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Saturday, August 31, 2024

Post-Op Report

We're on Day 5 without a gallbladder and I feel pretty good, though my bellybutton is still not talking to me.

For reasons I truly can't explain, I went into this surgery thinking it was very small and minor and I'd be back at work the next day. Because of this, I had to do a lot of actual work on Wednesday between regular (if accidental) naps, but I course-corrected and basically hibernated all day Thursday. I think I was awake for 2 hours total that day. I took Froday just as slow, but I was awake for all of it and got to have a few friend visits to spice up the day. I woke up this morning feeling materially different than the last few days- no pain (my last pain pill was yesterday afternoon) and a general feeling of being less... fragile? tender? Just more solid.

In celebration, I spent a few hours catching up on work emails and then a friend brought me lunch and drove us to get our nails done! It really was lovely- my first time leaving the house since Tuesday morning when my belly button was assaulted.

To recover from my little field trip, I'm back in pajamas in my bed binging Love is Blind UK (so great), and thinking we should catch up on my life back before four new holes got cut into my body.

On Monday, back when I still had a gallbladder, I was off to work in one of my new outfits from Ayron.
And got dinner with a dear friend who is moving to Dallas from New York!
Also on Monday: Cora broke her arm at recess.

I love how she looks genuinely annoyed at her bones for letting her down. This third baby has shit to do, how dare gravity best her.
It's a fairly small fracture at the growth plate, so she's in a splint for 2 weeks. If she's still in pain by then, she'll need a real cast. On the upside, she really is feeling pretty good AND we hit our medical insurance deductible months ago so you know, bring on whatever medical expenses we were apparently scheduled for.
In other child news, I continue to violate teen texting rules. If it's not my accidental insistance on punctuation, it's my failure to respond with the appropriate amount of speed and enthusiasm.
Someday I'll learn all the rules.

Also before my surgery, which I may have wildly underestimated but did understand came with some eating restrictions afterward, James and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary a week early!
19 years of marriage! You guys, that's so many years!
I decided/hinted strongly that 19 years is rainbow Chanel. And look! It's the pair of earrings I fell in love with on The Real Real that I also maybe sent to James!
I love them so much. And they kind of go with the amazing shoes he bought for me a few years ago.
Love is rainbow colors.

This is the longest I've been awake in a few days, so I'm going to bed. I leave you with this picture someone took with my phone of me and Maggie. I am wearing the same pajamas. The continuity makes sense.
Night night!

8 comments:

  1. Gentle hugs and love the earrings!

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  2. Hmmm...wondering if there's an executive physical option that's not an employer benefit for people to use (likely private pay, I'd assume) ...
    Hope everyone is healing up - that's a lot of medical stuff in a short bit of time!

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    1. There absolutely is! My firm doesn't have an account with the clinic I used (The Cooper Clinic in Dallas), so I just book it and put it on my firm credit card and they pay the bill. To the clinic it looks like a self-pay option. It's $$$$ (I think mine was $8,000?), but a lot of partners also pay out of pocket for their spouses to get the same physical with them because it's just so thorough and efficient. James is going with me next year and we're paying for that!

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    2. The clinic also told me they will give you the documents to submit to your insurance as many of the tests are covered. I didn't for mine, because the firm doesn't require it, but we definitely will for James! Just google "executive health" or "executive physical" in your city. I think Methodist in Houston is the hospital to go to there.

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  3. Aww poor Cora! Like Mother like daughter ready to just keep going. Glad you are recovering!

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  4. Thank you for the info about the Cooper Clinic! I had my gallbladder removed about 3 years ago--I was in the middle of a major work project, but still in COVID WFH, so I took it easy and took lots of naps. I had a co-worker who did not follow any of the post-op protocols, ending up in the ER, and almost died. I can no longer eat chocolate covered raisins, which are a comfort food for me, but I've moved on. I can now eat onions without major issues. You will find a food that you can no longer eat and you won't know, until you've tried it at least twice. If your gallbladder was close to non-functional, most likely, you won't have any major diet changes. Thank for continuing your blog and letting us on this journey with you! --Liz in Fort Worth

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  5. Thinking of you, and hoping you're recovering well after your surgery (see what I did there!). And finding some time to rest before getting back into things. The Executive physical looks amazing - I haven't found a local provider but will keep an eye out!

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