Argh...thar jumpin' ship

This past week, I found out that yet another non-essential organ was jumping ship. In my opinion, my appendix and my gall bladder, really should have stayed on board and gone down with the whole ship...like everyone else.

I had my gall bladder removed yesterday. I arrived at the hospital with Song Min around 6:20 in the morning. I was whisked away where I was given a fancy new outfit, complete with tie-on gown, robe, hat and slippers. Song Min gave me a hug and kiss, and off I went to surgery. I should preface this by saying that I always thought that when a person is taken into surgery, they are wheeled in on a gurney...I mean, that's what they ALWAYS do on Grey's Anatomy and E.R. Nope, they had me walk into the room and hop onto the bed myself, (which I hate to say, looked more like the sort of bed that they use for lethal injection).

Anyway, I reluctantly laid myself on the bed, arms strapped out. At one point, I had two people putting braces on each leg, one lady putting an I.V. in my hand, another lady putting electrodes onto my chest, and the anesthesiologist over my face telling me stuff that wasn't computing. Tears started as another nurse put the mask over my face, and at that point, my good friend...no my BEST friend at that moment (the anesthesiologist) gave me a sedative and I blacked out.

Next thing I know, I'm in recovery. My gall bladder...gone. My right hand pasted to my pained right side, my mouth so dry that my tongue almost became jerky, and absolutely no control over my emotions. Amazingly enough, I left the hospital by 10:30 and was delivered by my husband to my mother, who was waiting for me with a hug and a big huge bowl of red Jell-o (which is thought to have medicinal properties by my mother and grandmother).

I spent the rest of the afternoon with my mom and grandma. My mom pushed the fluids into me and kept me walking around the house raceway track (the living room, dining room, kitchen, and hallway...back to the living room). Turns out that "pushing the fluids" after surgery isn't a good move. Apparently, anesthesia slows down digestion so much that too much fluid too quickly turns into a scene from Yellowstone. Thar she blows! So started the "sipping of the fluids!" My grandma told me stories and kept me company until I fell asleep.

Grandma whipped up my favorite comfort food, mashed potatoes. MMMMmmm. Song Min came by for dinner and spent a couple of hours with me before he needed to head off to work. The rest of the night, I slept and watched t.v. with dear old mom and dad.

All in all, the whole surgical experience was a whirlwind, leaving me less an organ and plus four little scars. Thankfully, I have a loving husband who waited for me throughout the surgery. I have a very caring grandmother who is always willing to tell me stories and make me mashed potatoes (even when it's warm and humid). A very cool dad, who keeps me laughing and gives me his recliner (one of the few comfortable chairs in the house). And a dear kind mom, who knows just how to make recovering from surgery not so bad! Thanks family!