Peace out, Gallbladder!

Dean and I took Ethan and went out to lunch on Sunday, January 20th.  We were having a nice time and then I started having horrible pain under my breastbone.  We went home and I stretched out on the floor and the pain subsided a little bit.  I also had pain in the middle of my back (between my shoulder blades) throughout the entire day.  I thought this was due to our new couches and my body just getting used to them.  Dean went to a hockey game with a friend that night and I seemed to be doing better.
The next day I still had pain in my back but just took some Motrin and went on with our day.  The meds didn't really help it at all though.  Monday evening I started to get the pain under my breastbone again.  I used the restroom and realized something wasn't as it should be.  I noticed that the whites of my eyes were beginning to yellow as well.  We got on Google and also called our friends that are doctors and gave them my symptoms.  All signs pointed to gallstones.  Ugh.
We called Dean's sister, Allison, to come over and sit with Ethan while we went to the Emergency Room.  We gave Ethan a bath, fed him and got him ready for bed.  This was the first time I had left him with someone other than Dean and for longer than an hour.
We got to the ER and they pretty quickly took care of me.  They took some blood and got an ultrasound to confirm the stones in my gallbladder.  The doctor told me the only way to remedy this situation was to remove the gallbladder.  They were admitting me.  Cue the water works.
I sent Dean home to be with Ethan as I waited in the ER for them to take me to my room.  They didn't end up moving me until like 3am.  Lame.

I asked my nurse for paper and a pen so that I could write out what sort of schedule Ethan was on for whoever was going to watch him.  We needed to scramble and get a babysitter for the next day.  All of Dean's family was busy helping out Amanda and Mike since little Matthew had been in the pediatric ICU.  Most of them got the colds that our nephews had.  We didn't want Ethan getting sick.  Fortunately, Dean's Aunt Lisa was able to come over Tuesday morning and stay with Ethan throughout the day.  Dean relieved Lisa at 3pm Tuesday and brought Ethan into the hospital to see me.

They couldn't do my surgery Tuesday because the two doctors that were going to do the procedures couldn't get their schedules together.  Surgery was scheduled for Wednesday at 3pm.  I was so upset.  They just kept pumping me with IV fluids and morphine for the pain.  I was not allowed to eat or drink anything which was horrible.  I was so thirsty and so weak.
As all of this was going on, I was still pumping milk for Ethan.  My supply took a dive because I couldn't eat or drink.  Even though I was getting fluids, I wasn't making as much milk as I had been.
My mom and little sister Mary had driven to our house after school on Tuesday to help with Ethan.  Mary got an iPad recently so we were able to FaceTime and text me updates.  Dean mostly stayed with me in the hospital and Mary and Mom were holding down the fort at home.  They did a great job with Ethan!



The surgery went well and I'm glad it is over.  I wasn't very sore afterwards.  I was just happy that I could eat and drink again!  I got to go home from the hospital on Thursday.  I couldn't wait to get my hands on my little guy!  My mom and Mary stayed and helped us out throughout the weekend.  My body has been adjusting to not having a gallbladder but I'm doing well!  Can't wait for the stitches to come out next week!



The bear, flower and balloon that Dean's family sent me.