the verdict from the pcp: surgery

Remember that I was awaiting a phone consultation about my inguinal hernia with my new PCP? 

She called while I was at the hospital with Christina and family for the birth of Chelsea's little girl.

I took the call, of course, stepping into the bathroom for privacy.

The call lasted all of 11 minutes.

I tried to impress upon RN Tiffiny Duchene the need for surgery sooner rather than later.

I tried to impress upon RN Tiffiny Duchene that I had already discussed the CT Scan results with Dr. Oberle there at the Savannah VA Center.

I tried to impress upon RN Tiffiny Duchene the fear that I have of all this acetaminophen doing damage to my liver.

I tried to impress upon RN Tiffiny Duchene that I have already been experiencing pain since mid-August, when the hernia must have occurred.

She tried to reassure me that she was there for me, that the Community Care request for the surgery to be done in Savannah had been approved, that my liver would be okay as long as I didn't exceed 3000 mg per day of  acetaminophen.

The upshot is this: I continue to wait, in pain, living for the better days.

Please, let this not drag on into 2026.

news from Michigan

As I mentioned before, the ex is going to have to get his gallbladder evicted in the near future. I had requested to be kept in the loop and he's been doing a great job of that, I'm pleased to say.
The following are our "talks" (textings) for the past few days about the topic, as well as ramblings about others.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Thursday, January 2, about 1:30 until 2 in the afternoon:

ex: Chemical stress test set for two days next week. Back on the high blood pressure medication, too.
me: My my. You have a busy schedule. Wish it was for better things.
ex: At least there are generic versions of the medication now, 4 bucks a month, not $70.
me: Def a better deal! Which one is it? What about cholesterol meds?
ex: Lopressor. That and baby aspirin. That's all he gave me.
me: Thats good. Those are the only ones you take these days? i guess your blood work has greatly imporved. That is good.
ex: Um...this is the first time I've seen a cardiologist, or any kind of doctor, since I left Savannah. My life has been pill free. maybe not smart, but it is what it is.
me: THAT is what I thought. Playing with fire. Seriously. At least you DID go to the doctor now. You must have been really hurting.
ex: This is all fallout from the pancreatitis. The GI specialist wanted me to get a stress test, given my background, before the cholecystectomy.
me: I realize that. I just looked up that word - i hadn't remembered the gallbladder removal having such an odd name.
ex: It IS weird, isn't it?
me: Yeah. sounds super scary. Not that nay surgery isn't scary.
ex: Yeah, I'm not looking forward to it.
me: Great website is www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus - great data.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Thursday, 9 Jan (about 1 pm)

ex: My first stress test today. Injected with radioactive dye, told to go out and get a greasy burger and fries and then come back to go into an MRI. Doing it again Monday.
me: What a dream come true: the doc sanctioning that meal! lol.
ex: It actually made me angry and confused. "This is the shit you have been trying to get me off of." I've been eating whole wheat toast, yogurt, and hard boiled eggs for a month.
me: I would have thought they would say more vegetables.
ex: That too. Broccoli primarily.
me: Well, keep me posted, please.


*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Friday, 10 Jan (starting about 9:25 AM, going about 40 minutes)

me: Did you know that pimiento is a type of red bell pepper?
ex: That makes sense. Pimenton, a kind of smoked paprika, is quite peppery.
me: And the same bacteria that makes penicillin also makes bleu cheese?
ex: Funny then I'm not alllergic to blue chees. If I was, just kill me.
me: Things I learn on Cash Cab. :)
ex: G_d damn it I miss that show. I used to hang out at a bar at happy hour that used to watch that show.
me: I try to make sure I am up at nine AM so i can watch with my coffee. Did the fatty meal upset your gallbladder?
ex: I weren't right that day. I'm not sure why. That burger didn't agree with me but it wasn't a gallbladder episode. I felt a vein in my head throbbing for a while off and on but I doubt it was the burger and felt more like it could have been that radioactive dye.
me: Could have been. Did you call the doc to report it?
ex: I didn't really notice it until after hours.
me: Well, it is good to let them know so they can keep a record of it. You know, when I was having the gallbladder issue, a meal like tat would have had me up at two AM throwing up and diarrhea. Remember?
ex: All I remember from the later years is broccoli slaw as sir fry :-)
me: I am talking about the Buddy's pizza incidents when we visited your mom.
ex: This was before you had it out? I have to admit, all I remember is being with you in the hospital post surgery.
me: Well you do sleep like the dead so i guess my repeated trips to the bathroom didn't wake you.
ex: You may be right.
me: Like Billy Joel says.
ex: I thought about singing that!
me: :-)


*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Monday, 13 Jan (just before 3 pm)

ex: hello dear. I just got back from the dctor's office an hour ago. The doctor will discuss the test results with me in about a week, the technician said.
me: Wow. The bad thing about working with specialists is all of the wait time involved. How are you feeling?
ex: I feel fine. Remember, this is just a precaution that the GO doctor thought might be prudent before going after the gallbladder. It wasn't brought about by any pain I was feeling.
me: I was thinking more about gallbladder pain. :-)
ex: No more flare ups. I wonder if I should go this alone and say f*k the surgery.
me: NO. You need to know what your body is doing. Seriously. Please.


*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Tuesday afternoon (14 Jan, from about 3:30 to 4:15 pm)

me: Knock knock.
ex: Who's there?
me: Irish stew.
ex: Irish stew who?
me: Irish stew in the name of the law!
ex: You have to sound it out and think about it for a second but it's good!
me: I thought so too! I heard it in a Jacki Chan movie today and had to rush and write it down.
ex: It makes me think of Sean Connery as Malone in The Untouchables.
me: The movei was The Spy Next Door. Guess you could stretch that into a link with Sean!
ex: No shit. Which one? One of his older ones or one of his newer ones?
me: It must be old. It was on the tv guide channel this morning.
ex: I don't know that one.
me: It was very funny and brought to mind Adventures in Babysitting.
ex: Or was it on TV quickly becasue it was awful. IMDB, Rotten Totatoes, and metacritic all agree that this was a real stinker. Was it straight to video, I wonder?
me: That i do not know. Lots of kid time in it.
ex: I'm seeing the term "family film" attached to this. Not much of Jackie's famous chop socky?
me: Oh yeah! He is the spy who is newly dating a woman with three kids.
ex: I see also that the two biggest stars besides him are Billy Ray Cyrus and George Lopez. Nnnnnnnnn.
me: Oh! That's who that was! Billy was Jackie's sidekick spy. Looked like he was wearing a bad wig.
ex: He's always looked like he was wearing a bad wig. :-) I should talk. I was rocking the "Billy Ray with a perm" look for our wedding.
me: :-)
ex: I don't recall that you went with me to Claxton for that itty bitty circus. Who took the picture of me on their elephant? Did I have a camera at one point that I would have given to somebody to use?
me: That was me. I was there too!
ex: Because I remember that that was in the early evening of a weekday. Unless I'm wrong.
me: Not sure about the time of day. But i recall you riding down the street on that elephant. :-)
ex: I wasn't about to get myself into another situation like the one with Ringling Brothers. :-P
ex: Are you sure? I;m thinking that the only reason I consented to ride another elephant was because it was only going to be a few dozen feet from where I started to the tent.
me: Well... I may be confusing the two times.
ex: Ringling Brothers was early morning, up Louisville Road. You actually wrote a caption on the picture with the name of the other circus. Wow, I'm confused on how all of this could have come about.
me: Beats me. Maybe someone at the station took the pic.
ex: We may never know.
me: 4 realz. :-)


Well, enough of this for now!
One of the nice things about texting is this: I can look back at the conversations, mush like reading a letter, remember things I might have missed in the frenzy of response.
However, my phone only allows so much storage of old texts and saved voice messages and memorable photos. And I have found, in the past, that if I don't take care of deleting some things, my phone will arbitrarily clear out a block to make way for new stuff. Or I will hit a wrong key and lose some important items. Yikes! That's how I lost three text messages I had been saving from Sam.
Perhaps that is my reason for leaving these scribblings in the sand...
Thank you, my dear beach.

bad gallbladder! BAD!

The conversation had begun on the 16th, late at night. As is usual for him, he broke the topic with a cryptic text: "They gave you your gallstones after the surgery, right?"
Apropos of nothing, out of the blue, no precursor.
So, I texted back that I thought they did, what's up? Eventually, I tired of texting and made sure he knew he could call if he wanted to talk.
So, he did.
And we talked for over an hour, until the clock had gone into the hours of the next day.
He had been having intestinal problems. They thought initially that it was pancreatitis, but eventually ruled that out. Now, they were thinking gallbladder. Testing had confirmed that his bile storage unit, aka gallbladder, was full of gallstones and no longer functional.
Not a big deal, I had assured him. The surgery was laparoscopic, so there would be a few small scars and some extra gas for a while, but moving around would not be an issue. The bigger problem, I had told him, would be recovery from the anesthesia. Especially as we age, that recovery time lengthens into ridiculous spans and includes no decision making for up to a week.
He hadn't recalled that recovery from going under had been an issue for him when he had the four stents placed into his heart (two in February 2004, two more in February 2007). I told him that perhaps he had not, but that he should expect to now as he was now older.
I don't think he cared for that, but, as he would say, "there it is".
He was mostly bummed out that he would not be making his usual drive south to visit his daughters during the holidays. His consultation with the gastrointestinal surgeon was slated for the day after Christmas. So, he could drive down, but would miss seeing the girls on Christmas Day as that day would be needed for the return drive.
Also, I don't know that he would have been physically able to perform that 17-hour drive in his current condition.
I don't think he wanted to admit that aloud, true or not.
So, in Michigan he would remain this December.
His 49-for-the-first-time birthday was last Friday, the 20th. I sent him a text, knowing he would be at work and not answering his phone. I then sent a few reminders to folks about his birthday and then hooked up with my first niece and her family for a last night with their three foster children.

Last Sunday, I was awakended at 5:30 AM with diarrhea.
I rushed to the bathroom, barely making it in time. Afterward, I got back in bed and had just snuggled into the warmth when I had to rush out of bed again. And again.
Continuously.
Then, at 8:00 AM, my body added vomiting to the repertoire.
Thank God for the little plastic trashcan by the toilet.
After that, it was repeat, repeat, repeat.
I have no idea where my body was still getting the stuff it was spewing out of me.
All I could think was: I haven't been this ill since my gallbladder went bad six years ago.
Same symptoms, same nasty results.
Was this what he had been going through, too? Most likely. Given the fatty foods he loads into his diet, I was sure his body had been as violently rejective of input as mine was being.

The physicist texted me later on Sunday night.
bfe: Yo! You be going to Odd Lot tomorrow?
me: I certainly plan to do so. Have been crazy sick today.
bfe: That's not good. if your nose is running I hope you catch it! ha ha.
me: Thank you. My nose is fine. It is my stomach and digestive tract that have had me running to the toilet since 5 AM. Hope it is just 24 hour. Going to try to sleep again.
bfe: I'll check with you tomorrow to see how you are feeling. Get some good sleep and rest Faustina. Have pleasant dreams and feel better.

On the 23rd (i.e., the next afternoon), he did check back in;
bfe: Hey, Faustina, how ya feeling? I know how much it sucks to be sick.
me: Better. Mostly been sleeping a lot. Had some chicken soup and it stayed so that is good. :) That was five hours ago. Making some pasta now.
bfe: Sounds like you might have had a bought with da flu. :( It both is good and it sucks to get sick on your own time.
me: Possible but i may also have overloaded my system on fat at a Christmas party Saturday night.
bfe: Ever since I texted you yesterday my nose has been running. And I have been sneezy. Did I catch something from texting you yesterday?
me: My NOSE is fine. :) I just need to be more mindful of beef and chocolate and such.
bfe: Oh, that's not good for you at all. I'll look on eBay and see if we can find you a gently used gall bladder.
me: I am still not sure about Odd Lot tonight. Are you going?
bfe: I was thinking of going but I am going to pass. A cursory search on ebay has not turned anything up so far.
me: Drats. I think the sale of body parts is discouraged. At least in this country.
bfe: Marilyn Monroe had gall bladder surgery.
me: Really? i wonder how old she was. I was 49 when i had my gall bladder evicted.
bfe: She was 34 years old when her gall bladder was removed. Joe DiMagio was standing by.
me: That was sweet. Sorry to hear about your nose. :(
bfe: It's ok... More annoying than anything else.

Odd. I hadn't mentioned my symptoms as being those of a gallbladder in distress, but the topic had risen of its own accord. From flu to gallbladder distress in one fell swoop. Oh, and some Marilyn thrown in, too, as we must remember at all times about the thirteen-year-old boy.
(Smile.)
So, back to the topic at hand: the ex's dilemma.
Today, the day of his GI surgical consult, I waited for his result. I didn't want to text him, partly because I had no idea what time he was to see the doctor. Better to wait for his call or text.
Finally, at 5:45 this afternoon, word came.
ex: Cardiac stress echo scheduled for January 2nd. Wants to make sure there are no surprises, given my medical history.
me: What about the gallbladder surgery? When is it scheduled?
ex: One thing at a time.
me: Well, at least it will be after the new year. What kinds of tests are to be done?
ex: Stress echo, just like I used to have at Hardigan's office.
me: Have you talked to Auntie about all this?
ex: Thursday, I think. Her card played that hamster song you used to adore! And thank you for the tree, honey.
me: You are very welcome. And don't use energy worrying about the cardiac test this next week.
ex: I'm not worried about that. Stress echo? I can do that in my sleep.

He probably can. He's had lots of practice these past ten years.
I hope all will go well.
I really do.

feeling taller

No more pap smears! Woohoo! The doc looked under the hood today and declared me good to go! Whew!
Very good to know. On January 2nd, I had a sneezing marathon and pulled an abdominal muscle. I was in SUCH pain. It was bad. I was popping 800 mg ibuprofens like they were manna from heaven. I limited myself to no more than two a day, but sometimes, a third one would sound like a really good idea. The pain went on for a week and then, one fine day, I woke up and the worst of the pain was gone. I still had an ache, but at least I didn't feel crippled by the monster.
I had wondered if I should return to the doc, have him check around and make sure all was well. After all, the day of the sneezing fit was just shy of three weeks post-surgery. But I told myself that if my bowels still worked as they should, then I had pulled a muscle, not anything more serious, so going to the doc wouldn't help. If the bowels were NOT working, then I would have to go and see what I had damaged by my full-body sneezes. And my bowels DID work, so I kept to an ibuprofen regimen until all was much better.
I did mention all of that to the doc today and he listened and seemed to indicate that I had done the right thing. And all checked out just fine - I'm "all healed up!" he said! I just have to remember to "go slow and easy" for a while, listen to my body, let it tell me when I've pushed too hard.
I can do that. Hey, did I tell you I feel taller? I do!

so, i sez to the doc

Dearest Mama,
A week ago Wednesday, the railroad ties were removed from my traintrack. No one had said anything to me about any anesthesia and the procedure was to be done in the doctor's office. As a preemptive measure, I took an 800 mg ibuprofen, just to dull the edges of any forthcoming pain.
As I was lying on the table, the doc told me the staples were definitely ready to be taken off. My body was hard at work rejecting them, pushing with all the strength the surrounding cells could muster. I told him I was regarding the site as my personal Polar Express traintrack. He paused and looked at me and said he had never heard anyone refer to it as that, but he liked it because that story was one of his family's favorites. I told him it had been one of yours as well.
So, he starts removing hardware. And removes more, moving from one side of me to the other to get a better grip on some of them. I ask what will be done with the staples and he asks if I would like them. After the briefest pause, during which I wondered if he might think me mad, I replied "sure!" Then I mentioned that I had some nephews who might get a kick out of them, but really, truly... I wanted them for ME. I wanted to be able to hold them and count them and examine them, these bits of metal which had been protecting the sutured site beneath.
Eventually, the doc tells me that the last few might hurt a little. He was impressed that I had taken measures beforehand to minimize any pain. Then he set to work, freeing those just above the pubes. Sure enough, that DID hurt, but not overly so. When he asked me if I was okay with the pain, I told him the truth: it really wasn't that much different from plucking hairs from my chin. He looked at me to see if perhaps I was joking, saw that I wasn't, and told me he had never had a patient tell him that before, either. I thought it a good comparison to liken the staple removal to facial hair maintenance. It certainly made the whole procedure more tolerable and put it into the proper perspective. You know?
All in all, not a bad experience. I think this gyn doc (David Byck, who is also Susan's gyn) has a different impression of me now and I hope he might share it with his wife, who just happens to be MY general doc. She'll get a kick out of my revelations!
That's all for now. I just wanted to share that story with you before it dimmed from memory. I know how you always loved my stories!
miss you still and love you always

postscript: In case you wondered, there were fifty-seven bird-shaped staples removed. Those silver birds are now safely caged for display!

trains, 3

My latest tattoo, courtesy of Byck & Gilbert. It's a rather expensive piece, so I don't recommend it as fluff art, but rather to commemorate a momentous occasion. I'm calling it my Polar Express train track, in memory of Mama and in honor of the season. WooOOOoo HooOOOOOOooo!


The photographs show the tattoo as the two-part session rendered it. First, with the fifty-seven silver staples serving as the ties on the track. Second, with the ties removed, allowing a softening effect. Pretty stunning!

trains, 2

Dec 10, Friday, I posted on fb: Done!!! All the Final Exams are graded, all the grades are submitted, I've even already done my syllabi for next term... whew!
Bunny, Fae, Sue (CA), Sue (ONT), and Patrick LIKED it
Hema: over achiever!
me: Not really. I have a hysterectomy scheduled for 7 am on Monday, giving me exactly 4 weeks to recover before Spring begins. WHAT was I thinking???
Hema: Oh... Good Luck! Sometimes girls have to go through this hys... stuff
Sandra: you go girl...

Dec 10, Sue (ONT) wrote to me on fb: Good Luck with the surgery ok. Love you xo. Had mine evicted on Jan 2 2007. I was so happy mine gone, for me no more pain xo. Saying prayers. xo
Dec 12, I replied: Thank you, dear! I had a "freak-out!!!" moment yesterday, but good so far today! ♥ Oh, got your package yet?
Dec 17, I replied: I now have a lovely rack of staples from my navel to my pubes, but they should be gone by the end of next week. My Aunt Linda came up from Tallahassee to stay with me and hold my hand, but she'll be leaving on Saturday for Atlanta. She has been SUCH a blessing!

Dec 12, Sunday, I posted on fb: GoLYTELY into this good day... oh, joy!

Dec 12, Sue (CA) wrote to me on fb: Hey Tina, Thank you for the gifts! The kids are very excited!! And good luck tomorrow - we're sending lots and lots of positive energy and good thoughts! Love ya - Sue
Dec 16, I replied: Hey! Home now. Which kid got which ornament (vertical rainbow, Christmas quilt, blue sky daisy)? Glad the package arrived okay!

Dec 13, Monday, Bunny posted: Feel Better Tina... We Love You!!

Dec 15, Wednesday, Sandra posted: Good morning my friend... hope you are doing well...

Dec 16, Thursday, I posted on fb: Am home! Got here yesterday... so good to NOT be in the land of beeps and bells and blood pressure cuffs!
Yvonne, Sandra, and Bunny LIKED it
Steve: glad to hear you're home,hope you're ok...if you need us, call us
me: Thanks, Steve! Keep the phone on for me! : )

Dec 16, Penny (GA) wrote to me on fb: Beeps, Bells, and Blood Pressure? Tina???? Are you okay?????
Been missing you, but just saw your facebook post and am wondering if you have been really MIA? Hope you are okay!!!! Penny
Dec 17, I replied: Abdominal hysterectomy on Monday. I now have a lovely rack of staples from my navel to my pubes, but they should be gone by the end of next week. My Aunt Linda came up from Tallahassee to stay with me and hold my hand, but she'll be leaving on Saturday for Atlanta. She has been SUCH a blessing!
Dec 17, Penny (GA) replied: Okay! Bless you. I hope the worst is behind you and that it's all smooth sailing from here. It sounds horribly painful. That is really good that your aunt came to stay with you for a time. I would offer to help this weekend but I'm headed to Columbia, SC tomorrow for the weekend. I'll be back Sunday.

Dec 17, Friday, I posted on fb: I have my very own Polar Express on my abdomen now! It'll be gone by the end of next week, though. Maybe I should take a picture??? Naw...
Amy: What's going on?
Roy: You have a new tattoo?
Deatre: The marks will still be there for years to come.
me: Just like a new tattoo!

Dec 19, Sunday, I posted on fb: My first day Home Alone... nice! I slept until almost 11 am!
Morgan, Sandra, and Emily LIKED it
Jim: Hang in there Tina. With your drive and spirit we'll see your smiling face around town soon I'm sure.
Christy: let us know if you need anything at all....
Hema: Rest well!
Christina G: I hope that means you are feeling better. Rest and get well soon.
Morgan: good times!!!
me: Thank you to all! I'm feelin' better every day (every day now)!
Morgan LIKED my comment

Dec 19, Sunday, I sent this message to many of my friends and family on fb: I wanted to make sure you knew why I was in absentia so much lately. In August, I had a diagnostic laparoscopy which confirmed that an abdominal hysterectomy was needed. I decided to have the surgery done this year, partly for cost benefit, partly to keep my May birthday and summer from being eaten up by the procedure and recovery. The surgery was to be done right after the school semester ended, giving me roughly 4 weeks of recovery. That meant I had to put in extra time to be "ahead of the curve" at the semester's end, curtailing much of my socializing the last few weeks, alas.
The surgery, on Monday 13 Dec, went for 2 1/2 hours, but the doc said he was very pleased and that "it was all a mess and really needed to come out." I've been home since 5pm Wednesday, sporting a train track (the Polar Express, I'm calling it) on my abdomen from my navel to my groin. The staples come out this week, most likely Wednesday, Dec 22. My Aunt Linda (Mama's sole surviving sibling) came up on the 9th and only just left yesterday morning for her son's family in Stone Mountain (Atlanta). She was so amazing and took such good care of me! Harry is here now and he's been most helpful and patient, too.
So, now y'all know not to expect me out and about much, but you are welcome to visit!
Dec 19, Hema replied: Thanks for letting me know. Hope you feel better soon. Merry Christmas and happy New Year! and prayers.
Dec 19, Jerry replied: Sorry to hear about your surgery, but happy to hear that you are home and doing good. Hope that you are up and out real soon. Have a Merry Christmas and New Year and take good care of yourself. Everyone needs good friends like you. Love, Mom Wiley
Dec 19, Berta replied: Hi Tina, I had missed your posts on FB! So glad the surgery was a success and hope you are well on your way to recovery! Look forward to seeing you soon! XXB
Dec 20, Sharon D replied: I'll try to get down there next week to spend an afternoon with you. Maybe I can make and bring some divinity...Thanks for the update. Love ya!
Dec 20, I replied: So THAT is how to get divinity! : ) I'll be looking forward to seeing you, dear!
Dec 20, Monica replied: I'm very happy that it turned out well - I missed your posts, too! Welcome back!!!
Dec 20: Sharon N replied: I'm glad you are back Tina!! I did wonder where you had been - honestly I will now always think of you whenever I see Polar Express!!! :) I'm glad you are recovering nicely and have your family to help. Take care! :)
Dec 20, I replied: Thanks, Sharon! : ) Polar Express was one of Mama's favorite books, so I guess it naturally came to mind whne I looked at my personal train tracks. Choo choo!!! ♥

Dec 20, Monday, I posted on fb: I have pants! Zipperless pants, as I now have my own! Warm legs again.... nice!
Bunny, Penny (GA), Lynn (T), and Sue (ONT) LIKED it
Fae: Congrats! Hope all continues to go well w/ your recovery.
Deborah: life is good
me: Life is most assuredly GOOD.

Dec 20, Sue (ONT) wrote to me on fb: Hope you're a little more comfortable now. Hope all went well too. xoxo Been saying a whole lot of prayers for you too. xo
Dec 21, I replied: Thank you, dear! ♥ The staples come out tomorrow... but I do have comfy clothes to wear!

Dec 21, Tuesday, I posted on fb: Tomorrow I lose the hardware, but keep the new Polar Express "inkless" tattoo. Wooooohoooooo! Chuchuchuchu wooohoooo!
Fae, Christina G, and Sharon D LIKED it
Christina G: Glad to hear that things are happening.
Ernest: I want one.... too.
Fae: Hope your recovery continues to go well.
me: Ernie, I suggest you get your tattoo the old-fashioned way! Thanks all for your good wishes!

Dec 22, Wednesday, I posted on fb: Fifty-seven. 57 tiny silver ties that once held the train track together. Wow.
Sharon N: Yikes Ms. Polar Express!!
night though. If I can do anything let me know. Keep healing!!! Penny

Dec 24, Patrick wrote to me on fb: Dr Smith, I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and let you know you are in my thoughts and prayers. Hope you have a speedy recovery from your surgery. -Patrick

trains, part 1

Here's a joke told to me some time ago, but having relevance these days.

Roy Rogers' Boots

One day Roy Rogers was passing the boot maker's shop when he noticed a pair of boots in the window that were the most beautiful he had ever seen. He entered the shop and told the proprietor that he must have the boots that were in the window. The proprietor said the boots were made for someone else, but, if they fit Roy, he could have them and he would make a new pair for the other customer.
So Roy proudly left the shop wearing his new boots. However, on the way back to his ranch, it began to rain and as he walked up to the ranch house, his new boots got all muddy. He left them on the porch and entered the house. While he was eating his dinner, a bobcat snuck up onto the porch and grabbed the boots in his mouth and ran off with both of them.
Fortunately the cook saw the theft and called Roy. Roy was livid. He whistled for Trigger and took off at a gallop after the bobcat. A few hours later he returned with a dead bobcat across the front of his saddle. The once beautiful boots were hanging out of the saddle bags. They were torn to shreads. As he rode up, the cook hailed Roy.
When the cowboy drew near the cook shouted, "Pardon me, Roy, is that the cat that chewed your new shoes?" (sung to the tune of "Chattanooga Choo Choo")

frantic

The day is fast approaching when I will have yet another invasion into my body to remove an organ run amok. This time, it'll be the 'girl' parts: both ovaries, the uterus, and the tubes between. Mama's sister is coming to hold my hand and reassure that all will be well... and yet I find myself on edge. My bird has arranged to take the day off to be at the hospital with us... and still I worry. I've taken the time at school to prepare ahead for next semester, just in case... just in case of what? I don't know.
And that's really the long and the short of it. I DON'T KNOW. I don't know how this bout of abdominal intrusion will affect me. How quickly will I recover at my age? What happens in the hole left by the missing parts? Won't other parts sag in to that emptied space, possibly disrupting body functions? How long will I be under the influence of anesthesia? How long will I suffer the aftereffects of going under? Should I stay at my house or elsewhere? When will I be able to drive my stick-shift again? How long am I to be a disruption to the lives of those who love me?
I've arranged for this to take place during this long break from school, giving myself four full weeks to become fully mobile. What if that isn't long enough???
And there is the crux of the matter. I am playing "what if" and driving myself to distraction. I really don't have time for this mentally exhausting game, yet I cannot pull myself from the lip of the abyss. Perhaps it's time for bed.

alien eviction

Thanks to aliens in my body, I am going under the surgeon's knife at 10am. Aliens? You bet. According to the dictionary online, "alien" is defined as "unlike one's own; strange; not belonging to one". I can assure you these growths in my body are NOT like the normal cellular tissue occupying the surrounding tissue.
With the surgeon's help, the aliens will be issued an eviction notice tomorrow morning, effective post-haste. No squatters allowed, ya hear?!
I'll let you know of the eviction's success tomorrow, hopefully.

body parts

Perhaps it's that I'm getting older and have a birthday drawing nigh, but the aging of my bits and pieces has been on my mind lately. Actually, there are several factors which have combined forces to command my attention. A fellow member of the League of Savannah Bloggers, after a worrisome absence of some few weeks, has informed all that he is facing surgery on his parathyroid. I, myself, have been taking medication for hypothyroidism for some few years now, but wonder if I may face such surgery in the future.
My earlier discussion of an art show I witnessed is also still front of mind, much as I would wish 'twere not so. Aldwyth's work truly got under my skin, with her propensity for displaying body parts as, literally, objects of art. Truly disturbing.
So, my body parts have come into question. In particular, I think the time may be fast approaching when a hysterectomy is in order. A few years ago, I was having intense abdominal pain and my doctor had an ultrasound done to try to determine the cause. Well, my body's ability to create cysts has not been limited to any one part of my body, apparently. Both ovaries have cysts and, at the time, were causing me such distress that I had bought a feather mattress pad, which allowed me some measure of sleep at night. My doctor told me that if the situation did not improve, I should consider surgery. Evidently, my "girl parts" got the message and ceased their torsion, ending my sense of urgency to be rid of them.
It's not like this would be anything that other women in my family have not already endured. My mother had a complete hysterectomy when she was only 45 years old... and so I've hung on to my ovaries, et al, for almost seven years longer than she did. Not that its a contest, mind. That would just be too bizarre. No, it's not the surgery that concerns me so much, it's the anesthesia. I have had several procedures in the past few years which required anesthesia. The first, for my 49th birthday, was an eviction of my gallbladder. That was followed the next year with upper endoscopy and colonoscopy (both to rule out possible serious problems for a condition which turned out to be lactose intolerance).
With each procedure, I found it increasingly difficult to get over being "put under" and I strongly dislike the disorientation and lack of control. How many days of fogginess would I have to endure this time? What about hormonal replacement therapy? Should I or shouldn't I? Just how out of whack have my hormones been for these past six or seven years? Would I even notice a difference?
I had told my singing bird that I would call the doctor last week for a consult. Of course I have not yet done so.
But I will tomorrow.