A PSA if You Will

Please all bear with me for a bit...

Two weeks ago last thursday I woke up around 3 am in excruciating pain. My stomache was cramping and my back muscles were so tight I honestly couldn't breathe. Now this had happened to me twice before to a lesser degree (over the past 5 years)and both of those times I thought I was seriously constipated and used a form of a laxative and the pain went away.. sorta.. Turns out that was a serious misdiagnossas. Since this particular method had worked before I called a friend who went and picked up some citric magnesium (a ligquid laxative) she good friend that she is found an all night pharmacy and brought it to me around 6 am. This was after 3 hours of constant screaming pain. Whed it arrived I drank it as fast as I could, which caused me to throw up, severly. Since that was the same reaction I had, had the last time I thought.. a good it will go away now. It didn't!

Around 10 am I finally called my doctor, I mean I didnt know what it was for all I knew it was swine flu... They said they could fit me in at 1:45, now remember I am still in such pain I can barely breath. I called a friend for another reason, hung up with her and said forget it and called 911. They sent an ambulance and off to emergency I went. Due to the wonders of modern drugs... they were able to at least manage the pain while I went through test after test. Finally they said they wanted to admit me, it seems I had "tons" of gallstones. The ER doctor said it almost gleefully. The surgeon was concerned because my liver enzines were up so after an overnight stay and the pain had gone, he said to put me on anti biotics and send me home. We would do the surgery the next week. Blood work on Monday, doctor visit on Tuesday and outpatient surgery on Wednesday! yeah right!

I don't get sick often but when I do I try and go over the top. Anyway I went home, it was senior night for my daughter at the football game, so I managed to get to the game and stand up with my child all smiles and pain free (still had alll that lovely morphine in my system). I even managed to go to a friends house, who was hosting a party for the band kids. It was a lot of fun chatted, snacked (BIG MISTAKE) and had an all round good time. I went home and crashed.. Sure enough, 4 am rolls around and the pain is back. Not as bad I could at least breathe this time but bad enough. Around 6 I called the surgeon and he was all get yourself back to the hospital we will get you re admitted.

So off I went... this time the pain never went away but I had that lovely morphine to help hold it off.. Antiboitics and morphine what a lovely diet, but the doc was worried about my liver. On Monday early afternoon they removed my gall bladder. Turns out I had one of the worst gallbladders this doctor had ever seen. Three times it's normal size, should have been paper thin was instead as thick as his finger and was FILLED yes that is right FILLED with stones. The lovely gallbladder hadn't worked in years if not decades and honestly even now looking back I can only really count 3 attacks.

I was out of the hospital on Wednesday afternoon (just in time for Senior night for swim team) and have finally been getting back to normal. I wanted to share this for a bunch of reasons.. Ladies as mothers we tend to put our health last.. we shouldn't... remember if you don't take care of yourself you can't take care of your babies. Also I have received numerous emails asking where I have been. There you have it.. I have been off on the grand hospital vacation.. I promise next time I am taking a cruise..