Hello, friends! This is NOT the post I expected to be making today. Today's post was supposed to be all "Yay, it's over!" and "Whoo - hoo....Guess how much I have lost now?!?"
Nope - Today I am going to talk about my journey, and some detours that I have had to take. I like to tell my "stroke patients" in the nursing home that they (and their words) are STILL IN THERE. We just have to find the way to get them out. I always use a trip to Walmart as an example. There are as many different ways to get to Walmart in Tupelo as there are people going there. Just because you don't go "my way" does not mean your way is wrong. (Just don't tell Dan Reid I said that, because he ALWAYS goes the wrong way!).
Last Tuesday, I had "paid my dues." I had been on a full liquid diet for 3 days, a clear liquid diet for 1 day, and had tolerated the 8000mg of antibiotics AND the bowel prep. I was up, showered, and off to the hospital. They rolled me back shortly after 1pm, and I was expecting to wake up a changed woman. Vertical sleeve in place, weight loss tool in place, ready to tackle the world.
Then, I came to in the recovery room. You know, they REALLY want to talk to you a lot back there, and I was SO not in the mood for listening. Especially when all I could remember was Dr. Pinson saying "we didn't do your sleeve, but I will do it for you when you heal from this." WHAT!?!?!? I mean, REALLY!?!?!? To wake up in pain, and be told that you didn't get your surgery? Not cool! Well, there was a lot of blur in the recovery room, and later in my room that night. Dr. Pinson came around AGAIN and reiterated that he would take care of my vertical sleeve, but not until I healed.
Now - Here is the story as it was told to me later:
Dan and Mama were sent up to my hospital room when they took me back for surgery. Dan went to get some lunch, and while he was gone, Dr. Pinson called the room and told Mama that my gallbladder looked abnormal, and that he thought he needed to remove it. Mama said fine - whatever was best. Then, Dan came back, and she told him. As they were talking about it, they both realized/remembered that I had had my gallbladder removed in 2005, when Jon Carter was a baby. I guess they began to get concerned around then. The hour and a half surgery ended up taking over 3 hours. When they brought me out, Dr. Pinson went and explained to Dan and Mama that I had some type of massive cyst/growth on my liver that he had had to remove. When he "showed" me the size with his hands, it was reminiscent of a cantaloupe. This growth contained at least a liter of bile. Dr. Pinson had consulted with Dr. Charles Pigott, and neither of them had ever seen anything like it. The two of them consulted a pathologist, and the 3 of them all agreed that it had to go. So go it did.
As I recovered in the hospital for a few extra days (5!) I realized how blessed I was. 1) My doctors feel that this growth is benign, and that they think they got it all. 2) There were 3 physicians and a resident that were responsible for me - One was Dr. Pinson, who I have developed a relationship with over the past year, another was Charles Pigott, who has kids around the same age as my kids, and he has been my surgeon before (he is also my grandmother's neighbor), and the third doctor was a pathologist. Well, I know exactly 1 pathologist in this world, and it was him - Rob Jarrett, who is one of Jon Carter's friends dads. So, you see, God placed these 3 there to take care of me. I truly believe that! This growth was discovered in a controlled operating room, not after a spontaneous rupture where we would be wondering what was going on.
As you see - My journey has taken a detour. However, I will continue to work toward my weight loss goals, and I will pray to see if the vertical sleeve is a step that I will need to take in my future. Right now, I am literally just too sore, too tired, and too sick to make that kind of decision. However, please know that I am sure that I am 100% exactly where God wants me to be this week.
Thank you all who have called, texted, prayed, picked up kids, delivered kids, cooked meals... It is all appreciated, and I don't have any idea how long it will be before I can resume normal activities. So, thank you!
Blessings in your journeys, my friends! Love you all!
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