Hospital appointments
I don't know about you but recently I have a massive dislike for hospital appointments.
At the same time, I have a huge love for the NHS and all that it does for us and our society.
Recently I heard what it is like for those in Africa and other places where before the staff even look at you the bill is to be paid. Sometimes when the care is more than just the bare minimum they are unable to pay and as a result, they can't access the needed medical care that they need and they die because of that.
How awful it must be to know that you don't have the money to get the needed care for your condition or for the family to know that they can't afford it and have to watch as you deteriorate.
We are so fortunate, even with the long waiting times for some things to have the access that we do, and I am so grateful for that.
Today I had an appointment with the surgical team because of pain that I have been experiencing since December 2017. In the summer I found out I had gallstones. (this is where the gallbladder is)
Throughout the months the pains are increasing and the attacks are getting worse. for really bad ones I feel like someone has put a belt around the bottom of my rib cage and is pulling it as tight as they can. I find that it's hard to breathe with the pain and I end up on all fours vomiting badly for a long time. The last time was around 2 hours or more before the pains started to subside.
I asked the doctor today if it was a because I had lost a lot of weight quickly and had numerous pregnancies and he did agree that this could be the reason behind it. He said that women would be more predisposed to gallstones because of rapid weight loss, hormonal changes, pregnancies and in my case PCOS (oh further joys of my 'silent' illness).
Normally, he said, if it was just one stone that they would blast it or change diet to try and dissolve it but in my case as I have multiple stones that the only option is surgery. He would be concerned that with the increasing number of times that I have pains and the longer the attacks that there could be the chance that a stone would escape the gallbladder and lead to more serious complications.
So what kind of surgery am I looking at?
I am hoping that it will be keyhole surgery ... The doctor explained this morning that keyhole is normally the way that the gallbladder is removed, however (here we go again) due to my myomectomy and potential scar tissue he said that it may have to progress from laparoscopically to a laparotomy surgery i.e I would be opened up on the table. I did point out to him that actually, it was a myomectomy in December 2015, a cesarean in April 2017 and another cesarean in March 2018 ... his response was 'Oh!' - I'm taking this to mean that most likely it will be open surgery.
I am looking at a time frame of approximately 10-12 weeks before my surgery and in the next few weeks, I want to make as many changes as I can. I'm focused and I won't let the thought of the surgery or the anxiety of the time from now and then to take me off track.
I'm thinking a no sugar challenge for 2 weeks to start off with - and maybe increase it ... anyone want to join me in that challenge?
At the same time, I have a huge love for the NHS and all that it does for us and our society.
Recently I heard what it is like for those in Africa and other places where before the staff even look at you the bill is to be paid. Sometimes when the care is more than just the bare minimum they are unable to pay and as a result, they can't access the needed medical care that they need and they die because of that.
How awful it must be to know that you don't have the money to get the needed care for your condition or for the family to know that they can't afford it and have to watch as you deteriorate.
We are so fortunate, even with the long waiting times for some things to have the access that we do, and I am so grateful for that.
Today I had an appointment with the surgical team because of pain that I have been experiencing since December 2017. In the summer I found out I had gallstones. (this is where the gallbladder is)
Throughout the months the pains are increasing and the attacks are getting worse. for really bad ones I feel like someone has put a belt around the bottom of my rib cage and is pulling it as tight as they can. I find that it's hard to breathe with the pain and I end up on all fours vomiting badly for a long time. The last time was around 2 hours or more before the pains started to subside.
I asked the doctor today if it was a because I had lost a lot of weight quickly and had numerous pregnancies and he did agree that this could be the reason behind it. He said that women would be more predisposed to gallstones because of rapid weight loss, hormonal changes, pregnancies and in my case PCOS (oh further joys of my 'silent' illness).
Normally, he said, if it was just one stone that they would blast it or change diet to try and dissolve it but in my case as I have multiple stones that the only option is surgery. He would be concerned that with the increasing number of times that I have pains and the longer the attacks that there could be the chance that a stone would escape the gallbladder and lead to more serious complications.
So what kind of surgery am I looking at?
I am hoping that it will be keyhole surgery ... The doctor explained this morning that keyhole is normally the way that the gallbladder is removed, however (here we go again) due to my myomectomy and potential scar tissue he said that it may have to progress from laparoscopically to a laparotomy surgery i.e I would be opened up on the table. I did point out to him that actually, it was a myomectomy in December 2015, a cesarean in April 2017 and another cesarean in March 2018 ... his response was 'Oh!' - I'm taking this to mean that most likely it will be open surgery.
I am looking at a time frame of approximately 10-12 weeks before my surgery and in the next few weeks, I want to make as many changes as I can. I'm focused and I won't let the thought of the surgery or the anxiety of the time from now and then to take me off track.
I'm thinking a no sugar challenge for 2 weeks to start off with - and maybe increase it ... anyone want to join me in that challenge?
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