I'm so tired... One of my last posts was about a pain I was having last year. Wow, it's been a long time. I never had my gall bladder out, because the HIDA Scan showed no stones.
Jump to a couple weeks ago, my friend Twain was going to be coming out to help work on a few house problems. One of these things was my backyard fence. About 5 days before we were supposed to be working on the fence, I found out I needed a permit to replace the rotted fence. Note I wasn't planning to dig in the ground or anything. I just wanted to screw new panels to the existing poles. The said it would take 7 days to get the permit, so I had discounted even getting to work on the fence. Twain was set to show up on Thursday. The morning started like any other, I went to work. About 30 minutes after I got to work, I started having a gall bladder attack. After attempting to wait it out... I went home. My wife called the doctor, and we scheduled and appointment for the following week.
Luckily I didn't have any additional pains over the weekend, and got the fence replaced.
 
 
We also fixed my mailbox, and kitchen faucet.
My doctor appointment came, and he said that I had a 70-75% chance to have the pain go away if I had my gall bladder out. The problem was my HIDA Scan showed no stones, yet all my symptoms (chest pains, elevated heartbeat, getting clammy, etc) were classic gall bladder problems. After taking a poll, we decided to have it taken out. We scheduled the surgery for the following Friday. At least I'd only have to wait out the rest of the week.
I arrive at the hospital, and the first thing they want to do is hook me up to an IV. I warn the nurse that I've had issues with blood draws and IVs (crappy veins?). After two failed attempts, she has the anesthesiologist do it. The next thing I remember is waking up in bed. I'm sore and tired. I think it was my wife who told me, but honestly I'm not sure... I'm going to have to stay overnight. Originally I was told that I'd be at the hospital for about 4 hours. I was planning on being off work on Friday, then maybe Monday and Tuesday. Giving myself 4 1/2 to 5 days to recover.
I don't really remember much more until Saturday. Most of my memories consist of the following:
- Blood Pressure Checks
- Temperature Checks
- Requests for breathing exercises
- Food arriving to my room
- Someone checking to see if they could take my plate, but I had been asleep since the food arrived
- Nurses asking me to push the pain button more often... even though it didn't really seem to help
- Sleep
- Awake
- Sleep
Saturday was accompanied by more of the same. I was always tired, and easily agitated. My wife and the kids showed up multiple times to see me, and I think this was the first day I got out of bed. I sat in a chair for a little over an hour. The doctor decided to keep me yet another day. It may have been Saturday evening that I first walked as well. Just down the hallway. The short walk left me very tired.
Saturday night was once again filled with temp checks, etc. Finally the morning came, I did some more walking, and the doctor said it was ok for me to go home. I spent the first 3 days without pants, and pretty much on my back the entire time. Thursday I had an appointment with the doctor, and he said I was coming along fine. He said I could start driving again. That night I drove my family to the mall for dinner... I didn't drive home. Last night (Saturday) was the first night I slept all night long since my surgery. I can't sleep on my back very well, and I can't roll over on my side at all yet (still to painful). Anyhow, tomorrow I go back to work... I still have some problems sitting for long periods of time (for example, I've been working on this post for 3 days now). |
