Nip and Tuck

If I were talking plastics, you would probably think “enough already” with the surgery. But alas, it was much more mundane. Yesterday, knowing full well that I had to get on a plane on Thursday (essentially three days later), I had my gall bladder out.

I never had a gallbladder “issue” until after the chemo, when I experienced a big flare up in early October. Wanting nothing to do with doctors of any sort, I tried to will it away. No luck. I was sent for the requisite ultrasound and told that although it was not “acute” I had best see a surgeon. Still in fierce denial, I saw two, hoping that one might say that if I changed my diet a bit, it would go away. No such luck. Both advised surgery sooner rather than later. After a post Thanksgiving flare up, I relented.

My surgeon is a busy guy so it was a scheduling thing for him. The best I could get was yesterday. So my dear and faithful friend Betty picked me up at 5:15 and we were there well ahead of my 6 am call.

After cancer surgery and the neck thing a bunch of years ago, the gallbladder surgery seemed like a big whoop. Except the anesthesiologist had to go over all the risks of surgery and anesthesia, including “stroke, heart failure and death”. I know it is his job, but until then, I was hardly even anxious. Mostly I was concerned that I be able to get on the damn plane on Thursday. I had made my reservations (with miles!) eight months ago, and nothing was keeping me from this trip.

Long story short, I was home by 1 pm, it truly is amazing how the human body, not to mention the medical system, works. With some vicodin to offset the soreness, I took a looong nap. Then was awake for a short visit from Sofie at the end of her day, so Jamie could get my prescription to fill it. The pharmacists must think we are some kind of weird family, between us both needing chemo related drugs and vast quantities of pain killers in a short amount of time.

I had rented a movie I had already seen so that I would not have to work too hard to enjoy it…I popped in The Devil Wears Prada at about 7:30 so I could stay awake long enough that I would not wake up at 3 am wide awake from sleeping too early in the night.

It worked, I fell asleep about 9:45 and slept nearly 11 hours. Kind of like two or three nights in my sordid sleepless past!

Today, I am sore but walking, talking and emailing. I have to go back to packing shortly as that was the goal for the day.

I am not usually one for New Year’s resolutions, but I think this time I will resolve *not* to have any surgeries of any sort in 2007. That seems reasonable!

Happy holidays to all. I tried to get out a bunch of cards, but if I missed you this year, please know it was likely due to the craziness of being interrupted by the surgery and the getting ready for the surgery. And consider yourself greeted!