The last three weeks or so I had a few episodes of really bad stomach pain that radiated to my back. Friday morning, it was still terrible from an episode the night before so I headed off to the doctor. Five hours and an ultrasound later, I was in Beverly Hospital meeting with the surgeon. Turns out I had gallstones distending my entire gallbladder and a few in my common bile duct, affecting my liver. The next morning I was taken down to Beth Israel in Boston by ambulance (always kind of silly when one can walk on one's own). They sedated me and did a procedure where they went into my duct endoscopically (is that a word?) through my throat to get rid of the stones, and they also put a stent in so if other stones came out of the gallbladder, they would pass through and not get caught up like one of the 128 onramps during rush hour.
I felt extra bad because Saturday was Nathan's birthday and we had to cancel his party at the last minute. Poor kid. Good thing he's only two and has no idea what a birthday is.
Thankfully Sunday they let me go home, and Thursday I'll need surgery to remove my gallbladder. In a month, I'll have to go back to Beth Israel to get the stent taken out. Unfortunately, this is pretty painful, and I have spent a lot of time not breastfeeding because I'm on painkillers (still pumping and dumping the milk, however). I'm hoping I don't have to switch to formula permanently but only time will tell.
I haven't been able to eat much, and I especially haven't been able to eat the fatty foods I love. I just want cheesecake, and cheesy lasagna, and fried chicken... dangit!
Feel better soon. :(
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