Lost and Found

Good Riddance, I say

So glad it’s out of my life and is never coming back.

Thanks to  the skillful hands of Dr. Guinn at Union Hospital here in Terre Haute and I am less one gall bladder.

Although I didn’t know it, the story of my gall bladder goes back at least two (maybe four) years. I would wake up in the middle of the night violently ill. I used to blame it on having too much dairy, but knew it was a problem when I it was happening when I didn’t even look at a cow!

 It got to the point when my old roommate, Lily would wake up with me when I was sick and start the tea kettle and made sure I had everything I needed to make this episode pass easier.

I cannot say it enough; I really love and miss you, Lily.

I went back and forth to the doctor and nothing. I never found out what was wrong with me. One told me I had acid reflux and another told me I was just really fat.

That was the one that annoyed me the most. I had just lost 40 pounds and I didn’t have to shop in the plus size section anymore!

Bitch.

After years of living in a city with world renowned hospitals, all I had to do go into a Terre Haute emergency room crying about a tummy ache and I was diagnosed in less than two hours.

Sassy, upon driving me back from the doctor that morning, had to laugh. “Some people,” she said, “leave Terre Haute for medical answers. You moved here and found them.”

That is so me. I always manage to find things where I least expect them.

My family decided to come down for two days to start my recovery off right complete with my 72 year old grandmother, Nannie, who was insisting on staying for two weeks. My mom cooked more meals than I could possibly eat, my uncle hung things on the wall that I didn’t have the tools to. And bless his heart, my super cute five year old brother managed to lift my spirits…while getting his toys and popcorn all over my apartment.

After they left (my plan to fake my speedy recovery worked and Nannie went home with the rest of the fam), I had a steady stream of Hautians in my apartment.

It started about an hour after my family left when Sassy and the kids set up camp for the night. Luke and Layla have been itching to sleep on my porch since I redid it the weekend I started actually living here (still haven’t forgiven KH, but I am a little less mad). They brought their sleeping bags and everything. It was super cute!

When I woke up the next morning, Trish (the co-worker formerly known as “the coworker known as Pat”) was in my house ready to look out for me. I wanted to watch a movie (totally fell asleep because of the drugs) and I insisted I go on a walk as I had gotten valuable Facebook advice from a high school classmate that it would be good for me.

Trish was having none of it.

Not only did she tell me no, she told Legs (Sassy’s sitter that I met once or twice before) that I couldn’t when she came to relieve her. I had to settle for watching another movie and starting a picture sorting project I had been putting off for years. Productive, but I wanted to move.

I thought for sure that I would get my way when Maddie from work came by around noon. Legs set her straight before I could work my magic only to find out Trish already let her know about my dastardly plan to live a life in motion.

Completely exhausted with my morning sitting, I took a nap for the whole afternoon (drugs are awesome) and I awaited Patty. I figured that she loves me and she does PT. She would let me go on a safe assisted walk.

Maddie got to her before I could wake up and because she does PT, Patty saw the merit in my Trish-imposed restriction.

As a consolation, she brought all of her jewelry making tools and I now I have an earring and necklace set to go with my cellulite and maybe a sundress or two. Her husband and son also came by in the evening and brought me dinner. It wasn’t until I was alone in my apartment that I realized that I had not really been alone for days and though I wasn’t sure I handled it well.

I had enough food in the fridge and flowers in every room of the house. For real. I heart flowers and am considered having something removed next week so the flowers Izzy (who now calls me Gallsie) and her boys got me don’t have a chance to die!

Kidding, of course. Recovery is no joke,

This evening Sassy and the kids took me on my first walk and I was pretty winded after a half an hour. I am officially ambulatory-ish and I can say that it has been a good recovery.

I can also say that I am glad I had everyone in my face the first few days because I know me and I would have overdone it…much like I did today while I was on my own. In my mission to rid my apartment of kernels, I found that I use my abdomen to do just about anything.

That is so me. Always finding things where I least expect them.

And now, because the doctors discovered what was wrong with me, I found out I still had family in town long after my relatives went home.