Dang

Weeks of getting up at 3am and moving to the couch so I could sleep sitting up may be coming to an end. Wouldn't that be nice? Not to be awakened by the imminent feeling of nausea? Not to be awakened at all until the alarm clock went off or until the sun began peeking through the blinds?

Weeks of easing myself into and out of chairs, avoiding bending over or going up and down stairs slowly and carefully. Could it all be over soon?

I went to the doctor last Tuesday for my regular three-month check (diabetes/cholesterol bloodwork) and mentioned that I'd been having a very odd pain in my back on the right side under my ribs. Sleeping was hard because I couldn't get comfortable or would wake up nauseous. He hmmm'd as he listened and poked and told me I needed to go get an ultrasound as soon as possible.

Friday morning found me in the lab with jelly on my upper abdomen and side as the technician ran her wand over me, looking inside at liver, pancreas, kidney and gallbladder. She took LOTS of stills and measurements. I didn't ask, becaues I knew she wasn't allowed to say, but I knew something was up. When she finished, she told me that my doctor would probably contact me later that afternoon.

They called before lunch.

"You were right. Your gallbladder is contracted and packed with gallstones. I'm going to try to set you up with a surgical consult today, but it might be Monday. Friday afternoon is a hard time to get ahold of them."

Vindication! Only a couple of times has the pain been sharp. Mostly it's been a nagging soreness that I didn't think about too much. But when soreness doesn't go away, it's more than a pulled muscle.

So sometime next week, I will probably be having surgery to remove my gallbladder. It's been like a weird gall-virus going around at work... two other people have had theirs out in the last month! But at least I know what to expect from having talked to them about their surgeries and recoveries. One says she's never felt this good in her whole life. Most encouraging...