After The Op

[poliphilo]

That was a long day. Ailz had the operation in the morning and was transferred to the High Dependency Unit in the early afternoon. The infection was so bad that they couldn't do keyhole sugery, but had to make a big incision so they could look around properly. I assume they took out the gall bladder entire, but no-one has actually explained it to me yet. The main thing is that she's out of pain (out of serious pain, I mean) and is at last able to get some proper sleep (she was so short of sleep before the operation she was hallucinating (a giant rabbit, a Russian woman playing the violin.)

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers.

Comments

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the update. At least she wasn't hallucinating about a giant Russian rabbit playing the violin! I'm still sending her lots of positive energy.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

But why a Russian woman?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Reading between the lines, I think she must have been quite seriously ill. No-one has said as much, but I'm told people who have had gall bladder operations are routinely discharged within 24 hours, wheras Ailz has been told she's likely to be in hospital for a week.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

I do hope that, bad though this is, now the cause of the problem has been dealt with and the worst is over. And maybe you can both get some sleep...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

She was sitting out of bed this afternoon- there's been a huge change for the better in the last 24 hours.

[ex-kharin447.livejournal.com]

Well, this is something of a relief. I hope things continue to improve.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

She's very much better today.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Gosh, well I'm glad she is getting her chance to recover now. It all sounds rather scary - perhaps especially for you, watching helpless from the sidelines, and without proper information. I hope you'll now be able to get some good-quality rest yourself, as it sounds like you need it.

All best wishes to Ailz for her recovery.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It was even scarier than we thought. The gall bladder was gangrenous!

But she's a whole lot better today.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Well. Things sound a little better!

A few years ago one of the profs I work for - who is diabetic and takes notoriously bad care of himself - insisted he had the flu. finally, he came in one morning (he always comes in at 5 - 5:30) and couldn't get out of his chair to go teach class. Security was called and he ended up in the hospital- they found out his gall bladder was so bad he was gangrenous. He was in hospital for about a week, out of work for the rest of the semester.

He survived just fine.

Poor Ailz, to be so ill. Sending hugs and good energy to both of you. Thanks for taking the time to post.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Ailz's gall bladder was gangrenous too. She must have been ill for weeks, months even- the odd thing is that there were no symptoms (that she noticed) until last weekend.

[dadi.livejournal.com]

oh my this sounds scary :( I am so glad she is less in pain now, and finally can sleep.. sleep is such a wonderful healer in itself!
Please continue to update us, I have been thinking of her so much yesterday and really hope she'll be feeling good as soon as possible!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. She's very much better today- sitting out in a chair and all. It was bad though; the gall-bladder we learned today was gangrenous.

[cosmolinguist]

I am so glad to hear that things turned out—relatively—well.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I really appreciate it that you've found time, in the midst of your own grief, to follow our story. You're an amazing person.

[seaslug-of-doom.livejournal.com]

I had been holding off on commenting until I saw the word 'surgery' after which I relaxed a bit, oddly enough. Now it's just a matter of knocking out the infection.

I had to have surgery a couple years ago for an adhesion. They started out with laproscopic, or keyhole, surgery, as you so charmingly put it. Then they decided to go for the appendix as well. My appendix heard them coming and went on the lam. He holed up in one of those dirty, pay-by-the-week flats behind the large intestine. Using her amazing detective skills and a divining rod, my surgeon found him and, after a short gun battle, my appendix was knicked.

Unfortunately, they had to unzip me to perform the man-hunt on my appendix and now my navel looks like the top of a dotted i. An unexpected benefit, however, is that my belly-button no longer collects lint.

Continued good thoughts for you and yours.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Cheers.

It was a bad do. The surgeon commented that this was "the gall bladder of the year"! I'm told the scars are something to behold.

[clindau.livejournal.com]

Whew. Now Aliz can rest and get well. Too bad the docs had to do the more invasive surgery.

Continued good thoughts for both of you. Are you adjusting to the emptier house?

Cindy

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Just as well they invaded. It turns out her gall bladder was gangrenous.

The house won't be empty tonight. Joe and Sarah are staying over.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I'm also sure they took the gall bladder out--it's not a partial thing AFAIK. Especially if it's infected, they just yank it. I was borderline for doing it laparoscopically for the same reason, severity of infection, but he went ahead and did it anyway, and I was really glad. I recovered quickly (though not in 24 hours--that seems barbaric).

I also agree with Jackie that the longer recovery time is because of the incision. It'll be okay--in a week, she'll be better and in a month it will be a bad dream.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Apparently there was nothing left of the gall bladder- it was simply rotted away. they had to take part of the liver too.

But I'm told livers grow back. Amazing things!

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Thanks for keeping us posted. Best wishes to Ailz for a speedy recovery.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

She's a whole lot better today- and sitting up out of bed.

[shullie.livejournal.com]

so good to hear ... love n best wishes to you both xxxx

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Belated good wishes to you both. I've been offline for a couple of days. Last I heard, Ailz had mystery pain. I gather mystery solved, pain abated.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

Yes she's a lot better now...

[mummm.livejournal.com]

I hope you have the whole story by now and that she is going fine? I've been kind of "out of things" the last few days so I am sorry if I have not offered my encouragement and sympathy!!!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No apologies needed.

I've been semi-detached from LJ these past few days and completely out of touch with whats going on in my friends' lives.

But we seem to be out of the danger area now- and I'm going to be able to start catching up.

[michaelkeane.livejournal.com]

Just caught up with this.. very glad Ailz is OK and feeling less physical pain.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

Having read through the comments, I'm so glad she's doing better. Heavens - I don't want to know how a piece of onself can go gangrenous...how scary!

I'm sure that she will be right as rain soon now that the nasty villanous gall bladder has been removed.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's weird isn't it. A gangrenous organ is one that has died. Imagine carrying a dead organ around with you- gaaah!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The hallucinations were brought on by a combination of morphine and lack of sleep (I think)

[queen-in-autumn.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear everything has turned out all right.

I had my gall bladder go bad on me the day before Thanksgiving a few years ago. . . Not a pleasant experience.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

Ailz is used to pain, but she said this was far worse than anything she has ever known. She characterised it as an "unclean" pain.

[kaysho.livejournal.com]

Best wishes for her continued good recovery. *hugs*

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks