The Day I Got My Gallbladder Out

I'm alive!!! Esther was very concerned about it so I thought I'd let everyone know, just in case you're wondering.

I arrived there at 10:15 a.m. I begged the phlebotomist not to make me give blood, but he insisted it had to be done and he only had to do it once! Afterwards I got suited up in my little hospital gown. People complain, but let me tell you, it covered my rear-end AND there's a little nozzle that hooks in and fills pockets inside the gown with warm air. Talk about warm breezes in your britches. By the time they put the wraps on my legs to keep them from clotting (they expand with air one at a time, kind of like a blood pressure cuff, but it felt like a nice massage) I felt like a ninja.

I spent much of the morning waiting and crying. Thanks to Noah, I had a hand to wring whenever I was in pain. Linda, the nurse at the front took me on a little tour beforehand because she could tell I was nervous. Plus, she gave me a stuffed bear. It made me smile. She also told me a funny story when my vein blew trying to get the IV in.

I was waiting forever and couldn't figure out what was taking so long. Apparently, the guy before me had to be opened up completely and that made me a little nervous. Ok, it made me scared out of my mind. That was my greatest fear. By the time the anesthesiologist was done with him I was in tears and continued until they finally put me out.

I had been stuck with a needle 4 times, been cut open 4 times and Noah claims I woke up moaning. He could hear me through the door in the recovery room saying, "Ow, ow, ow, ow" and "I'm dying." In my head I'm pretty certain I thought I was saying, "Help, this really hurts. Please give me some pain medication." In the recovery room I got to eat and drink after 17 hours. I became a much more cooperative patient thereafter. :)

And now, I'm surprisingly cognizant. I have a hard time forming sentences, but mostly I'm content and little sore.