An Update!

Lots has been going on - I will start with October 16th - the last day that my gallbladder and I shared the same space. The surgery was laparoscopic so there was an outside chance that I would get to go home the same day that it was done. And I was determined to go home, too! About an hour of surgery, an hour in the recovery room, and then about 3 hours in a bed on the surgery unit - then it was my plan to toddle out the door. The nursing staff at Bloomington Hospital were top notch and very wonderful, kind, and attentive. Not to mention they knew exactly what they were doing. The anesthesiologist was a very funny guy and the surgeon was....well... a surgeon. But he is a good old Southern Indiana boy, from Bloomington, so all was well. After I got to the floor and was infused with Dilaudid (whooee what stuff that was!) I did everything they told me I needed to do for the surgeon to release me - I ate when they said to eat, drank when they said to drink, made jokes, whatever it would take. When they told me the surgeon was on his way to see me I met him at the door! A little bent over and clutching my stomach but I had a smile on my face for sure. Little did I know at the time that it was mostly Dilaudid. But I was discharged and Patty came to pick me up. We took pictures, of course. We take pictures of everything! I had to struggle to look sick - yes, these are pictures of me trying to look sick. In about 3 hours it wouldn't be an act any more, though!

Yep - this was the best I could do. I was so happy to go home that I called Patty and got into my clothes as fast as I could. But, darn it! I wanted one picture in the hospital gown in the bed ---- this was my compromise. I was perfectly willing to get back into the hospital gown but standing up was giving me problems so I thought I'd better not try to change clothes. Alas - poor, suffering me!
Bye-bye Dilaudid! And a last picture at the nurse's station....I'm guessing it's not often that picture taking is part of the discharge process. I got tired of waiting for someone with a wheelchair to take me downstairs so I walked down to the nurse's station with the notion that I would just get on the elevator and head down to Patty's car. But was I ever happy to see Wayne and his wheelchair!

Now for the picture of my gallbladder! Being the sensitive person that I am, I decided to post a link rather than the actual picture here. Most of you are medical folks so you will probably like this picture - but for those of you who aren't, just skip this link. The surgeon was impressed with the number of stones - he brought the picture to me when he came to discharge me. Wow - I honestly thought I was being just a wimp with a little 'heartburn'. I am happy I made the right decision to have this taken out - after all, people live with a gallbladder full of stones with no problem at all but I am not one of them. When did the problems start? I think around December 2006! I thought it was GERD. Oh well! I was hoping it weighed about 30 lbs but apparently it is a small little thing to cause so much trouble.

The picture is in Photobucket - I think you will have to sign in to get to it but I am not sure. It is a nice website, and free, for people to store their blog pictures. I also carry it in my purse - just in case someone wants to see it. Unfortunately, most people have declined.

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac239/lindalougraves/PhotoScan2.jpg