My surgery was set for Monday at 1:15. I was told to be there at 11:15 and therefore got there even earlier as I had to take a pregnancy test before my surgery (they wouldn't believe me when I told them it would have had to have been an immaculate conception:-)). I went in and paid hundreds of dollars off my HSA towards my ginormous deductible to appease them (I am on the crappiest insurance ever) and then went over to the lab. The lab was exceptionally busy and after waiting for an hour I was told that I needed to go upstairs and check in with surgery first. What a waste of time. So I went upstairs and checked in, and then went back downstairs to pee in a cup and have them confirm that (shocker) I am not pregnant. (Sidenote, the lab technician started telling me about her recent gall bladder surgery with the same doctor who was to perform mine and how HORRIBLE it was and how she ended up in the ER two days later due to complications. At that point my anxiety tripled.)

I then went back upstairs and waited for about 30 mins to get called in. When I was called in I put on the gown that makes you feel super vulnerable and was assigned a bed to wait in. While I was waiting a surgical nurse came over and told me he was going to start my IV. At this point it was 1ish - we were right on time. He tried pumping up my veins in my hands but then figured he should just do the IV in my arm (which I was hoping for anyway). He first prepared an injection to numb the area and right after he gave me the shot he put in the IV. The numbing had not taken effect yet, I don't know why he didn't wait a bit, but it didn't matter as I have become an expert in getting blood drawn and IVs in that particular vein so it was as expected and I was mentally ready for it. My dad then came back and sat with me and at 1:20 another surgical nurse came back and told me that my doctor was running behind with a patient, and that while I was next in line, I would just have to wait it out.

And wait I did. My parents took turns sitting back in the room with me as we all watched the clock. About every hour I had to get up, grab my IV, and shuffle to the bathroom while holding my gown shut in the back (that IV made me have to pee sooooo much!!). Another patient came in and I discovered that she was to go in after me. (I felt bad for her having to wait too.) We waited until we were the last ones in pre-op. They ended up closing pre-op (around 5 PM) and rolled us over to post-op. I was beyond annoyed about having to wait so long and literally do nothing but get more and more anxious but what are you going to do? It could have been worse - I could have been a part of that family who had been waiting on the surgery before me to finish like it should have hours ago and wondering what the heck was going on.

In post-op I began to see people being rolled out of surgery performed by other doctors. They were still sleeping and they looked terrible - very white and one had his tongue hanging out of his mouth. This only made me even MORE nervous.

Finally at 7:15 I was wheeled into surgery. My doctor was tired but still up for performing it. I was praying the whole time that I would be brave but really all I wanted to do was run away. When they wheeled me into the operating room the first thing I saw was a nurse cleaning the longest surgical tool I had ever seen. I began to silently freak out. They had me get on the other bed and they began to strap my legs down and strap my arms out to the side. They told me they were giving me medicine to make me less nervous and the last thing I remember is the nurse coming over and holding my hand. They never had me count backwards and never told me I was going to sleep. They just did it.

I remember dreaming and feeling my legs go up and down (with these special leg balloon things to prevent blood clots) and shivering, but I didn't come all the way around until I was in the recovery room. Every few mins a chime would go off and a nurse would yell at me to take a deep breath. I had heard them do this with other patients in recovery before I had my surgery so I knew the worst part was over.

For the next hour I tried to wake myself up but all I wanted to do was sleep. I would open my eyes for a bit then sleep some more. Finally the nurse came by and asked me what my pain was. I told him I was in pain and he gave me some meds through my IV. Then he let me rest some more and my dad was allowed in to visit me.

When my dad was sent to the pharmacy I was told to get dressed and get ready to go. I couldn't believe I was being told that. I could barely keep my eyes open, I had just had an organ yanked out and I was in extreme pain, and I was told to get up and get dressed all by myself. I did my best though. I sat up slowly and began to put one foot on the floor. Then a rush of nausea came over me and the nurse came running in with some smelling stuff that didn't help at ALL, it just made me wretch (as he called it) all the more.

Finally after sitting up I was able to get myself together and get dressed. I couldn't bend over and put my shoes on but I managed to put my tshirt and sweats on. At that point I was exhausted and laid back down on the bed. The nurse came in with, oh the joy, another injection of meds. But since he had taken my IV out (before he told me to get dressed) he decided to give me the shot in...my thigh. That was my first experience getting a shot in the thigh and I wouldn't recommend it.

Oh, and did I mention that my throat hurt and I could barely speak as a result of having the tube down my throat during the operation? NO FUN!

OK, this is getting really long so I will try to speed it up. The ride home to Kingsburg was fine, I slept through a lot of it. I was able to eat a few crackers and drink some apple juice which was nice since it had been over 24 hours since I last ate. We got home and I was put to bed. I slept well but had to get up several times to pee as that IV was still working its way through me. I woke up the next morning and was able to hobble hunched over out to the living room. I was able to eat eggs and toast for breakfast and take a shower. I noticed I had three bandages on my stomach. The largest one (which also hurts the most) is the one in my belly button.

In the days that have passed all the bandages have come off except that belly button one. The incisions still hurt but not nearly as much as previously and the past two nights I have been able to go back to sleeping on my stomach (even though it does hurt a bit). I am just careful with bending and what I put against my stomach. Overall I have simply been resting and each day has been better. Today I am getting out of Kingsburg for the first time in close to a week. I can eat normal food and walk fairly well. I plan on going back to work on Monday.

Good things about being house bound:
-Catch up on sleep.
-Get to find out what it is like being in your house at, say, 2 PM on a Wed. afternoon.
-Watch movies (such as John Adams, Baby Mama, crap on TV such as the Brideszilla marathon, and Office season one).
-Catch up on blogs.

Bad things about being housebound:
-You begin to feel sorry for yourself and get angry about the friends and family who don't call/send cards/flowers, and/or volunteer to come over to visit and/or help you.
-Boredom.
-No exercise.
-Feel like you are wasting your time.

Next time I go to the hospital I hope it is for something like a baby! I was told that gall bladder pains and surgery are very comparable, if not worse, then labor and a C-section so I guess I am all set!

BTW, I did not have stones (as ruled as inconclusive by the $700 ultra sound). Just a defective gallbladder with scar tissue that was going kaput. So, I do feel vindicated in that the right decision was made and the surgery and recovery, while hard, was the right and brave thing to do!!:-)