Holy Gallbladder, Batman!

Spring Break 2012: The Gallbladder Vacation

 

I am sorry for the long , nearly two week break.

No,

I am not having an existential crisis.  And YES, I really do want to blog. Blogs are awesome, right?

Unfortunately I have spent the past two weeks in a significant amount of pain. As I type, my body screams, “ouch!”

Last week when it all started, we were about to leave town and then we left town so I muscled through.  Who wants to ruin Spring Break? Not me.  We made it though, crazy rain and all. Finally home I actually felt a little better and thought I would be ok.  Silly me for jumping the gun. By Monday evening I was panicked, in a lot of pain and thought an alien might just burst from my body. Exactly where might this alien burst from, you ask? Well, the alien felt like it was going to slice right through my right upper quadrant just under my ribcage, otherwise known as the Gallbladder Zone.  I have had this pain before yet in the past the pain also passed. This time my gallbladder told me that it can no longer run on fumes. It is done!

Monday Evening I screamed, situated the kids and had Dave drive to the Salt Lake City hospital that accepts my insurance.  We sped down the mountain, arrived, parked,  I yelled at Gerry the Intake Nurse (in a very sweet and painful way) and was rolled into room 12. I felt foolish. In room 12 the nurse inserted the IV needle in a terrible spot (inside my elbow/the crook of my arm),  I saw the doctor and  I refused pain & nausea medication (you can do that and it cuts on the costs). A not-so-friendly ultrasound tech rolled me down the hall, banged the bed into the doorway and wheeled me into the room.  In the room I received an ultrasound. When I asked her if she saw anything she would not answer. I understand why, but this is the first time I have dealt with such a vacant and rather obedient ultrasound tech.  About two hours later I found out that it appears my gallbladder is filled with polyps, lesions and SLUDGE BALLS. Yes, that is correct, sludge balls and yes, the doctor indeed stated that the phrase, “Sludge Balls” is a medical term. Interesting.

Crazy IV in the most uncomfortable place

Because I am tough and did not want to pay an even higher emergency surgery fee, I opted to meet with the surgeon the next day. Tuesday I met her and Tuesday I fell in love with her. I feel confident in her skills and am grateful that I can get this alien demon excised, or would it be “exorcised?”  I am scheduled for  surgery early tomorrow. I need to arrive at 6:45AM. Thanks to good friends I will drop the boys off on the way and then other friends will take the boys after school.

As it stands here at 8:43 PM MST, I have not eaten proper food in days. I am tired of juice pops, apple juice and green tea. I am grateful I can still tolerate oatmeal. I need to stop my intake at midnight and after I finish this post,  I will try to binge on Sorbet and Gatorade. Good times! Cross your fingers, pray, send vibes, chant or whatever you do that my surgery is as boring and routine as gallbladder surgery should be.  Please know that I am grateful!

Thank YOU!

PS. Thank you for finding CrazyUS once again. I am hoping that some day soon I can really get this show on the road. What a strange year full of fits and starts.

 

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30 thoughts on “Holy Gallbladder, Batman!

  1. Honestly..you POOR thing !! Never have I seen another person so cursed with Vaction Medical Crisis..this time ..last time …EVERY time Syndrome!! What will you come down with on your next one? You ‘ll have to really go for something EXOTIC and flamboyant to top this…something in an EBOLA, perhaps?
    My best thoughts to you and you’ll be in my prayers for a full FAST and oh..please..an UNEVENTFUL recovery.

  2. Yikes! Sending prayers your way. I assume they are doing the surgery laporscopically? (Or however that’s spelled) I had mine out in same day surgery. That day I felt AMAZING. 2 days later I was in so much pain. Not from the surgery but from the gas they used to bloat my belly. It was escaping my body and my shoulders and neck felt like they were breaking apart. It’s common. Don’t be a hero. Ask for the good drugs for the recovery. Bask in your rest.

  3. I agree on the making it a fast and uneventful recovery. I’ll put in an order for you. Lots of love and slightly sloppy kisses!

  4. Prayers and good vibes coming from the Windy City!! Hope everything goes smoothly and that you quickly recover. I agree–don’t be a hero and take some meds if needed!

  5. Prayers, hugs, and happy thoughts…..and a little chanting too. How about some whale song? Maybe not?

  6. I had mine out when my daughter was 6 weeks old. (2.5 years ago) It was SUCH a simple operation. The scar is barely visible. I did need the better part of a week to recover though.

  7. I FOUND you. I can’t believe it. You just popped into my head today and I just had to google to see.

    I can’t believe how big the boys have grown, and I can’t believe the pictures of Poor Kyle. He seems like such a trooper. You, too.

  8. Glad you’re better! I had mine out in ’04. I think it was worth than child birth. Of course, I had all kinds of drugs with all 3 kids. HAHA

  9. Why would anyone choose to put the IV there?

    Getting mine out was such a relief. I hope you are feeling much, much better!

  10. SueFromSC, you are cracking me up! It was like my c-section with incisions all over my belly! Thanks for getting it!

  11. R, I am glad you found me! I am back. I come and go, but mostly I am back, especially now that my gallbladder is gone!

  12. Tammy, It was simple and it has taken a week to feel better. I feel lucky that I wasn’t doing it with a newborn.

  13. Brenda, Been feeling your prayers, hugs and happy thoughts! Thank you! That chanting totally worked, by the way! Whale Song, now, that is simply and evil spirit, you know what I mean?

  14. Thank you, Andrea! I have felt your prayers and good vibes. I am finally back to communicating with the world and it is nice to be here. See, I wasn’t a hero. I have been MIA for more than a week! 🙂

  15. Thank you, Amy! I have been basking in my rest (and dealing with our painter, but that is a whole other story). Anyway, thank you for your love and I hope you are feeling better.

  16. drhoctor2, You are so cool and so thoughtful to think of me. I am good and healthy! I just think this has been a weird year. I have weird years every so often. Now that the gallbladder is gone, I am feeling much much better! Thank you for your love! 🙂

  17. Hey Beth, I’ve followed the blog for many years, lamenting when you left and rejoicing with your return to the Internet. I’ve noticed your recent absence and want to let you know I’m thinking of you (not in a stalkery way) and hoping you and the fam are well and just enjoying better weather!

    S-

  18. Hi Sara,

    Thank you for thinking of me. I am trying to get back at it. We are good and just really busy! YES, I am enjoying the beter weather and NO, I do not feel stalked at all!

  19. BALLER? One who balls? With baseballs? (he he). I refused pain meds at the ER because I am cheap not because I am strong. Seriously! My deductible is so high un like me.

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