Laparoscopy, Possible Cholesystectomy and Laparotomy...

In general, the insanely long, and threateningly scary sounding words mean that I have to have surgery.

I went to see a specialist yesterday in a very small town about 2 hours west of where I live. Otherwise I would have had to wait until April 23rd to see the specialist here. And by specialist, I do mean surgeon. So personally I think the 2 hour drive one way was worth it.

Anyway. I saw this crazy doctor, apparently very eccentric, and in an office that looks like a decorator has not touched it since about 1971. Most likely since he set up his office in that building. But apparently he is very brilliant, and one of the best surgeons in the province. People come from B.C., all over Alberta, and even Montana and Washington to see this guy. So I guess I can trust him with my malfunctioning bits and parts.

So to break it all down, they are going to cut a hole in my belly button (guess I will have to wash out the lint...) pump it full of carbon dioxide (so the doc has room to work) and stick a camera on a pole in there to check things out. That's the laparoscopy part. Then, if he does not like what he sees, he will cut the gall bladder out, chop it into little bits, and suck it out through the hole in my belly button. (Sounds yummy...blech.) And that's the cholesystectomy part. If he sees anything else suspicious, funny looking scar tissue, appendix problems, wonky intestines, he can do whatever needs to be done on those. That's the laparotomy part. Laparotomy means they cut open my abdomen for treatment or diagnostics. I suppose you could call it exploratory surgery too. And if they do decide to do something else, I guess there would be more names to add to the list, but lets not think about that right now.

So my worst fear about this appointment was that he was going to say the same as my family doctor had at the beginning of this whole mess, and that was that we would wait and see how it goes. So VERY relieved when this doc said that I would not have come to see him if it was something I could live with.

So there is what is new. I have to have surgery, probably the middle of next week, or the beginning of the week after, and I will find out the date on Monday (because today is a holiday here, and no hospital admin peoples are working) and then I will know.

It is a huge relief. Now all I have to worry about is my normal reaction to anaesthetic. Horrible, uncontrollable, mass vomiting. Yay. But things could be worse. He could have told me I had to wait again. And the nurse at his office said that the anaesthesiologist they use is awesome, and it is very rare that people have a bad reaction from his cocktail of sleepy drugs. So as long as she was not just saying that to make me feel better, things will be all good.

And thanks for caring guys. You have no idea how much it means to me to have all of the encouragement that you left for me. Love you all for that!!!