Take a look at my pic. Guess where I am. Yep . Hospital! And not as a pastor but as a patient. Had a severe attack of some kind after church Sunday night. Went to ER. Turned out my gallbladder was shot. Had it out this morning.
Too bad. I was planning on attending the Glen-L Gathering Friday and Saturday. That's a no-go.
Oh, well. Til next time.
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Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Best Wishes, to be healed enough to go sailing again soon.
Quote from: Roland of Macatawa on Sep 16, 2025, 04:19 PMBest Wishes, to be healed enough to go sailing again soon.
What he said! ;D
Hey, speedy recovery from this. ;) My wife Sheri runs the hospital visitation ministry for our church. If you had been in our area when the GB attack occurred she would be on it.
Hospitals are no fun. I had to lie there and listen to a guy in the hall moaning about how he couldn't take it anymore. Then my doctor walked in.
Get well soon.
Dale, I feel your pain, because I have. Mine came out in 1993.
Two Caveats:
1) Your organs have had a lifetime of sloshing around and fitting into place and now suddenly, there's a gap creating a strain, on organs that used to lay against each other.
So even well after recovery, you need to be careful anytime you do anything that strains the core.
Feels weird the first time it happens, but once you're aware of it, you will be able to "feel" how much to back down, until everything inside there, starts being Good Neighbors again.
2) Surgery, even laparoscopic surgery, is STILL surgery. Take your time healing.
Did mine on Friday and was back at Choir Practice, the following Wednesday.
One of our more elderly choir members had mobility problems and the row she sat on (strictly defined by our Nun, Choir Director!) gave her problems leaving after practice, or on Sundays.
To help out, I used to move the Yamaha 6-foot Baby Grand Piano (it was on castors) over, to allow her to simply stand, get her cane and limp away.
So after practice, and WITHOUT THINKING and mostly just from long habit, I moved the piano. :P
WOW!! :o I saw COLORS!! :o
I didn't need a slowly spreading crimson stain on my shirt, to realize that I had fewer functioning stainless steel staples, than I had arrived with. :'(
Had to stop off at an ER on the way home, to get them re-attached.
The ER guy was so indignant at hearing what I had done, he refused me a local anesthetic while re-stapling me. :-[
Pretty sure you have a healing incision right where most EVERYTHING you do, derives mechanical leverage.
Like the difference between a tumbler of iced tea, versus a Dixie cup of iced tea.
Yeah, you can feel the difference in torso strain, that much.
Feel better, be careful, and don't be as Dumb as ME!! :o
Charles Brennan
Oh yeah, I remember that pain and sweating big drops while feeling it. I'm glad you're doing well. They had to slice me open and CB is NOT kidding. Don't strain for a LONG time. Mine was worse because it was more extensive than the usual band aid and it took me six months to begin to feel ok.
Yes taking it slow and easy can be the hardest part. I have a love hate relationship with hospitals. I love the care you get but hate being there. Looking forward to you sailing again. Oh and listen to taking it slow.
Update. Into 4th night at hospital. White blood cell count jumped from 13000 to 19000. Pumping me with antibiotics.
Thanks for all the advice. I had laparoscopic surgery but it's still surgery. Most pain is from the gas they use to inflate your body cavity turning into acid. It HURTS!
"It Hurts!" Oh yeah that does. I experienced that from a different medical procedure. To describe it as uncomfortable is an understatement. Hope it doesn't last very long.
You have my greatest sympathy.
I have only been admitted to a hospital 2 times, and in and out 2 more.
The only pleasant time at the hospital is to see your newborn child for the first time. Wife may see that a little differently...
Dale, sorry to hear what you are dealing with. I had my gall bladder out back in the "dark ages," (1974) when it was a big cut. What Riley said about 6 months for "getting back to normal" is right on, and I was 50 years younger back then. Laparoscopic surgeries later for an emergency appendectomy and prostate cancer. I can attest that the laparoscopic is less "outer trauma," but what happens with your innards is as traumatic as the big cut, and it takes time to heal. Allow yourself that time.
Sending good wishes for a smooth recovery. Time in the hospital sucks, even if you are getting "good care."
I had outpatient that turned into a couple of overnighters. And yes, I WILL remember that nurse forever telling me, "Hey, you gotta walk yourself to the bathroom" and turning and leaving before I knew what was happening. No wonder they call it Slinging Liver and not Singing River. The only OTHER time they've managed to capture me was when I had amnesia.... and I don't remember that LOL!
White cell count came down. I'm home!
Great news!
I'm in Fl with family at an ICU with my Dad. He is in bad shape but we can communicate with a white board. He is fighting and hasn't given up. We are there to show support.
Quote from: Doug SC on Sep 18, 2025, 01:38 PMGreat news!
I'm in Fl with family at an ICU with my Dad. He is in bad shape but we can communicate with a white board. He is fighting and hasn't given up. We are there to show support.
Prayers
Yay! Now, take it easy!!! I'll never forget standing up for that first time with no assistance. Oh man!
Quote from: Captain Kidd on Sep 18, 2025, 01:10 PMWhite cell count came down. I'm home!
"There's no place like home." That is good news - now you can
really get some rest and get going with the recuperation process.
Great news! Now, don't be like me, get some rest.
When I was 31 at work one day I felt a "pop" in my lower right abdomen that doubled me over. I ignored it and continued working. Later that night while lying restless in bed my wife reached over and pressed on the area. That hurt. She announced it was my appendix, go to the hospital. So about 12:30am I rode my motorcycle to the very small hospital 10 miles north. I mentioned to the ER doctor what my wife said. She began ranting about self diagnosing and made a comment about murder-cycles. My response was swift and nasty. She had me undress, lie on the table, and performed a prostate exam on me. This is when I questioned her competence and where she placed in her class at med school. She told me to get out or she would have security toss me out. I returned home and couldn't sleep. Once again my wife insisted I return. This time I started out for a hospital 30 miles away, but after only a few miles into the trip I started feeling quite sick. I returned to the 1st ER where the doctor refused to examine me saying it was something I had ate. Finally a nurse came in and made an argument to admit me. When the next shift arrived I was told I was going in for an appendectomy. Because of the incompetence of the 1st "doctor" I spent 2 weeks in the hospital being pumped with antibiotics before returning home to taking care of my wheelchair bound wife and 3 young daughters. I refused offers of help from family as they lived hours away. 4 days later I awoke to my entire right leg and foot swollen, purple and black. I had internal bleeding and spent another 3 days in the hospital.
I didn't listen to the surgeon's instructions to take it easy and ended up missing 6 weeks of work and hiring a housekeeper. If you have someone who can take of you, let them.