I'm No Longer Stoned!

I'm alive! I'm sore, but doing well. Yesterday was a long day, but I couldn't have asked for things to have gone more smoothly. My dad and I woke up bright and early at 330 in order to shower and get to the hospital for check in at 0500. We made it there with about 10 minutes to spare. It definitely became one of those "hurry up and wait" ordeals. I was supposed to meet the anesthesiologist at about 0630, but ended up sitting (well, laying) there for about an hour while everyone around me was being met with. My dad and I started to wonder, through our very sleepy states. Then we went from 0-5 at one time. 0-5 men were in my room...one on each side, one at my feet, one hovering over me and then one off to the side. My dad was somewhere back there too. It was unreal. I told the anesthesiologist that I felt like they were a pit crew and I was the car. Within seconds, I had IVs started in my hand, had repeated for the millionth time that I was having my gall bladder removed (at least they wanted to be sure they were doing the right thing!), going potty once more (to avoid having to have a catheter put in), I was wheeled off to surgery. I don't remember much of anything after the "margaritas" they put in my IV...and then I woke up. It seemed like only a couple of minutes, when in actuality it had been hours. The actual procedure only took the surgeon 40 minutes. He said everything went well...The only downside was my nausea. It was extremely intense. I have never felt such a thing. I had tears welling up in my eyes. The recovery nurse kept asking me what my pain level was on a scale of 1-10, and I kept saying "I don't care about the pain do something about my nausea!!!" They gave me zofran which didn't help much...followed by a "squirt" of phenergan. That seemed to ease it. I was then transported to the post recovery area, where I had to sit in a recliner and be able to drink (and keep down) liquids, pee 100mls (sorry if TMI) and have my pain under control. My dad went to get my prescriptions from the rx while I drank three cups of apple juice...I was working hard to get home. Long story short(er), I got home by about 1:30 p.m. and had a pretty comfortable night. For those of you not familiar with the gall bladder surgery, at least the laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the make 4 incisions (one in the belly button and a few others). Then they put scopes in and basically blow your belly up with carbon dioxide to look around. The majority of the pain I am feeling right now is from the gas that is still there (the CO2). It's pretty gnarly in my right shoulder. That's the "heart attack" pain I was having which started this whole process...They said it should be better in 48 hours or so...and that walking around helps relieve it. Therefore, my family is now heading the MacArthur Center to go walk around and shop...and eat yummy salads at the Cheesecake Factory :) I am so completely blessed to have them here...and I am so thankful to all of you who have prayed for this process to go as smoothly as it has.

My belly is not in anyway flat in the first place, but it is still completely bloated up around my belly button...Just my disclaimer for the tummy picture :)

Peace, Love and Mr. Perk O. Set xo