It was an adventure.  And when I came home I went straight to bed for 3.5 hours of much needed sleep, but after all of the adventure the drain
is pulled and now I just get to focus on healing. *cheers*

I showed up at 9 as requested, and radiology was in a bit of a panick.

My surgeon met me in the waiting room, and was his gentle relaxed self, and re-explained what was going on.  He then asked where my husband was, when I explained they were waiting in the car.  He went out of the hospital and FOUND the excursion, and reexplained things to Rob.  How amazing is that.  And then he asked the kids what twirling is.  Cause we have it painted on the outside of the car.  And Zeria climbed out of the car and showed him how to twirl.  He came back inside and told me I had angels for kids. hahahaha.

How many surgeons do you know that make car calls?

So I went back to reading my book, and observing this older couple across from me, who seemed rather nice.

She headed in for whatever she was doing, and the gentlemen and I ended up visiting.  For a LONG time snicker.

The radiology techs came out and talked to me a couple times, and explained that they were backed up.  Finally about 10 they came in and did the CT. 
They paged Dr. Flowers, and said they believed I would get to pull the drain.

Dr. Flowers rearrived, and said they had *not* done the study he wanted done.  He wanted a contrast study to assure that the crud that was left wasn't interacting with my bile ducts.

More panic from radiology.  They weren't on there finest. 

She says its will be about 45 minutes, so back to the waiting room I go. 

I'm soooooo tired and shaky as I just haven't done a lot of sitting up.   The elderly gentleman is still there.  We resume our chat.  He's a retired fireman.  So I find much to chat with him.  Joel and Tony would have loved him!!!  Actually Rob would have too.  LOL

The tech come back about 30 minutes later and informs me its going to be at least another hour.  I thought of crying.  Instead I said.  "I need a place to lay down."

"We can do that, that's easy."  She reassured me, and shortly thereafter I had a bed.    I'd been in this room before during the recovery of the placing of my drain.  They call it the cave.  *snicker*  It felt like home.   more snickers.

Eventually they came back in, and took me to a new room.  It was equipment I hadn't met yet.  Still not entirely sure what it was.  More radiology equipment anyhow.

I laid down on the bed, where the radiologist was training two new techs.  They were highly amusing.  The one steering the bed kept going the wrong direction.   And trying to take out my elbow.  (not painful--just funny)

The male tech was supposed to be practicing sterile technique.   He wasn't doing so hot.  But it wasn't a sterile procedure, so it was all good.

They eventually did the study, and the radiologist pulled the drain at the end confirming that it was safe.

It wasn't painful *cheers*.

The male tech gave me a lovely new fluff pad.   And then they told me Dr F still wanted to chat, and was in a procedure.

I went out to find Rob.  And cried on him a bit.  I was soooooo tired.

I went back to the waiting room.  The old gentleman was gone.  *darn*  I read, and desperately wished to go back to bed.   About 45 minutes later Dr F came, and answered a few questions, and then WALKED me out to my excursion, and reexplained things to Rob.

The SECOND excursion call in one day.  Just astounding how kind he is.

Rob had food waiting for me.  I was so hungry I started eating while Dr F was talking to Rob.

A wee visit to Goodwill (more books for me to read)  And a run into Rite Aid (next door to Goodwill) for iron (anemia ya know)  and we were headed home.

My drain site is a bit sore.  But from experience by Monday it will be itchy.  LOL  And I can finally start truely healing.  

I think I accidentally pulled my tube partially out.

I have to be at the hospital at 9 am for a contrast scan, and then the doctor will decide to pull it, or put another one in.

Prayers are appreciated.

So 10 days ago we headed into Port Angeles.  We packed light and arrived early.  I ran into WAlgreens to pick up dog flea stuff, and then had some time to kill at Goodwill where I collected some cool craft stuff for the girls.

We checked into Short-stay having pre-registered the day before, and waited for the surgeon.  HE showed, introduced himself to rub, went to scrub in.  I was pushed into the OR receiving room where I met the anethesiologist.  A very nice gentle man named Dr Lee.  He asked the normal questions allergies, etc.  Before I had time to get over nervous I was in the OR going under. 

The next thing I recall is SCREAMING I heard myself asking for ice.  From the sounds of the nurses I'd asked for it a few times.  I heard myself begging for Rob my husband.  They told me was going to be there in a few minutes.

They don't usually let people in recovery. So I knew something was going weird.

There were multiple hands shoving ice, and pushing drugs.  And all I could feel was INTENSE pain.  Worst then my worst gall bladder attack and those were already bad.

The surgeon comes in and says, he was able to do it laprascropically, but my gallbladder was rotten, and squished into my liver.  He had to peel it off.  I assumed at the time that meant the EXTREME pain was from my bunged up liver.  He then added that there was further blockage and I would probably have to have a second surgery--something that had been explained to me the day before as being happened in 10% of the situation.  I heard myself say 10% 10%.  He also told me I had a drain in my stomache to collect the bile from my rather raw liver. The doctor had no clue what I meant.  *snicker*

Rob came in then, and his gentle presence immediately soothed me, and some of the drugs they gave me started kicking in a wee bit.  And the surgeon said.  "Your going to be here three days for recovery." 

Zeria was at camp, Rob was supposed to go get her the next day--she'd been promised a daddy-date.  It was a bit of a blur.

I was wheeled up to a GORGEOUS view room though I didn't know that that night, and then they had to move me from the one bed to the other.

More screaming as they first move me from the one bed to the other, and then moved me three or four times more to get me "comfortable".

Rob tells me at the same time they were pushing more drugs, and there were multiple nurses working on me.

The rest of that night is a drug enduced haze.  Except I vaguely remember Rob calling and making arrangements for a friend to pick up Zeria, and he found a way to talk to her and tell her I was in the hospital.  How scarey for her.

Saturday woke up to call my mom (who had the kids) and she tell her I'm going to be there three days.  She tells me she can't keep them as she has to go take Jdai to camp.  I thanked her, and Rob and I quickly began making new plans.

I was on Tordal, and Ativan, and the pain was bad, but not the screaming of the day before.  I didn't move a lot though--and they didn't make me.  *phew*  They gave me this thing to breathe into, and a shot in my stomache (hephrin).  I got those every day for 10 days.  They put pressure socks on me, and these sucking vaccuum socks that suck in and out to help prevent clots.

Rob went and got the kids.  They eventually ended up at a motel for the night after finding out the KOA was full.  This was aparently a complicated adventure.

I slept amazingly well these nights at the hospital.  Pain and drugs ya know.

Sunday morning the surgeon came in and checked me over.  A nurse came in during this time to strip and empty my drain.  She pulled on it, and I let out a loud yelp.  She said, "Oh, I'm sorry."  And I moved on.  Pain was kind of full on after all.   Rob decided to head home (1.5 hour away) we had animals we'd left uncared for.  We discussed that he would just stay there and he'd come get me on Monday when I "got-out"

Except after he left I was taken down to x-ray and they confirmed that yes one of the stones had gotten out of the gallbladder and was stuck creating a bile blockage.

My iv at this time chose to blow. 

Sunday afternoon was spent in 14 different attempts to get another IV in.  I have some fantastic bruises.  Eventually they called it quits, and the surgeon ordered a pick line. 

This was about a 2 hour process of laying very still while a nurse placed a iv in my upper arm with a ultrasound.  Very pain-free and nice nurse.  She told me how they hadn't had a Pick-line infection since 2004 when the nurses started placing them instead of doctors.

Rob wanted to be with me for the procedure, but we had literally no child-care.  A friend had run into Rob as he was headed out of the hospital and volunteered if he needed help watching the kids she would.

She made a mistake as Rob ended up calling her as asking her to keep them for the day.  Rob kept Jeremiah as he's very easy-going and doesn't know this friend as she's from Joyce, and it would have been very hard on him to leave with a total stranger.  My kids however knew her and her kids well.

So Rob showed up and we waited for me to be wheeled for the procedure and watched the port Angeles harbor out the window.  All of a sudden I gasped and said "A whale!"  Sure enough there was an orca in the harbor.  Jeremiah, the nurse, Rob and I watched it until it left.

I was wheeled down for the ERCP.  This one goes down your throat, and they placed a stent around the blockage   I fully expected to wake up in screaming pain after that one.  Find to my amazing suprise when I woke up I felt GOOD.  The pain I'd had all weekend was gone.

More drugs, and talking with Rob who went to go get the kids almost immediately, cause he could see I was doing fine.

Tuesday morning I got up, showered.  WAlked a couple circles around the hospital island.  WAs felling quite good.  The surgeon mentioned Thursday as a go-home date.  Rob was in Clallam Bay I was by myself a bit lonesome, but feeling great.

And then about 10:30 I got a bit cold.  I requested a blanket.  And then another one.  And then my teeth started chattering.  I was so cold.  The nurse took my temperature. 101.

The next 3 days are the true-blur.  I called Rob about 5:30 in the evening bawling.  I felt so awful.  I just wanted him there to hold my hand.  My mom called from the motel she was staying at and must of heard my desperation.  Rob said he'd call Brittany my oldest sister at home and just have her babysit.  My mom shortly after that said she was headed home.

Surgeon came in and told me the x-rays were showing that I still had a pool of bile.  He suspected that was causing the infection.

Wednesday morning I had a CT scan.  Kinda weird, A little bit freaky--just mildly so.  I went back to my room.  And continued on in my fever.  I had been no-food due to feeling nauseous the night before, and no food for the CT scan on Wednesday.  So when I got back to the room I picked up the phone to order breakfast.  (the hospital has a room-service thing now that is way cool--and tolerable food even).  The dietician apologies and says I'm still not allowed food.

About 30 seconds later the nurse walks in and takes away my water bottle and gatorade, and informs me I'm going in for another surgery in four hours. I just nodded my head in my fever, and went back to sleep. 

Had the CT surgery.  I was awake for that one.  It had one very ouchie moment, and I had to have my hands above my head which was first very uncomfy until I compliained and they proppped them with pillows.

I came back, Rob kissed me, and we talked.  From Tuesday night on he stayed with me in the hospital at night, and spent most of the day entertaining and being with the kids.  Wednesday night my fever went up (wrong direction LOL) And Rob informs me that Dr F just stood there and stared at me for a long time with a scowl on his face of concern.

The next morning a radiology nurse comes in and tells me their going to pull the pict-line.  Its the only other thing dr F can think is causing infection.  They pulled it.  And about three hours my fever broke.  My night time I feel like a totally new human being.  Just WAY better.

Friday I had a fever for about an hour, but very low-grade.   Friday night Dr Flower says we can go home Monday, Sunday possibly.

Saturday morning he comes in, and says I will need to keep the new tube.  But he takes out the old one.  (ouch).  At that point he mentions that it got bumped out of place at some point.  After he leaves Rob and I both remember the OUCH and shriek I'd done the Sunday before.  We're sure the nurse dislodged it.   *shrugs*.  

Dr Flower says I can go home with the tube in, but somebody needs to flush it.  I remind him my hubbys a RN.  Great concern lifts off of his face.   "Well, I'll have someone come in and teach him how.  Rob gets to do real nursing.  ROFL.  He takes to it easy peasy lemon squezy.  And about half way through the day Rob and I discuss I'm feeling much better and home is starting to sound doable.

Dr. Flowers comes in while Rob is gone with kids in evening on Saturday night.  I tell him Rob is doing well with the drain, and we'd like to go home tomorrow.  HE beams from ear to ear and shakes my hand.  LOL.  

HE forgets to tell the nurses though, so they were a bit suprised the next morning--though no-big.

Rob was up and out of the hospital by 6:45 to go get the kids (opposite direction from home).  Dr. Flowers comes in about 8:30 and talks to me.  I explain whats going on, and he says have the nurse page me when he comes in, so I can consult with him.

We did that.  Did the discharge stuff.  Rob ran and got prescriptions (two kinds of antibiotics) and as soon as he got back we were out of there.

10 very very very very very long days.

I'm in mild pain from time to time.  But have BELOW zero energy.  And a long ugly plastic drain thingy hanging out of me.   It will be there until the week of the 10th.

It was mentioned sometime during the week I will have to have another surgery to take the stent out.  But wasn't brought back up again, so we'll find out about that at our visit. 

The drain is leaking very little bile now.  (a very very good thing)  and will more then likely be pulled in a week and a bit.  (another "owie)

My stomache is covered with "little" owies.  Drain holes, laprascropic holes.  And 10 days of twice a day hephrin shots.  Sooo beautiful.

But I'm home in my own house listening to Rob yell at the kids to clean.  THe sun is shining.  And I even walked around half of my circle driveway today.  Its soooooooooooooooooooooooo good to be home.

Long Busy weekend.  Share a few of my 75 plus pictures.  Some of which aren't even off my camera.

Clallam Bay baton team waiting for the parade.  We have more kiddos, but they were on vacation this weekend.

You want sand with that?   Jeremiah thinks eating is serious business.  This was in the evening waiting for the fireworks at one of our local beaches.
We were a bit nervous as the fog was very thick.  But as the evening progressed God blew it away.

Our new friend Aslan.   He's a tea-cup chihuahua.  He should be less then 5 pounds fully grown.  We found him at the parade a lady was selling him for a very very low price.  So that was sweet.   Kaylin loves him.  She is also still grieving Cookie, but it will all smooth out eventually.

Rob and Aslan bonding.

The battle with the fog.  Our fireworks were going to be shown from the middle of that bank.

Sam caught before he could find some place to duck out of the camera!  LOL

Zeria with the sunset glowing on her face.  I love the shine.

Diggin' in the sand.  Jeremiah was sooooooooooooooooo  tired by this point.

More battles with the fog.

And then it moved to Vancouver Island.  Woot.  And all you can see is the very tips of the mountains.

Excellent sunset clouds.

There goes the sun--and the fog is totally gone.  Cheers

Pink sunset water.

Family Love.  *Snigger*  Waiting a little longer for the fireworks, and getting a bit colder.

Insane boys.  Yeah its blurry, but its so boy, I had to put it.

And that's all I have off my camera.  I still have pictures of the funrun, but I'll do those later. 

I just did a full day of grocery shopping.

Pulled in the driveway, Honked the horn for Jamari to open the gate.

He opened the gate.

All the dogs and kids came running to meet me.

Most of the dogs looked out.

And I managed to run over our favorite.  The only dog Rob has loved.   And the second dog for Kaylin to loose in less then a year.

Its not really a good day.

So Zeria's bday technically isn't until the 18th.  But for many reasons she got it early.

And man was she psyched.  Rob walked down to the neighbors to get the gift.  While the neighbor came to visit.
When I saw it coming down the highway I told Zeria to go to my bedroom and I blindfolded her.

This was the FIRST she knew she was getting it early.

We walked her out carefully just as Rob was bringing Salsa in the gate.

I unblindfolded her and she SCREEEAMED she was so excited.

"Friend, you cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom.
And what one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
 The government can't give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody.

Stole the above quote from a friends facebook.  I really really really like it!

So the girls annd Rob have been bugging me to go up Charlie Creek for awhile.  This is the small creek that runs into our slightly bigger river.  So tonight I had no excuses and we headed up.

The storms of last winter did a nice thing, and its wider and easier to get up here this year.  They even made a path around a MONGO spruce that fell down two winters ago, that I couldn't figure out how to get over last summer. 

A rather large fern even for here.  You can see how it dwarfs Zeria. That's big for a fern even around here.

One of the trees I ducked under, but I took it for the way the sun was filtering through the leaves.

Yet another of the big trees on our property.

And the real reason my girls wanted me to go.  Kaylin found TWO more Dipper nests.  And the bridge they are nesting on is lower, so I was able to take awesome pictures of the wee-ones.

I was a bit shakey by the time we got to the bridge, so we climbed up to the road while Rob made the jog back to get the car.  I'm used to eating a low carb, high protein diet.   It is what keeps me out of hypoglycemia.  But due to the gallbladder which is supposed to be low-fat I'm having  a hard time finding high protein food that is low fat.  And I keep getting the shakes.  *sigh*    If its not one thing its another.

While I was waiting I had to take a picture of my neighbors house.

I love her house.  She's one of only four houses on a wee dead-end country road that our property abutts to.  Rob and I both agree of all the houses in Clallam Bay this is the one we covet the most.  LOL  Its even still on "our" creek.  And smack dab next to 'our"  river.  Ahh well, it'll never be for sale, but its fun to admire.

~~~~~~~~~
In gallbladder news I had my ultrasound today.  And I have several large ones.  I don't know how many that actually means.  And one is in the neck of the gallbladder which puts me at high-risk, and none of the local surgeons want to deal with it.  So there's a strong likelihood that means TWO or threee irritating trips to Seattle.   Its such a long long ways to Seattle from here.  Olympia is so much easier to get to, but the "good" doctors are all in Seattle.  *growl*

So I'm supposed to watch my temperature--if I get a fever I'm to head to the ER immediately--not that they want to do anything at the ER, they already referred me out. 

And if I get yellow I'm supposed to go to the ER. 

Or if I have extreme pain.

Course I have recently learned my tolerance for pain is much higher then I suspected, nobody is quite sure how I've lived with them this long. 

Happy Fourth to me.  I can't eat any fun fourth food, and I have to get the shakes too. 

This morning was not normal as Rob got up before the crack of dawn to head to a required class for work.  He took the class and called to see if he needed to call in sick for the rest of his shift so I could go get the ultrasound.  As per usual doctors mess up plans, and it could be Thursday before I get the referal, though we are going to attempt to push that as I HURT.

Anyhow he called I said, you can go to work.  He said, "I'll come home until then."  And I started working through my brain the plan for the day.  He arrived ten minutes later with a beaming grin on his face.  "My boss already made arrangements for someone to come in--he said he'd sign the sick leave himself, I don't have to work." 

And that left a extra day to play.  *cheers*

So pain not-withstanding we headed to a trail we haven't hiked in quite awhile.  The last two summers they were reworking the road to the trail, and as a result its been awhile.  I've been wanting to go this summer, and I know that moving around I feel better.  Its sitting, and laying down that suck.  So we packed a lunch within five minutes, had the kids grab coats, and headed out. 

The trail meanders through and down for almost a mile until this the first of several way cool vistas.  I can never remotely begin to take the appropriate pictures of here.  The shadows, and the depth are never enough.  But trust me when I say it was gorgeous.

Tatoosh Island a now unmanned light house.  A man we go to church with had the amazing opportunity of helping build a marine biology station out there three summers running.  Its virtually impossible to get out there without that kind of chance.  Its soooo cool!

there's a closer up view of the lighthouse via my telephoto lens.

A seagull nesting on a very very steep cliff.  Yes we saw it turn its eggs shortly after I shot that picture.

Several of the "pirate" caves that intrigue me, that you can't get to, but you sure can admire.

And a rest break on the way back up the hill.

This afternoon I napped, and woke up in lotsa pain again.  I suppose it was the cheeze I ate.  I have very little in my house that fits what you can eat on a gallbladder thats messed up.  And very little money until the first.  So I'm trying to find something that doesn't hurt.  Its not working out so well. 

Yeah its been that kinda week.

I'm still holding onto my new found peace.  But I've done it in the midst of severe pain.  I didn't blog about it, cause I was trying to work above, over, and around it.  Which by the way doesn't work.

I had BAD under the shoulder pain Wednesday, starting about 4'ish.  And then it went away towards Friday night...which just lingering achiness, and exhaustion.  And then it came back even worse last night.

I was doing ice/heat/ rocking/rolling, and Rob kept offering the ER.  Zeria and Rainee had a spat of some sort in the bedroom (an hour after they were supposed to be asleep)  and I called them to me to deal with it...and started sobbing.  At that point Zeria and Rob became the adults, and we loaded all the kids into the car and took the 35 minute run one way to the ER. 

The doctor was pretty sure it was gallbladder before he even entered the room.    I won't know for sure if that's the case until Monday or Tuesday when I can see my regular doctor and get an ultrasound set up.  In the meantime he gave me a demoral/phenocane shot which enabled me to sleep last night, and sent me home with vicodin which I haven't taken as of yet.

I'm in a tolerable level of achiness right now, and will save the vicodin for night. 

If it is my gallbladder I'm going to be mad at myself, cause I've dealt with this back pain for YEARS.  And my chiropractor even tried to suggest over five years ago that it could possibly be that, but I tuned her out.  Finally when Dee reported her gallbladder issues and eventual removal a slow light bulb came on, but not enough to get me to the doctor.

And Tuesday at baton when I was dealing with small amounts of pain one of the baton moms said I looked like her hubby who had his gallbladder taken out.

And still stupidly enough I didn't go to the doctor--have I mentioned I hate them.

So apparently extreme pain will get me there.  LOL  And probably all of the little hints are right.

The good news is it would sure be nice to do away with the occasional extreme attacks of pain.  I've read somewhere that laproscopy surgery doesn't *always* work, but darn...if it mostly works I'm willing to take the risk.  LOL  

Oh and avoid red meat like the plague--because on three seperate occasions when I've eaten a french dip or prime rib I've been in SEVERE pain...which I can realize now that I start thinking diet rather then how did I move wrong.