The Day Has Come

This is what I will be having done tomorrow morning. It doesn't look pretty does it? I am within 13 hours of being one organ less and I am not thrilled in the least.

Well what do I say? I am praying and hoping for the best surgery possible. I am also praying that the surgeon will do a fabulous and proper job. I am then praying for a quick and painless recovery. Now I know painless isn't really possible so maybe I'll pray for the smallest amount of pain possible. Yes, that will work.

They say that this is the most routine surgery and I know my surgeon has had LOTS of practice, so that's nice. But on the other hand, he hasn't had a lot of practice on me and everyone's body is different. At least they're mostly the same.

Then I keep wondering, what does my body do after the gallbladder is gone? How does it compensate and prove functional without one? I'm sure it will figure it out, but still I wonder. I know many who have had this surgery and they turn out just fine.

I must also say goodbye to yummy foods like fish and chips, deep fried mushrooms and zucchini fries from the Mad Greek. Do you know if you eat fatty, greasy foods after your gallbladder is removed you will get the runs? So what do I choose? The runs or missing out on some of my favorites, think think think. I do not choose the runs. The nice thing is that I don't eat that kind of food very often so it shouldn't be too hard to say goodbye.

So this is it. My formal goodbye to my gallbladder. You have been great for 28 short years but you are causing me too much pain for us to be together any more. I must let you go and learn to live without you. This will not be easy but it will be worth it (I hope). I am tired of the stomach aches and pain that encompasses my mid-section after we rendezvous. I have loved our relationship up until the last few months but now you must leave me.

I must say goodbye now, goodbye.

An Answer

Thanks for the sunshine today :)

Gloom

This weather is killing me. We missed the sunshine here while we were gone. I seem to be going through vitamin D withdrawls since leaving California. I can't get warm and my hands are always like icicles. I shook someone's hand at work today and I was so embarrassed because I knew my hand was so cold!

I can't get any yard work done which isn't good because it needs some cleaning up in a bad way.
I probably won't be able to do it for a while either because I am having my gallbladder removed on Monday. That means at least another week of no green-thumbing it.

I have a test on Friday, a research project to get together in the next two weeks, I need to be a mom and wife, and last but not least it is time to get my blood drawn again.

I feel a bit down, a bit swamped, a bit tired, and a bit sick of feeling sick.

Now that I am done whining, I will again ask for some sunshine. That is the thing I need to perk me up so come on, let's see it!

...And We're Back

We got home on Sunday night but I have yet to spare a second to blog. We had a good trip and it was nice to escape for a little while. I will post more about it later (including a picture).

And We're Off...Again

Yes I know we just went to California and Disneyland in October. But...we're going again. What can you do when your in-laws who live in Maine come as close to you as California? You must go there too. It's much cheaper than going to Maine, except maybe when you add in Disneyland. But there's no Disneyland in Maine people!
So there you go.

I'm am excited as can be. There's something about the southwest coast. I am in love with it and it gets my adrenaline pumping. So for now I say adios and have a good week. I will be enjoying 90 degrees in La Quinta on Thursday.

That brothers and sisters, is my heaven.

Heartbreaking

I just found this story on my friend Courtney's blog so I thought I would check it out. I have now been sobbing for the last 30 minutes. This is one of the most incredible struggles I can imagine going through. My heart is breaking for their family and the loss of their child. My heart is breaking for the poor baby girl that had to endure such a trial. I pray that I may never have to endure such heartache and pain. I can barely see the screen through my tears as I write this, I can barely see. I wish them the best and peace and comfort, but she is in a better place now, a much better place...

I am a Wuss

So, here is my confession.
Nearly two days into my cleanse and I called it quits.

People who know me, and if I know myself, know that giving up goes against every grain in my body. I finish what I start. I make a goal and I accomplish it.

Not this my peeps, not this.
I came home from work today an absolute wreck. I am moody, tired, hungry and most of all miserable. I decided that for the sake of my health (minus the gallbladder) and my family's sanity that I needed to call it quits.

I consulted a few close family members and myself and felt that it was in my best interest to discontinue the cleanse and eat some protein.

I ate a nice Philly steak sandwich for dinner and it felt fabulous until...
about a half hour later my stomach began to ache and hurt as it did before. Man this is getting old.

I suppose by making this decision I accept the fact that surgery is in my future. But, I think it will be ok. It has to be right?

I'm Going to Hate Apples

For about the past 6 or 7 weeks I have been experiencing super-bad stomach aches after I eat. I went to the doctor 3 weeks ago and she thought I had ulcers. I went on ulcer meds for about two weeks and it didn't help one bit. Her next idea is that it's my gallbladder. Now, I was tested about three years ago for gallstones and there were none. There was some stuff in there they called "sludge" but nothing that I wanted to get my gallbladder yanked out for. I just dealt with the pain for a while and it eventually went away. Now here I am three years later, same pains, same insane discomfort (but maybe way worse). I went in for an ultrasound today and sure enough, tons of stones.

I know my doctor is going to refer me to a surgeon, but I have a confession to make...

I am TERRIFIED of surgery. I don't care if it's a microscopic incision that won't even make a mark, I don't want my body cut. Period.
Somebody could give me a million bucks to get "enhanced" (if you know what I mean) and I wouldn't do it. I think that people who go under the knife voluntarily are CRAZY! But that's another story.

So I decided to try something first, see if I can find a natural way to clear them out. I must thank my fabulous neighbors who are all-knowing in the ways of natural remedies that enlightened me with a way to do a "gallbladder cleanse".

This isn't pretty people. I started it today and I truly think I will hate apples, lemons, and olive oil when I'm done.

Here's the deal:
For 3 days you drink absolutely nothing but unfiltered apple juice and water (but mostly apple juice) and lots of it!
You can eat up to three peeled apples a day for your meals.

That's it, that's your diet for three days, and then...
The night of your third day you make a fancy little mixture of 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup olive oil. And drink it all. Yikes!

But I'm going to do it. If it means three days of sacrifice for a life free of gallstones, I'll do it and I'll do it again if I have to.

It seems that the apples and juice are supposed to soften the stones, then the olive oil mixture is supposed to flush them out.

Now I pray and wait and see. This has to work because I am NOT having surgery, I tell you I am not.

Wish me luck...

One Reason I Wanna Do What I Wanna Do

A fabulous advisor in the UVU Legal Studies department put me on to this video. This is one of the greatest things I have ever seen.

When you are spending your time keeping your mind and body creative, involving yourself in good rather than being preoccupied with the bad, you become a better person. You can't help it. If you eliminate the bad and replace it with the good, only good can happen.

This is not to say it is the only thing necessary to rehabilitate these prisoners, they need counseling, therapy and perhaps a good many years locked away from people to recover (if they ever do). However, it can be a beginning of something new and helpful that can channel their minds in a new direction. I truly believe this (or other creative arts) can help them become better people.

Here is a link to their story from ABC news. Most of it is good but there is a comment at the end by Edward Latessa that makes me fume.

Check out their other videos, especially Thriller.