has it really been that long since i last updated my blog? i can't believe it has been a month and a half since i have blogged, but i have a good excuse. things have been a little crazy around here. we have been up to the usual stuff and our summer has been winding down, but my main reason for not posting is that i went away for a luxurious 5 day stay at northwest hospital...ok... not so luxurious (although it is pretty nice as far as hospitals go.)
it all started back in august about the 18th or so of august. my whole body started itching. at first i thought maybe i ate something i was allergic to or used a different soap, but i couldn't think of anything different. then i thought maybe it was all in my head and i was just imagining it. finally i couldn't take it anymore and after 2 or 3 days i made an appointment with my doctor. i went in and saw the nurse practitioner and she was thinking the same thing, an allergic reaction. but thankfully she decided to draw some blood and run some tests and sent me home with a prescription for claritin for the itching. then the following week the nurse called with my test results and when i called back, the nurse said, "let me get your file because there is a lot of stuff wrong." WHAT? seriously, what else could go wrong with me? apparently my liver functions came back very high. i went in for more blood work and to get an ultrasound. the ultrasound showed that i had gallstones. i have had mild stomach aches for at least the past year, but they were never bad enough to make me go to the doctor. the scary thing is that my dad died of gallbladder cancer. needless to say, i was pretty sure they were going to end up taking my gallbladder out.
to make a long story even longer...i had a follow-up appointment with my doctor the next week but by the weekend the itching was really getting to me and my stomach started to hurt really bad so we went to the emergency room. they ended up admitting me to the hospital and did a bunch of tests to see what exactly the problem was. some of the gallstones traveled in to my bile duct and pancreas and i had pancreatitis. so before they could remove my gallbladder they had to put me out, go down my throat through my stomach and get out the gallstones. they removed at least 14 gallstones, which is apparently alot, and one was so big it got stuck and they had to cut it out. then the next day they removed my gallbladder. the surgeon said that there were "hundreds" of gallstones. after about two weeks of recovery i am feeling almost back to normal. i am still a little sore but the itching has gone away and so have the stomach aches. again, thank you to everyone who helped with our kids and bringing us dinner. i don't think we could endure our trials without the help of others. hopefully i won't have anymore major health issues anytime soon...that's what i said last time, right?
it all started back in august about the 18th or so of august. my whole body started itching. at first i thought maybe i ate something i was allergic to or used a different soap, but i couldn't think of anything different. then i thought maybe it was all in my head and i was just imagining it. finally i couldn't take it anymore and after 2 or 3 days i made an appointment with my doctor. i went in and saw the nurse practitioner and she was thinking the same thing, an allergic reaction. but thankfully she decided to draw some blood and run some tests and sent me home with a prescription for claritin for the itching. then the following week the nurse called with my test results and when i called back, the nurse said, "let me get your file because there is a lot of stuff wrong." WHAT? seriously, what else could go wrong with me? apparently my liver functions came back very high. i went in for more blood work and to get an ultrasound. the ultrasound showed that i had gallstones. i have had mild stomach aches for at least the past year, but they were never bad enough to make me go to the doctor. the scary thing is that my dad died of gallbladder cancer. needless to say, i was pretty sure they were going to end up taking my gallbladder out.
to make a long story even longer...i had a follow-up appointment with my doctor the next week but by the weekend the itching was really getting to me and my stomach started to hurt really bad so we went to the emergency room. they ended up admitting me to the hospital and did a bunch of tests to see what exactly the problem was. some of the gallstones traveled in to my bile duct and pancreas and i had pancreatitis. so before they could remove my gallbladder they had to put me out, go down my throat through my stomach and get out the gallstones. they removed at least 14 gallstones, which is apparently alot, and one was so big it got stuck and they had to cut it out. then the next day they removed my gallbladder. the surgeon said that there were "hundreds" of gallstones. after about two weeks of recovery i am feeling almost back to normal. i am still a little sore but the itching has gone away and so have the stomach aches. again, thank you to everyone who helped with our kids and bringing us dinner. i don't think we could endure our trials without the help of others. hopefully i won't have anymore major health issues anytime soon...that's what i said last time, right?
