I'll be the first to admit that this is a lame cartoon (no offense to the lame, Johnny) but it's been a wild ride here for a few days. Daughter Jarlsberg was having sporadic back pain that the local Doc-in-a-Box clinic diagnosed as muscle strain. It sort of ebbed and flowed for about a week, then on a Saturday (of course) the pain suddenly "went to 11" as they say.
So off to the emergency room and a battery of tests, revealing gallstones blocking the ducts of her pancreas AND liver (in hindsight, her suddenly turning orange should have been a clue). Morphine didn't touch the pain, but Dilaudid did. Mostly.
Monday they did laparoscopic surgery to remove the gall bladder and any blockages, and today (Tuesday) I brought her home for further recovery. I'm currently running on sleep deficit and anxiety overload, but everything went smoothly and everyone at the hospital was exceptional. In a good way, unlike what you usually see here.
I appreciate the messages of support! -Stilt
15 comments:
Everyone, Stilton's little one played "who blinks first" with the Reaper and won. Let's give three cheers to her, and another three cheers to doctors! (The half-competent ones.)
Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery!
If the Frenchman was dehydrated we could call him Pierre.
My thoughts are with you and your family!
Been there, done that, and would never wish it on anyone! My gallbladder ended up bursting and I was in the hospital for three days before they figured out what was causing the pain and finally operated. My best wishes for a speedy and comfortable recovery from a long time reader that rarely comments!
BTDT as well. Not fun. I was a-stone-ish to find the gallstones to be little grains of sand; based on friends' prior experience, I was expecting fatty lumps...
I'm so glad the diagnosis was somewhat timely and that she was in the OR quickly. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for the both of you.
What is the treatment protocol for De Gaulle stones? Dissolution in Vichy water?
Was the old French guy unusually tall, with an unusually big nose? He could only have had de Gaulle stones.
@Stilt, we are all happy to read that Daughter J is doing better. Thanks for the update!
@Readers- Your comments are much appreciated, as are the gags ("Pierre," indeed). Although Daughter J is home, she's still hurting quite a bit and I'm in full-time caregiver mode (you should see me heat up a can of chicken noodle soup).
Regarding the DeGaulle Stones, the doctor said he'd never seen anything like them. Apparently they were quite an Eiffel.
My first gall bladder attack was the last one, the stone pinched off the artery and it 'died' so had to come out 'right fuckin' now'...except there weren't any anaesthesiologists available under 'socialized medicine' that night so I had to wait a few days, while it went gangrenous and I ended up in the hospital for weeks instead of overnight and it's taken a half dozen more surgeries to try and fix the mess the alleged 'doctor' made of the 'tiny' laproscopic incisions he made taking it out...since he dropped it and contaminated the whole abdominal cavity and also made an incision in the worst possible place and I still have a massive abdominal hernia whereit keeps splitting open that looks like I'm pregnant. Wife had hers out almost exactly a year later, no lingering problems. My mother died some years later from gall bladder cancer...extremely rare, 'one in a million' but still not a good way to go, possibly one of the worst :(
My question is answered...JO was inspired by DJ! Now I need to take drugs so I can forget another groaner..."Eiffel"? Waa-wa
also, ow ow ow
I'm glad she's doing better!
The people who graduate at the top of their class in medical school go to research hospitals. The middle group go to local hospitals. The people at the bottom of the class? Doc in the box.
Mine was half filled with "sand". Instant relief after surgery. Not a single issue since.
The ones who got their crayon diplomas in a country where 'witchcraft' is a legal diagnosis end up here in 'socialized medicine' because it's racist to deny anyone a Dr's position based on qualifications...that last part is absolutely true, immigrants are specifically exempt from taking the board exams other Dr's have to take (and supposedly pass) to practice legally...so there's no chance to catch a fake Dr. before they're turned loose with a scalpel and a prescription pad.
BTDT as well. I am a stubborn cuss, I had 5 or 6 gallbladder attacks before the wife (good woman that she is) made me go to the ER. I had a large stone blocking the bile duct. Glad that the daughter is recovering.
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