Last night, after a wonderful Mothers Day, Nettl began experiencing terrible upper abdominal pain. After a couple of hours I took her to the emergency room, where it took two doses of some chalky stuff, an oral pain killer, and two injections to ease the pain. They sent her home with some Darvocet and we went to bed exhausted and expecting a phone call from the hospital to wake us up.
When it came, I was already up. Nettl, who was still spinning from the drugs, scheduled an ultrasound. I ran around the house collecting all of the financial statements we needed to submit (we have no health insurance), and we went to the hospital. When she came out of the ultrasound, she had a picture of an inch-long gallstone, and she called a recommended surgeon to schedule an appointment. She can't get in to see him until Friday.
Meantime, I'm wondering what I can cook for her this week. She found a website and it looks like she's restricted to fish and avocados. I mean, there's more, but the list of what she can't have is huge!
Off to the store...
Ugh.. I'm sorry she's hurting. From what I understand, gall stones are among the worst pains. Fish and avocados sounds to me like there might be a lot of sushi on the menu. Sending best, healing thoughts Nettl's way.
ReplyDeleteIt's not going to be an easy diet, but I think we'll both benefit from it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the positive thoughts, Hilary!
It's so hard, for both of you. I know you'll take good care of her, though. I don't know if this will help or not, but Jim got through all of my time in the hospital by playing a hand-held Yahtzee game. Something simple that he could focus on, but then drop at a moment's notice. He still keeps it in his pocket to kill time when he's on the train.
ReplyDeleteWe covered this in my human diseases class - just looking at the photos of gallstones made me hurt! Poor Nettl! Today, though, gall bladder removal is usually done by laparoscopic surgery so you don't have a huge scar - just four little openings. Hopefully that will be the route they take. I'm sending healing thoughts and holding her in the light.
ReplyDeletewell first off... whew! though nothing to sneeze at it coulda been a lot worse with those symptoms y'know? Secondly I'll be holding Nettl in the Light. Thirdly the next time you see a Tea Partier give them a good swift kick in the shins! Twice! (one fer me)
ReplyDeleteNettl sez...
ReplyDeleteHilary, Deni & Kathy: "Thank y'all so much!" (and she just slapped my arm for that "y'all". lol)
RW: "No shit!"
Hoping Nettls abdominal pain is soon soothe away...you are beyond such a good friend with wondering what you can cook for her...I wish i had a good recipe...all I can offer is a prayer
ReplyDeleteOh, poor Nettl. My youngest son had his gall bladder removed a year or so ago. It's really pretty simple, considering it's removing a bodily organ. Hang in there. I'll be thinking of you both.
ReplyDelete(It's been a while since I've visited. Love your new look. It's you. The other template just wasn't.)
These things are very painful, poor Nett.
ReplyDelete