There goes the gallbladder! Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Jul 10, 2014

Just 46 days after RNY Gastric Bypass, I found myself walking into an emergency room at 4:00 a.m.  I was very afraid. I had been having pains that went from my shoulder to my waist on the right side of my body. When I took a deep breath or exerted myself I REALLY felt the pain. Someone on a Facebook message board responded to my question about it and said they had once felt that same pain and it turned out to be a blood clot. I don't think I ever dressed and drove myself so fast to an ER. I was very afraid. I was also feeling shortness of breath and thinking there was a blood clot, I was trying very hard not to hyperventilate during that drive. The emergency room personnel took very good care of me. I was given a CAT scan, which wanted to make me dance because I easily fit into that machine with room to spare (NSV!). I was then given an ultrasound, which discovered quite a few gallstones, sludge, and a cyst on my right kidney. I was given blood tests for which I still do not know the results.

After a while, I was given a room on the 6th floor of the hospital with the plan that I would have my gallbladder surgically removed the next day by 12:00 noon. Well, that time came and went. It was not until after 6:00 p.m. that I was wheeled down to the operating room. After that it was smooth sailing. Before I knew it I was in recovery and the lady was telling me my oxygen level was too low to move me. I just started concentrating on breathing better and soon enough I was being wheeled back up to the 6th floor to recover. I was released the afternoon after that surgery. No pain.

The surgeon used the holes from my laproscopic RNY to remove the gallbladder, which I found awesome.

I am doing great. I did know that losing my gallbladder was in my future. I just did not expect it to happen so soon. 46 days!

While in the hospital. I was not given any of my prescription medications (thyroid or cholesterol) or any of my vitamins. That had me a little worried. This hospital also did not carry shampoo for the shower. Our hospital is very out of date and has a very bad reputation around town. The staff was wonderful though. I do believe they need more doctors because my surgeon seemed to be pulled in every different direction during the day and night. I was beginning to wonder if there were any other capable surgeon's in the town besides this guy. oh! The staff was completely clueless about gastric bypass patients, including the dietary department who brought me Italian Ice loaded with sugar after I explained I needed sugar free foods only. I helped educate a few people there but I do believe that in this day and age, they could use some training of their own from the hospital.

Anyway, I am home and feeling just fine. When I looked at the scale last night I noticed I had lost close to 6 pounds. Amazing!

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