The Pain...The Pain

Hey, everyone! I’m back! It is so wonderful to be back at home and in front of the computer, blogging! I have been in the past week and a half laid up at GMH nursing myself back to health due to a gi-mongous gallstone nestled in my bile duct. The gallstone was removed along with my gallbladder. I am now “gallbladder-less.” It may seem a bit funny but having the pain wasn’t. I had an attack one Sunday which made me stay out of work the next day, the day we have classes for ED643. I had to see my regular doctor who finally told me that I had to have surgery. Because it was a stone that was mobile, she thought it would be a laser procedure. Well, it wasn’t.
I was in so much pain after leaving school on that Wednesday that I made a trip to the Emergency Room. I was admitted that evening. After two days of liver function tests showed pretty high numbers and several Demerol shots later, I was told that surgery would happen on Saturday morning. Well, I didn’t feel a thing until after the anesthesia wore off. Several more Demerol shots were ordered to alleviate the pain. I was starting to think to myself that was the kind of high drug addicts enjoy. I tolerated the pain as much as I could. I was off oxygen the following evening. I was starting to use the breathing exercises and coughing to help get better.
I still feel soreness. Anyone would after having major surgery. I still have a four-inch incision stapled along with a bag that helps drain the fluids from the inside where the incision is located. Every day after my showers, I have to have the dressings changed so I don’t develop some kind of an infection around the site. It is such a task! I walk at a slower pace and can’t lift any thing heavier than 15 lbs. I hate feeling so helpless and at the same time, I don’t want to open up the stitches. I am moving around a lot so I can gain more strength. All in all, I feel better!

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