Killer Heartburn - Update

So, the killer "heartburn" I was experiencing (mentioned previously in the Attic-tivity update) turned out to be gall bladder disease. After several more of what I've learned are called "attacks," I could handle no more. Gall bladder attacks feel like your body is being twisted in half from the inside out. I could barely breathe at times. After an awesome trip to New York that couldn't even be wrecked by two severe attacks, I decided to take myself to the emergency room after an especially bad night - an attack that lasted 12 hours. Upon arrival, I was verbally abused by a desk receptionist and a nurse, then taken to a room and given pain medication that made me want to hug people. Mainly the nurse who administered the medication.

My sister had arrived at that point and mom arrived shortly after. I was sonogrammed and MRI'd and told there were stones and sludge in my gall bladder. The hitch was that one of the stones had lodged itself in my bile duct (gross) and was the reason for my extreme pain (I love justification of my wimpiness). So... before they went for my gall bladder, they had to capture the escaped stone via endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This was basically putting me under and sticking a scope down my throat and grabbing the stone. So they rushed me off to do that. I woke up a while later with four nurses staring at me and saying "What happened to your lip?" I'm thinking - Um, hello? I'm not too sure because I was under general anesthesia. Maybe you guys should know. So I had an absolutely enormous fat lip, and the even better news was that they couldn't complete the procedure because my stupid stomach had food in it, which means I could have aspirated (choked or something). So they had to stop and bring me back to life for the moment.

They started administering some med that helps the digestion process, hoping to move the stomach contents into the intestines and safely out of the way of the procedure. Therefore, I was to spend my first night in the hospital and begin my four-day diet of jello and broth and water and juice. Oh, and let's not forget regular doses of hug-inducing serious pain medication.

My first night was awful, because I was pretty uncomfortable and people were coming in to check my vitals, inject stuff into my IV and interview me (supposedly admissions people) all night long.

Thursday they were able to complete the ERCP but I had to wait until Friday for the gall bladder removal. Every time I was being prepped for anesthesia, I had to tell the anesthesiologist (a different one every time) that I have to have anti-nausea accompaniment to the anesthesia because I had a very bad experience with vomiting my brains out after orgal surgery when I was a teenager. No vomiting this time - all three times I was put under, I didn't remember going to sleep and I always felt like it was 10 minutes later when I woke up.

The surgery was performed laparoscopically pretty early on Friday morning, so I have five "keyholes" in my stomach. Friday and Saturday were not my favorite days. Every time I moved I thought my guts were going to shoot out of the holes. It was very uncomfortable and not made easier by the fact that I seemed to be peeing every hour. I guess IV fluid and a liquid diet will do that to you. I spent most of the two days in a haze on drugs. It's a good thing, because under normal circumstances, I would NOT have been comfortable with the lack of privacy involved in a hospital gown and needing help to go to the flipping bathroom.

A few days have passed - almost a week, I guess - and I'm feeling better every day. The keyholes feel less like a pending explosion and I'm moving around a lot better. It's just nice not to feel like my insides are being torn apart anymore. :) Now, the challenge will be discovering my new food rules. Still figuring out what I can and shouldn't eat and how much of it. Wish me luck. The foodie inside is dying a little...

Two Years in Magnets

Every time I went to a new city or town during my two years overseas I tried to buy a magnet. I was successful, for the most part. So I got my magnets the other day in my shipment from Ireland. What a great couple of years. Even thought it made me a bit sad to feel the "It's over" emotion all over again, I hope it will serve as a daily reminder of how many cool places I got to see, and that I need to keep adding to the collection!

A Send-off Polish Dinner

Finally posting about my last-week-in-Dublin dinner at Chris and Iwona's place. Polish cuisine at its best, yet again. This time we had soup and chicken and cabbage and potatoes and pierogies and a delicious pastry for dessert. They are such a great couple! It was a fantastic evening of food, wine and wonderful conversation. And this time? I took some photos!

Update on Attic-tivity

So I got some pest control going on last Thursday. I got the best pest control rep ever by some stroke of luck, and he set me up with all kinds of artillery to battle the attic noises. However, he checked his baited traps this morning and there were no victims. I didn't know how I would feel about the results check up this morning, but when he didn't bring anything down with him I was disappointed. He had plugged the holes where the little critters were getting in with some steel wool, and I wonder if maybe the "crew" came on Thursday night, saw the steel wool and moved on to the next homeowner for a new place to bunk. At any rate, I'm sleeping a bit easier knowing I've taken action. Or, uh, paid someone else to take action. Now if I could just get rid of the killer heartburn keeping me up at night, I'd be all set. It's always something.