Yay For Surgery!!!

In January I posted about meeting my new doctor. The post is called What's Up Doc?
Anyway, I wrote about pain in my side that I attributed to my gallbladder. My TSH and everything else was fine, but after the doc ordered an ultrasound and we waited for that to come back we discovered that it needed to come out. All was well when my civilian doc told me that he was sending me to the civilian hospital for my surgery. BUT two weeks later I received notice from my insurance that I did, in fact, have to go to the Army hospital on post for the procedure. I was so mad. I've have three surgeries at military facilities and they just don't stack up against the civilian hospitals. Either way, that is the hand I was dealt for this procedure as well.

So, I get a call from the hospital and they scheduled me for my consult for my surgery.....A MONTH AWAY!! I couldn't believe I was going to have to deal with the pain for another whole month. Did they give me any pain killers to tide me over till then? Nope. Did the offer suggestions for pain management? Nope. Just deal with it till then. So for the past month I have lived on Aleve and a shot of Jim Beam mixed in a Diet Coke just before bedtime so I could at least sleep through some of the discomfort. Let me clarify, the pain is not gut wrenching. It's more like a constant pressure on your ribs and aching in your back ALL THE TIME!!! I compared it often to my husband to that of being 9 months pregnant with a foot stuck in your ribs all the time.

Finally the time is here!!! I went to my consult Monday and explained to the doctor that he needed to "get this damn thing outta me TODAY!!!" Miraculously he asked if Friday would work. I was floored, but I couldn't be happier. Having surgery at this hospital is like having a job though. Here's been my week: Monday - consult, Tuesday - paperwork, Wednesday, pre-op appt., Thursday - call Same Day Surgery to find out what time to be there, Friday - D-Day!!! Needless to say, it's been a crazy week. Nevermind the fact that today I also have a doctor's appt. for my son and two parent-teacher conferences to go to. I don't care though cause tomorrow I will be in Lala Land for at least 8 hours. My mom asked what I had to be excited about aside from the relief from the constant pain. I very plainly explained to her that I like having surgery because it gives me a valid excuse to do very strong drugs with permission from a doctor. YAYYYYYY!!!! I'm not a pill head, people. I haven't done drugs (oh lord, this sounds bad) in over ten years. When I say drugs, I mean the experimental stuff that many, many people do in college and the like. Anyway, I gotta go get my kid for his appt, but everyone all at once yell, "YAY FOR DRUGS....I mean SURGERY!!!"