On the Mend

Thursday was the big surgery day.  I got to the hospital at 6 am and was in the OR by 7:30.  They put an oxygen mask on me and the next thing I know I'm waking up in recovery and it's 9:00.  About an hour after I woke up they moved me out to the pre/post op area.  I really was not feeling well.  General anaesthesia and I do not get along.  I've had it twice in the past and have been violently sick for days afterward.  This time they put a patch behind my ear and gave me anti-nausea meds. Even with the patch and meds I ended up having dry heaves and the nurse gave me more anti-nausea meds.  Thankfully that was the end of my nausea.

By Noon I was home and all settled on the sofa in the family room where I was in control of the TV remote.  My family kept checking on me to see if I needed anything, they brought me ice chips and Star Wars Son ran to the store to get me Popsicles.

The pain meds are amazing.  Most importantly they do not make me nauseous and they fully take the pain away.  They do make me a little dizzy, but I can deal with that.  I can't deal with throwing up.

Now I'm on the mend.  I slept through the night last night, but was so stiff this morning I had to have Handy Man help me out of bed.  I'm so thankful for my family, they have been so great!  I don't know what I'd do without them.

On of my bloggy friends, Coffeeyogurt asked some great questions when she commented on my gallbladder post.  Here are the questions and answers:

I hear gall bladder pain is horrible. What is it, exactly, with the gall bladder trouble as a result of weight loss?  is the stone there all along, only making itself known when the body size shrinks? Protesting it's lack of comfy space? Or does the stone form as a result of the weight loss? Do tell!

Gall bladder disease is hereditary.  Both my parents had their gall bladders removed.  Being overweight is also a contributing factor in developing gallstones.  According to my doctor the stone and "gunk" in my gallbladder had been building for years.  He didn't explain to me how rapid weight loss can cause an attack but this is what I found at this website:

"Experts believe weight-loss dieting may cause a shift in the balance of bile salts and cholesterol in the gallbladder. The cholesterol level is increased and the amount of bile salts is decreased. Following a diet too low in fat or going for long periods without eating (skipping breakfast, for example), a common practice among dieters, may also decrease gallbladder contractions. If the gallbladder does not contract often enough to empty out the bile, gallstones may form."

Ok, my pain meds are kicking in so that's all I got for today.

Comments

[The Incredible Woody]

Glad to hear you are on the mend! Milk it for all its worth!!!

[Jude]

So glad that all is well! I was thinking of you and sending good thoughts!

[Mental P Mama]

Soooo glad this is behind you! And I know so many people who had attacks after childbirth...so that rapid weightloss thing is really spot-on! Keep on letting them take good care of you! xoxo, Lauren

[How to detox your body naturally]

I stumbled on your sad story, i am glad everything went ok. Hope you are feeling better now.

[Daryl]

So glad to hear you are not in pain and rid of that nasty 'stone' ..

[Liz C.]

Geez, what an ordeal! I'm so sorry that you had to suffer through this but glad that you had such great care & they got the meds right!

I remember back when I was doing the *Liquid Diet* to lose baby weight, we had to take a weekly Behavior Modification class. In the class, they drummed into us the importance of eating properly so as to not agitate the gall bladder (you know, while we were ON the liquid diet). Frankly, they scared the hell out of me. But, I still don't eat right...

I think your surgery is a wake-up call for a lot of us.

[Meg]

Glad to hear the surgery went well and that the pain meds are working. Keep on mending!

[Rachel---The Kooky Queen]

Oh man, the worst ever! I hope you're feeling better and getting lots of rest! The craziest thing to heal from were the incisions---oh how they itched for months!