So, as most of you know, I had to have my gallbladder removed on Friday 11/12 - just about 6 weeks after having delivered Eleanor by C/S. I had been having horrible right sided rib cage pain off and on since delivery and honestly thought it was just (pardon the expression) gas bubbles. The pain would resolve fairly quickly each time it came on, so I didn't think it was anything more serious. But then, on Thursday 11/11 I had to have Cory take me to the ER b/c the pain had become so bad I was having a hard time coping.
I was diagnosed with gall stones right away and learned some valuable information...apparently something like 20% of women in their immediate post partum period develop gall bladder issues leading to surgery. That made me feel a bit better since I have never had cholesterol or gall bladder issues in my life. Surgery went well on Friday - only 4 little scars from being able to do it laproscopically.
But then, instead of getting better, things stayed about the same - horrible pain in the same location. My labs were checked and sure enough there were some elevated enzyme levels that they were concerned about. Since these enzymes can become elevated from inflammation - they had me on an ice only diet for a little over 48hrs to give my system a chance to recover on it's own. However, nothing improved and believe it or not I began to look a little jaundiced :(
We met with another physician who decided that I needed to have an endoscopy performed to see if a stone was left behind. So, on Monday of this past week, I went back to the OR for the procedure. No stone was found but they did find that the opening of a duct was totally swollen closed and that is what was causing the pain & elevated labs. It was an easy fix for the surgeon and I quickly started feeling better!
Cory and I are both so thankful to our family and friends who came over to help with the kids, provided Cory with support and who visited me to help keep my morale up. As hard as it was for me to go through the physical pain of this ordeal, I know it was equally painful for Cory. I will forever be grateful to those of you who helped to lighten his load.
I'm doing great with my recovery - still sore but able to resume all my duties of a mommy of 2 under 2 :)
I was diagnosed with gall stones right away and learned some valuable information...apparently something like 20% of women in their immediate post partum period develop gall bladder issues leading to surgery. That made me feel a bit better since I have never had cholesterol or gall bladder issues in my life. Surgery went well on Friday - only 4 little scars from being able to do it laproscopically.
But then, instead of getting better, things stayed about the same - horrible pain in the same location. My labs were checked and sure enough there were some elevated enzyme levels that they were concerned about. Since these enzymes can become elevated from inflammation - they had me on an ice only diet for a little over 48hrs to give my system a chance to recover on it's own. However, nothing improved and believe it or not I began to look a little jaundiced :(
We met with another physician who decided that I needed to have an endoscopy performed to see if a stone was left behind. So, on Monday of this past week, I went back to the OR for the procedure. No stone was found but they did find that the opening of a duct was totally swollen closed and that is what was causing the pain & elevated labs. It was an easy fix for the surgeon and I quickly started feeling better!
Cory and I are both so thankful to our family and friends who came over to help with the kids, provided Cory with support and who visited me to help keep my morale up. As hard as it was for me to go through the physical pain of this ordeal, I know it was equally painful for Cory. I will forever be grateful to those of you who helped to lighten his load.
I'm doing great with my recovery - still sore but able to resume all my duties of a mommy of 2 under 2 :)
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