And definitely handled much better because of the rock Al-Anon and my HP are in my life.

Basics: Hospitalized for 8 days (barely remember 4 of them) with Gallstone Pancreatitis, poked by everyone, arms black and blue, home with incredible physical weakness I'd not experienced before, sent home to let the inflammation subside before they could/would remove the gallbladder, returned to bus driving after spring break, caught the latest cold my kids were passing around (oh yay) and finally, two days ago and about a month after hospital release, the gallbladder removal surgery.

So now I am recovering at home, surgery went as well as could be expected I think, because I was in at 8 am and home before the noon whistle blew!

People asking me beforehand if I was nervous about the surgery - answer, no! How could I be nervous? God put me in that specific doctor's hands, I was where I was supposed to be, and, if it was my time to go then worrying wouldn't do anything but make things worse than they had to be. Morning of the surgery I was happy - happy? yes, happy - was finally going to take the step that I'd been waiting for, not one to like being stuck in limbo, afraid that I would eat something that released another gallstone and put me back in "that" pain again. I was happy to be getting it done. I joked with the doctor, told him someone had said it was good that I was first surgery on a Monday morning, and I had replied that it was good as long as the doctor wasn't hungover! He chuckled and I was told that was one of the first things he laughingly said to my waiting family - "everything went good and I'm not hungover!" I joked with the nurse, he asked if there were any other questions and I asked "where is Jimmy Hoffa buried?" his reply - under Tammy Faye Baker's makeup! FIRST time someone has had an answer - usually they just look at me with a weird smile! I love people who can pick up a joke and fire it back at me!

I joked about waking up and looking at my diminished right hand and screaming - augh, what did you do to my hand!!!! My brother asked the nurse if they would be bringing me back up to the same room we were in and I said without thinking, "yeah unless I die!" (and boy did I giggle madly at that! - daughter said, that wasn't funny, so I asked, then why you laughing?) It was a happy morning, how weird eh?

I love living in a life where I can so freely accept the things I cannot change - while I could have backed out of the surgery with the doctor if I'd gotten the vibe to do so, I had good confidence in him, and everything else wasn't in my control. I had great nurses in the hospital, everyone I came in contact with was positive and upbeat - maybe that's partly because that is the attitude I put out there - when I give out positivity, that's what I usually get back.

So, I'm happy now (but incision spots are sore, no stitches or staples, they used some kind of tape/glue to close them) - nay-sayers try to fill me with dread with their stories of how things are still bad in their digestions because of the surgery but I'll cross that bridge when it comes - if something doesn't digest well for me I'll not eat it, right? This low fat/fat restricted diet I've been on has accomplished one thing for me I wanted - gotten me started down the weight loss road again. This summer marks five years since my divorce from the ex-ah maniac who drove me here - my five year plan was to end with losing the weight that living under stress caused me to gain after I'd put the rest of Humpty back together again and I'm right on schedule now! (though gallstone pancreatitis is not the preferred way to start a diet!)

Cheers fellow travelers!