Here is the short story: Eric had his gall bladder removed on Tuesday. Fun. After weeks of gall bladder "attacks" that we interpreted as food poisoning or a stomach bug along with major pain on his side, it was determined that his gall bladder was not functioning properly and needed to be removed. He is doing okay.
Here is the long story: He ate some late night fast food from Sonic about a month ago and got really sick. Our conclusion -- No more Sonic. Then, a few days later, he ended up on the couch and knew he was going to get sick the minute he got up (which he did). What's up!? He continued to look sick and feel terrible. Finally he went to the doctor, the week of June 15. He got some Prolosic and maintained a fluids diet for 24 hours to rule out acid reflex or weird foods. He felt a little better but had blood work and an ultrasound done. Results came back the day before the kids and I left for the midwest. We all smiled as results were normal and said, "Yeah! See you in a week." The kids and I left for a week in MN and WI. Eric would join us the following Saturday for another week, concluding with the 4th of July reunion with his brother's family.
After we left, Eric had an all day fishing adventure in the Jemez with a friend, hiked Wheeler Peak with Chaco, went fishing after work. He felt fine until the night of Tuesday, June 23 when he had another "attack" in the middle of the night. He returned to the doctor and shared his family history of gall bladder removal (Eric's mom, aunt, and cousin had theirs removed). The doctor scheduled a "radionuclide scan" for Friday, the day before Eric was scheduled to fly to Minnesota and meet the kids and me. This test uses radioactive dye to check gallbladder function, look for signs of an infection or bile duct obstruction. When they did the test, the radioactive dye couldn't even get into his gall bladder because it was either totally clogged or gone. Surgery was scheduled for Monday when the surgeon returned to Los Alamos.
So Eric spent the weekend alone as Steve in MN, Julie in WI, and I made plans for the kids and I to drive back to Wisconsin, return the rental car, and fly out on Monday morning. Even though we didn't see our other cousins, have dinner at my dad's new house, or make any new midwest memories with Eric, we were so thankful to get home to help him. Surgery was on Tuesday - one-hour laparoscopic procedure through his belly button. He was knocked out and, after an hour of recovery, I took him home. Outpatient surgery is crazy!
Goodbye gall bladder. He has slept on and off, watched a lot of Wimbledon, and stayed still more than he can believe. After days of popsicles, Gatorade, and Jell-o, he has slowly returned to eating normally. We are so thankful that they figured out what was wrong and were able to fix it. Tomorrow he'll be back at work.
If you wanted to know more about the gall bladder, read on: "The gallbladder (or cholecyst) is a small non-vital organ which aids in the digestive process and concentrates bile produced in the liver. The gallbladder is a hollow organ that sits in a concavity of the liver. In adults, the gallbladder measures approximately 10 cm in length and 4 cm in diameter when fully distended. The gallbladder stores about 50 mL of bile, which is released when food containing fat enters the digestive tract, stimulating the secretion of cholecystokinin (CCK). The bile, produced in the liver, emulsifies fats in partly digested food. After being stored in the gallbladder, the bile becomes more concentrated than when it is left the liver, increasing its potency and intensifying its effect on fats.
Gallstones may develop in the gallbladder as well as elsewhere in the biliary tract if bile builds up and hardens. If gallstones in the gallbladder are symptomatic, surgical removal of the gallbladder, known as cholecystectomy, may be indicated."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallbladder
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