Gallbladder is gone and that's a GREAT thing!
So I survived the night! LOL And now I am on laptop instead of phone so can type much better! I just couldn't figure out how to get comfortable last night using it so stuck to phone.
Let's see...........gallbladder was removed yesterday morning. Just the normal post surgery stuff yesterday. Last evening Stacey was here for a while and then Doug stayed and watched the Steelers game that went into overtime of course but at least they won. Unfortunately they have lost a couple guys for the season plus other injuries. It was after midnight when Doug left, in fact probably closer to 12:30 and he called me at like 1:10 that he was home and exhausted. Poor guy. Between all our stuff this weekend and then yesterday his system doesn't know if it is coming or going!
My night was a typical hospital night..............I think I was awake more than I slept. Every time I got up to use the bathroom it was a major production because I would have to take the things off my legs that were keeping the circulation going then get up and unplug the IV pole and take roll it in to the bathroom with me. So then they decided that EVERY time I went they wanted to do this mini sonogram thing so I would have to beep the nurse to come in and do that. So I would head back to bed, plug the IV pole back in, put the things back on my legs, turn that machine on, and then beep the nurse and wait for her to come in and do the scan. So then take time to go back to sleep and then do it all over a couple hours later! LOL
My throat is hurting really bad from the tube they put down during surgery. They said that is a common problem. This morning I almost feel like I am getting a cold but it may just be the really irritated throat and my allergies making me feel like that. The air is SO dry in here and it could be that. I have been taking a pain pill just about every 4 hours and sometimes it was more because my throat hurt bad but my belly does hurt some too so it helped keep me more comfortable with that, too.
The whole scanning thing was that they felt I was retaining water in my bladder and they were concerned about that. But I have convinced them that is just the way I am. Since I am not uncomfortable or have any bladder infection signs the doctors and nurses are tending to agree with me.........that's just the way I am and that I don't empty it all the way all the time.
The surgeon's Physician's Assistant was in this morning and said I am doing really good. I told her what I ate last night for dinner (meatloaf, potatoes, pudding, fruit) and she was quite surprised and then I told her I had potato chips last night with no problems and she was VERY surprised. She said that my gallbladder itself wasn't in the best condition but she's seen worse. The part that both she and the surgeon couldn't believe was how bad things AROUND IT were. She said there were a lot of adhesions which happens when an organ has a lot of inflammation and infection. She said something about when there are problems like that the stuff in your abdomen all adheres to the organ that is bad and there was a lot of it. She said my gallbladder was bad longer than the two years I have had the nausea. I asked her how they were still able to do it laparoscopically because I had heard that the reason they would have to do it the old fashioned way opening my belly all up was when there are a lot of adhesions.............but she said that she held the gallbladder out of the way while Dr. Georgiades carefully cut away the adhesions and then they were able to take it the way they did with the 4 one inch incisions. So my impression? They are pretty good surgeons apparently! She also said that they really gave me a lot of IV fluids throughout the surgery and since because of my prior problems with general anesthesia so that IS why I didn't have problems............but that is also why I have to keep going to the bathroom because I am having fluids pumped into me more than normal. That along with all the shots and patch they gave me for nausea made it so much better for me after the surgery.
She took all the bandages off the incisions and they are looking good. They are not concerned about the bladder thing since I am not having problems. They have unplugged the IV from the thing in my arm now so next time I head to the bathroom it will be just me going! YAY! She said Dr. Georgiades will be in sometime later today (late morning or afternoon) and I will be able to go home.
My instructions are low fat diet for a couple weeks so my body adjusts to no gallbladder and the bile going straight from liver to intestines without being stored in gallbladder. She said some people have diarrhea for a while and some don't so I may have it and may not. I was supposed to see the doctor next week to decide about work but he is out of town so I won't be seeing him for 2-3 weeks...........so she said no work this week for sure...........and I should play it by ear next week and if I am feeling good enough to go in half days but if not feeling good then don't go in at all but not to try full days until after next week. That will work I think. Let's see...........no driving for at least this week. I can take walks but to be aware that I will tire easy to make them short and work up to longer ones. No lifting or anything this week at all then after this week lifting and any activity is based on how it feels...........if it I hurts, don't do it. She said after this week I really can't do any damage to the incisions or anything, it might just hurt is all. So basically this week she said do nothing but rest a lot and maybe little walks.............and then starting next week do things as tolerated and if it hurts stop...........and then work my way back to full activity that way. She said I might still be tired for up to 3-4 weeks as my body heals because all my resources will be going towards helping everything to heal.
So I guess that's about it. I am pretty excited that I ate real food last night and chips and ice cream and had NO nausea or anything! So here's hoping that all that and all the pills I have been taking for all that are done forever!!!! They keep telling me low fat diet but we'll see! I want meat and food and EVERYTHING!!!! LOL
