I finally had my surgery!!!

Not the one we wanted though.
Let's take a step back in time...... Do ya'll remember me talking about my ulcers?
Allow me to refresh your memory...
There was the 4 am "Ulcer pain wake up call".
There was the "Had to leave dinner at a friend's due to ulcer pain".
There was the 2 weeks that I spent "Drinking cabbage juice to cure ulcers."
And then for good measure "An update on my ulcers" post.
There was the time I fainted due to my "Ulcer pain" and the only one home was Caden, who was 4. There was the time that I was taken out of a Kohls by an ambulance because of my "Ulcer pain". And also a time I laid on my inlaws couch and cried due to my "ulcer pain". I could continue... But I think you get the point that my "Ulcers" have made my life hell for the last 2 years. I'd had an endoscopy done, no ulcers found. And I'd had a barium swallow done, no ulcers found.
Anywho... on Saturday the 2nd of July I started getting "ulcer" pain. Which kept me up all night, and which I still had when I woke up. So I decided to go to the Emergency room. But not the same one I had been to the last 2 years. I wanted a new opinion!!
So I went to the ER and (When I finally get seen) the Nurse asks me if I'd ever had my gall bladder looked at. Nooooooooooooooooo. So during my next 4 hours of waiting in the ER to be seen I googled my gall bladder. And BINGO!! What do you think I read?

• Pain or tenderness under the rib cage on the right side
• Pain between shoulder blades
• Stools light or chalky colored
• Indigestion after eating, especially fatty or greasy foods
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Bloating
• Gas
• Burping or belching
• Feeling of fullness or food not digesting

Well! All of that sure sounds familiar!!! So after I wait a total of 6 hours I finally get an ultrasound, and they find stones. I was so relieved to know what was going on! And that there was a cure. Removing it!

However the Dr refused to do the surgery. He gave me some pain pills and said call my own Dr...But that I needed the surgery done immediately. 

I was in shock! So I decided the next day, if I was still in pain I would go to a new ER.

Well Monday came around (Yes July 4th) and I tried a new hospital. Within 2 hours I was in a bed, seen by a doctor, had an ultrasound done, and had been told they were scheduling the surgery for Wednesday and I would stay in the hospital until then. I literally cried in relief. 

Me waiting for Ultrasound.

My poor arm after my second IV

My HUGE hospital room!!

I had my own room and bathroom. 

I had a pretty great view of the city too.

One of my "Feel better" cards and flowers.

 I had what was called a Cholycystectomy.

So now I have 4 wounds in my tummy that are bruising up quite nicely.

That last one is right under my bra line.... SEXY!! lol

So now I am at home recuperating. Since I do need to be more careful with my diet (IE eating more so that bile doesn't build up) I have joined http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ and I am quite impressed with it! It even has a great app for my droid, with a bar code scanner for foods. It really has helped a lot!! I have already lost ten pounds.

Here are actual photos that my surgeon took of my gallbladder.

(Pssst... It's that thing that looks like a schmeckle!)

And here is my tummy without a gallbladder!

Much more happened that week... But I will write more later. Stay tuned!