There have been so many times that I have wished for a day off to just “do nothing!” And I believe that if you keep wishing for something hard enough, eventually it comes true. But I had to have surgery just to get a day off. Maybe next time I should be more specific with my wish, like pain-free.
But really, I have been sick since October off and on. I thought I was getting the flu-like once a month. It would only last a day, but it was excruciating. The vomiting and the back pain. It got so intense at times I could barely see or breath. And for the first 3 or so months, I just kept thinking, “Man, really?! The flu again?!” But then it would be over by the next day and I would forget about it…until it happened again. I knew I wasn’t pregnant, so I figured it had to be the flu.
I don’t know why I put off going to the doctor for so long. I guess it might be a mom thing. I get busy and just forget. It didn’t even really occur to me to go to the doctor because it would go away and then I would carry on with my life. It was my mom who finally said, “I don’t think you are getting the flu every single month for this long. You should call the doctor.”
So I finally did. They told me I had to have my gall bladder removed. My gall bladder? I forgot I even had an organ with such a name, let alone to know what it did or what the heck it is for. But since I have had it and I mention it to someone, they are all like, “Oh, yea. I had to have mine removed too” or “Oh, my daughter just had hers removed last year.” Like this is a common thing. Who knew.
But surgery is still surgery, even if it is outpatient and laparoscopic, it still sucks. It’s so weird thinking that something in me isn’t working right and they can just “fix” it by removing it. It is so weird thinking of my body sprawled out on an operating table and allowing another human being to take something from inside my body. Just weird. Like, what do they do with it? What did it look like? Was it hard to get out? Did they have to yank and pull? Or was it “lasered” out? I try not to think of myself out cold on a slab like a specimen and something is being taken from inside my body. Glad I didn’t wake up to aliens.
But I’m also so thankful that I could be fixed. Thank you modern medicine. Because I am really tired of being sick. There were so many days hovering over the toilet bowel, heaving my guts out. I couldn’t even take care of my kids, who would be barging in the bathroom, “Hi, mom! Ewwww…ewwww…” but still staring because that seems to be what my lil’ weird toddlers do. Smarten up kids, mommy’s puking. Run the other way. Nobody wants to witness this.
Today is the first day since my surgery that I’m starting to feel like myself again. I can move without feeling like my insides are going to slide out of the incision on my belly button. The pain isn’t as bad and I can finally move again, although bending is still a little difficult.
So since I had some “recovery” time I have been laying around burning through the books, which is exactly what I have always wanted to do with “a day off to do nothing.” I have been putting my feet up, reading and napping. Oh, and immensely enjoying the TOTAL and COMPLETE silence. I can go all day without even turning on the tv and it is wonderful! I absolutely love it.
I have been on so many adventures these last couple of days. I started reading James Patterson’s “Maximum Ride” series. I am addicted! It’s totally a young adult book and it’s totally an awesome read- a thrill ride. The pages fly by like the hybrid mutant bird kids that I have come to love so much.
I’m almost done with the third book. I have been averaging a book a day, gobbling them up and snapping through them like guzzling down a pack of Pop Rocks. These books are soooo my new favorite candy. They rock!
So I gotta go join my “flock” now and see what kind of butt we can kick tonight! We are off to France.
xxx
Amanda St.Clair 