick, like really, really sick, has knocked us down. However, the worst part of not feeling well is not knowing what’s wrong. General Hospital’s Risa Dorken (Amy) has been dealing with such a situation but finally, she was given some answers as to what had set her on an eight-month-long journey filled with pain.
“First, I’m doing well,” the actress assured fans then went on to explain, “My 8+ month diagnostic journey came to climax while I spent Christmas week in the hospital. After three ER trips, seven doctor visits, pelvic and abdominal ultrasounds, countless blood lab visits, two CT scans, three MRIs, a HIDA scan, low FODMAP diet, echocardiogram and a treadmill stress test — with teary eyes and an invisible problem — I had almost accepted my new reality.”
And she almost did that “because ‘they’ told me to.”
However, as many have been advised over the years, listen to your body, you know it best, she did just that. “The pain was intolerable and I knew it wasn’t normal,” Dorken stated. “So I tried a different hospital, and they listened!”
She went on to thank everyone at UCLA Medical Center for their “professionalism, care and kindness” then relayed exactly what she had faced. “Emergency gallbladder removal surgery, jaundice (skin and eyes turned yellow), back in for an ERCP to remove a missed/lodged stone and Thennnn pancreatitis,” to which she added, “Thought I knew pain before… nope. Now I do.” Though none of the prior scans showed a “real” problem, the actress revealed, “In reality my gallbladder was in really rough shape.”
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Now that she has answers, Dorken is healing — all because she stood up for herself. “It’s sometimes hard for healthcare providers to take you (me) seriously, when they look at your chart, see mental health conditions, run their tests and tell you nothing is wrong — ‘It’s your anxiety.’ It’s devastating to feel dismissed, especially when your health (and happiness) are at stake.” Her journey proved that “sometimes scans are off and it’s a ticking time bomb organ rotting inside you. Health. Mental Health. It’s all that matters.”
We hope the actress feels better soon and hope that anyone going through such a crisis will listen to their bodies as well.
With the new year upon us, you won’t want to miss our 2025 previews and predictions, including big exits, shocking twists and — finally! — new writers! It can all be found in the gallery below.