Amazing!

Last week was eventful. We had a new HVAC system installed at the same time as I was doing some blackberry juicing, and canning pears. On one day an evaluator came out to check on the little guy's progress with walking, and I had set a time Friday to go out and do one final big blackberry picking with Clint. With the vacuum running constantly (the little guy is still crawling) to pick up the lint, dirt, and other falling debris from the install and the other things going, I was staying fairly busy.

Well, on Wednesday as I was doing some green beans I noticed that my back was aching quite regularly. Then on Thursday, as I was peeling and water-bathing pears, it kept getting worse. It was working it's way up under my right shoulder blade and nothing, no position change, NOTHING eased the ache. By Thursday night - I was in pain. Real honest to goodness outright pain!.. From my front ribcage under my arm around to under my ribs in the back and up under my shoulder. So I put the remainder of the pears back in the box with a promise to start again 'tomorrow' and took it easy for the rest of the evening. Well,

Friday morning didn't do any better. I couldn't relieve the pain by standing up - or sitting - or laying down. SO I did what every smart person would do ~~ I called and left a detailed message on voice mail at the Doctors office wanting to know what I should do. Should I make an appointment or go to the ER. I wasn't getting any better and I couldn't continue this way for much longer. I wasn't in debilitating screaming pain - but enough I couldn't focus on anything or do anything. And I knew something was wrong - more than likely another gallbladder attack that would magically disappear as soon as I entered the medical domain ~ LOL..... Well....

An hour and a half later, still no call from the Doctor office - so I call them back again and get the magical words "I'm here all by myself and I do the best that I can. If you are in pain you should probably just go to the ER because that's where we would send you anyhow." So, WHY DIDN'T YOU RETURN MY CALL AND TELL ME THAT AN HOUR AND A HALF AGO!! So.....

Keith and little guy took me to the ER. . . it was 11:29 when I signed in. I remember that because the volunteer said it wasn't 11:30 yet so I marked through what I had put in the space and rewrote it. LOL.... They did a great job at Bay Area Hospital. I had my bloodwork done, an ultrasound, pain medication, very polite and nice nurses and aides, and they had a surgeon in talking to me by 2:00. Now, to some of you, that doesn't sound really great - but I've sat in many ER's longer than that before triage even got to me, so other than the lightening fast ER at Philomath that Keith went thru last year, this was the best visit ever - as visits to the ER go! So...

By 5 pm I was coming out of the recovery room minus a gall bladder and being put into my room for the night. Everyone was nice and pleasant. I didn't feel like I was infringing on anyones time or activities. I was checked on regularly, helped out of bed many times (the IV was running thru me LOL) and walked up and down the hall before lights out for the night.

Dr. Hamn, the surgeon came and saw me this morning, said I passed muster, things looked good, and he repaired a hernia as well as the gallbladder removal. We chatted at length about foster care. He and his wife had older guests into their home until a final child showed them that they no longer cared to continue opening their home and their lives for the potential problems that come with dealing with these abused children. If it were up to us - we'd have fixed all the issues at 1 sit-down. But, sadly, it doesn't work like that. He seems like an extremely nice man as well as a talented surgeon.

Clint came and rescued them from me about 10:30 on Saturday morning and I am glad to be home. I still have beans on the tepees, tomatoes on the vines, and a box of pears staring at me - as well as a back yard that badly needs done... but - I am following Dr.'s orders and doing nothing much for right now.

I appreciate all of the prayers and well wishes that were sent my way, I am sure they have helped immensely. It's always nice to know that there are people out there who do care... :-)

So, now, back to my chair and the remote.......