A 34-year-old woman, Mrs. Jennifer Parker, is admitted to you because of severe abdominal pain and vomiting.
Ms. Parker states that her illness began about 3 days ago with midepigastric pain and nausea, and progressed to severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. She describes her pain as "crampy," without any radiation, and continuous throughout the day so that she cannot eat.