Oh. My. Lanta. (Part 1)

I do not know how to begin this epistle.  I am going to write it in parts.  This is partially because of the enormity of it.  Partially so that my readers won't be so overwhelmed by it.  Partially because I shouldn't just sit here and type.  I need to type some and then get up and walk.  Type some and then get up and walk.

I am going to start at the beginning, as any story should.  It WILL be long.  That's the only way to fully tell the tale.  So, if you want to hear it, you can read it.  If you'd rather not, well, that's fine too.  It is a story of my nightmares in many ways and one that would cause nightmares now if it weren't for my great God above.

Let me be clear from this moment on that I will be shouting His praises and glorifying Him through every high and every low.  He.  Is.  GOOD.

The beginning is really back in Dec 2009 when I had my first gallbladder (gb, as I will refer to it from here on out) attack.  Then, I found out in February that I was pregnant with  my Keaton and the gb got ignored.  I would have attacks off and on over the next year or so, but they were completely random and not dependent upon what I ate.

At the start of this year, it seemed that the attacks were increasing in frequency and this annoyed me.  Number one, I didn't want to have surgery in the tiny town in which we live.  Number two, I have 3 little ones to care for and the logistics seemed impossible.  Number 3, who wants to have surgery?!? 

I had a particularly fierce attack on April 22 which sent me to the ER prompting a visit with a surgeon the next day.  I was shocked when he said, "Let's get you in Monday and get this thing out."

I had 3 days to prepare for surgery.  I had to coordinate childcare, Mark's schedule (since he works nights), and a host of other things.  This was only the beginning of the "adventure," however.  What was supposed to be a 1-night stay after a "simple" laproscopic cholecystectomy (gb removal through 4 small holes) has turned into the nightmare which I am writing about.

Ok.  I know that that was dramatic.  Give me a break!  I've been in a hospital bed for nearly 3 weeks!  :)