The Gall Of It All- Part One

One night in September, I had some really bad pain in my belly. All night, I didn't sleep, it was very intense, and I hadn't felt it before. By morning, I was exhausted, laying on the floor in a ball, as my kids watched in horror, and I had decided that I was probably just consiptated. (TMI??) Lol!! As I am a 'regular' kinda girl, I had not experienced this before, and had Avery call my Mom for some medicine to 'clean me out', which I thought might fix me.

My Mom insisted on speaking directly to me, at which point I couldn't keep myself together anymore. I cried like a baby, barely able to breathe through the intense stomach and back pain, exhausted.

Within minutes, my sister in law was at the door. She dropped me off at emerg. and took my kids home with her.

As I sat in the waiting room, and tried to describe to my friend and nurse how the pain felt, I heard myself describe it as 'labor pains'. They came in spasms, and radiated from the back to the front of my abdomen. Something sparked in my memory at that point, and I picked up the BC health guide and looked up 'Gall bladder' in it. I don't have it with me now to directly quote, but it was eerily similar to my symptoms, including having that menacing pain in the center of my back.

The Doc. wouldn't give me anything for pain until he knew what was wrong. Smart guy, but believe me, that good choice really cost me. :)  I have a pretty high pain tolerance, and basically tried to stay quiet as much as possible, choosing to focus on getting through it. I was diagnosed first with what amounts to be acid indigestion, and given a concoction called a 'pink lady'. Likely Pepto with some medicinal garnishes.

It didn't help.

After a couple of more hours, in which time I continued to repeat the words 'gall bladder', they did bloodwork and didn't 'see anything'. They asked me to rate my pain from a 1-10, 10 being the worst. I gave it a 7-8, depending on the moment. That's truly high for me.

I remember the doc approaching me at one point and just looking at me. Then he said. "You're in pain?" I nodded. (duh, that's what I kept telling him). He nodded. "Yes, I can see you're in pain."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME SHERLOCK HOLMES??? Did they think I was there for a holiday!!!! ACK!!

Anyway.... I was finally given some morphine and sent with my Mom to Prince George to be given a MRI with contrast dye. The waiver I had to sign for that was quite terrifying. I can't remember the number, but I think it said something to the effect of  'Less than 1 in 20,000 die from a reaction to the dye.' Gulp. I almost couldn't sign it. Crazy, I know- I drive a car, cross the street, camp with people who have guns. This is not a huge statitstic, but I really did NOT want to be the ONE.  I prayed and signed.

I later found out that they could have found the same diagnoses with an ultrasound, which they had to do later to 'confirm' anyway. If I would have known, I certainly would have fought for that first.

So we went to P.G., where they were very efficient. I was in and out and saw a doctor all in about a half an hour. And it was.. drumroll please.... Gallstones in an inflamed Gallbladder!!  They gave me pain meds for the night, and referred me to a surgeon who we met with the next morning.

He said at my age, and  with the appearance of what was going on, he would put me on the list to just take the gallbladder out. Six months to a year waiting time, in which time it was possible to control these attacks with diet.

I wasn't given any instructions on the diet, though, but I guess this is the age of Google, right?

Okay, so then we came home to wait.

This concludespart one. :)  Stay tuned for the surgery story, and maybe, (If I'm brave) a picture of my not so toned tummy!! Lol!!