Hello lovely readers. It has been far, far too long between posts. So let me catch you up, and inform you of the journey my dodgy gallbladder has taken me on.
If I'm to be honest, it hasn't just been my health that's proven challenging. Our poor family got slammed with about a month of viruses from late autumn to early winter.
I sent this message to a friend several weeks ago:
I've done about 13 loads of washing since Thursday (it was now Monday), scrubbed chunky vomit off carpet and my bedding, cried, cuddled Belle, panicked when her underarm temp hit 39, staying awake at night to make sure she was ok. And now, I'm done.
She rewarded my love by blatantly rejecting me last night and this morning for daddy, and no one else, even saying, "Go way mummy, we not friends anymore."
I'm not ashamed to admit mild hysteria followed. Oh, the joys of parenting threenagers!
I know many can relate to a month or more of festy family time when bugs hit and cycle their way through every member of the household. But when you already feel off, it's just all the more depressing.
Since my pancreatitis attack in April, I haven't felt completely well. I've been extremely fatigued, often nauseous, or in pain after eating certain foods, usually fatty. My appetite ranged from not hungry at all to ravenous. I also thought I may have heart problems as my chest often felt tight, and I'd get breathless so easily far too often.
Yet, like most of us, I pushed through. I did still desperately want answers, so when my appointment for an EUS (endoscopic ultrasound) came through at the Gold Coast University Hospital, I was extremely relieved.
The first appointment got cancelled at 8pm the night before I was due to go. The next appointment was due for Monday 10th of July. I didn't make it.
Wednesday 5th, I ate a late lunch with my eldest daughter, Lizzy. I made us a low fat, low GI salad wrap at around 2pm. I felt extremely bloated after it, and very nauseous by evening. I ate a small amount of peas and beans for a late dinner, and felt kind of ok when I went to bed, just bloated. I woke in the early hours of the morning, with what I thought was a mild (but still painful) attack of pancreatitis. I couldn't sleep, and even tried to ring the emergency department at 4am, no answer. I decided not to wake anyone though.
By morning, I told hubby, but assured him he should go to Brisbane for uni. I cancelled a cleaning job, feeling terribly guilty for doing so, and rang the Dr at 8:30 to make and urgent appointment. Before my appointment, I ate a very small serve of cereal. I thought that since I was keeping food down, I must not be that sick. At 11, under my right ribs was still very tender, with the pain radiating through to my back.
The Dr took one look at me and said she didn't need to examine me, and wrote a referral for the hospital.
My Lizzy drove me to Tweed Hospital at around 12:30. At emergency, they let me straight in and within 15 mins, I had a bed. The staff were amazing, but I did confuse them at first. Bloods came back reasonably normal- slightly elevated white cells but no pancreatitis. After multiple exams (thankfully, with pain relief!), and anti gastro injections, and an abdomen ultrasound (which showed an enlarged gallbladder full of sludge that didn't appear to be draining), I was transferred to another bed in emergency. I spent a little over 4 hours in one bed, and nearly 2 in the next, and was allowed to eat dinner at 6pm, my second meal of the day.
I was convinced it was my gallbladder, even though the surgeon on duty disagreed. But due to my pain, he decided to admit me. Glad he did!
I was fasting from midnight, and was meant to have a drip by then. It happened at 2:30am. Poor nurses were flat out. The surgeons did their rounds at 7:30. I heard discussions outside my room. The one who agreed to admit me the day before didn't feel I had gallbladder issues and said they should wait for further tests. The other surgeon said with my history, he strongly disagreed. When he touched my abdomen and I jumped in pain, he said, "Ok, we need to take that gallbladder out."
Relief swept over me.
Finally, someone had sense.
Despite raging caffeine withdrawal headaches, and a stinging arm from a drip being pumped full of potassium and antibiotics, I was keen as to get into surgery. All prepped, ready and waiting, I was taken from my ward at 3:15pm.
After a 45 min wait in the pre-op room, I went in and remember nothing until waking in recovery at around 7:30. Then, the pain hit! I was told I had a very inflamed, enlarged gallbladder and a little bit of bile leaked when removed. I was lucky they could fix that without major complications.
However, the trapped gas pain was by far the worst! Another anesthetist had to calculate how much pain relief to give me based on the huge amounts I already had. He then injected a local anesthetic before using a needle, guided by ultrasound, to hit specific nerves. It certainly wasn't a quick or pain free procedure, but it took a huge portion of the 'what the heck?!' pain away.
By 8:15, I was back in my ward, extremely grateful to see my hubby and girls.
The surgeon who operated saw me the next morning. He informed me I did have an enlarged, inflamed gallbladder that instead of having a greenish, flowing bile, had very dark, orange/black thick sludge. Gross! I'll find out why at a post op visit next month.
The second day post surgery, on Sunday, I went home to heal.
Honestly, the first 6 days were just so painful. The day after I got home, I had my landlords and real estate agent in my house for repair inspections. Oh my gosh, that sucked physically! Since it is giving me a new stove top, I'm definitely thrilled.
Anyway, look on for photo's. If you're at all like me, you'll be curious to see where laparoscopic cuts/tubes go. I am fascinated about the process and have learnt a lot through the experience.
Beautiful flowers from hubby.
Straight outta surgery. In pain, but feeling relieved.
Ready to go home. Trapped gas pain still hideous, but I know it will improve.
My battle scars on my bloated tummy.
Appetite definitely near non existent for first day, and limited after that.
Trapped gas pain gone by day 4, and the waterproof dressings by day 7. Here are my neat little cuts (and a few needle bruises) on my not so bloated belly.
Diarrhea is a common side effect many people suffer post gallbladder removal.
I am one such lucky person.
When my body started to 'work' again, it hasn't held back.
To the poor cleaner in the Dreamworld toilets yesterday, I am so sorry! I hope you get a pay rise.
All up, I have lost a little over 7 kilo's since getting ill in April, with the last 2.5 happening the past week and a bit of surgery/ recovery.
I am walking much better now, even braving Dreamworld, albeit slowly, yesterday, with Hubby and 2 international girls currently staying in our home.
I know, I hear you, never a dull moment!
As I take another week off to recover, and remind myself not to lift anything heavier than 5 kilo's until the 4 week safety window is up, I'll try to get posting with healthy food and recipes as I journey through life minus a dodgy gallbladder.
Also, a huge shout out to my amazing church, C3 Kingscliff, who organised meals for my first week home. Feeling loved!
May I also say, despite heavy drugs for the first week, and the issues healing from abdominal surgery brings, I feel so much better in me. Even hubby has noticed that I seem more perky, more my fidgety, bright self.
Hope that satisfies you all for now.
Hope to talk much sooner!
