gallbladder & more

Well, I just noticed it has been a while since I posted. Since my last post, we went to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, for Jill's nephew's wedding. The wedding was beautiful - on the beach, great weather - a little hot, breeze off the ocean. During the trip, I did had another gallbladder attack. This one was a little milder and I was able to handle it with the pain meds I had been prescribed at the ER. After this 2nd attack, I shifted to eating virtually nothing but fruit. And the resort offered lots of pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon, mango and papaya. So...fruit for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I managed to not have a 3rd attack.

When we arrived home after a grueling travel experience, I was visited by Montezuma's revenge. Over the next week, my bowels were pretty much evacuated. It turns out that around 8 from the wedding were also afflicted.

On July 1, I went for scheduled gallbladder surgery. My gallbladder was removed using laparoscopic surgery. So, I have a small incision in my belly button where they inserted a light and camera and 2 small incisions where they inserted surgical instruments and removed the gallbladder. Apparently, the gallbladder was extremely inflamed, full of gallstones and had lots of "stringy things" on it. He removed it all. Surgery started at 2:00 and I was home by 6:30. I was told that recuperation would be 5 to 10 days. I've been frustrated because I had hoped to be back to normal more quickly. Today is 5 days and I am now starting to feel better.

This morning, I had a trip to the Cancer Center for a brain MRI. This is a regular follow up scan. Jill drove since I am not yet sure that I should. My belly felt every single bump in the road. I didn't take a pillow; so, I held my belly as much as I could. The MRI was on time and the scan went as usual. I have had many brain MRIs; so, it was pretty much as I expected. Head in a cage. Loud BOOM, BANG, BUZZ, HUM, CLANG, etc. After about 45 minutes, we were on our way home. I, again, felt even the most minor bump. I see Dr H regarding the MRI at the end of July.

I was exhausted when we got home. I immediately took a hour and a half nap. I will need to consider whether I am ready to drive to work tomorrow. It's the same route and distance as the Cancer Center. And I probably can't expect to take a 90 minute nap at the office.

Next lung CT is later this month. I expect to hear that all continues to go well with the Crizotinib.