Let's start with the good news........A week ago Sunday, we went out to lunch with Leighton & Kaitlyn, Wade & Kristina, Leighton and Wade's parents and siblings and both sets of grandparents. After we ordered our food, Leighton and Kaitlyn passed out cards to everyone and had us open them all at the same time. I had a very good idea what was enclosed :o)
This is what our card said:
Needless to say, we are all super excited. Baby is due to arrive around February 8th. What a lovely early birthday present that would be for me since my birthday is the 18th! Kaitlyn has been experiencing *Morning Sickness* ALL DAY! Poor girl. I went out to visit her and Kristina last Thursday and brought her this..........
We are so blessed to be welcoming another grandbaby into our family. In our opinion, there is no such thing as too many grandbabies!!
Speaking of a week ago Sunday, Around 9:00 p.m. that evening, Michael and I were sitting here watching TV when all of a sudden I began to experience terrible abdominal pain. My stomach got all swollen and hard, almost like having a major contraction. It lasted for several minutes and then I threw up. At first we thought maybe it was food poisoning, only the pain didn't go away so Michael took me into the ER. We sat there 3 HOURS and were never seen!! The pain lessened a great deal so we came back home around 1:30 in the morning. The next day, Michael brought me into Urgent care. They did a bunch of blood work and sent me to get a CT scan of my abdomen. All the tests came back fine except that I was pretty anemic. My iron level was 8.5 and should be around 12. So they suggested taking iron supplements.
The pain would come and go but never left completely. When I went out to visit the girls on Thursday, the pain began again so I cut our visit short. As I was driving, the pain was getting pretty intense. I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to drive home. We live an hour away from the girls and there is NOTHING between us and them but mountains. I text Michael and asked him to pray for me. I made it home and immediately threw up. Michael left work and took me back to the ER. This time we went to a different hospital and we were seen immediately. The Dr did a bunch of blood work and some X-Rays of my abdomen. Again, everything came back fine. The Dr was puzzled, but since he couldn't find anything and I was feeling better, he sent me home.
Friday (the 14th) we were back in the ER. Thankfully the same nurse and Dr were there from Thursday night and remembered us. The Dr said he was not sending me home until we found out what was wrong with me. So, he admitted me. Here is a picture of me that Michael took of me in the ER.
They sent me back for more X-Rays and blood work. This time my blood work showed my iron levels were lower, 7.9, my bilirubin was 2.5 and should be under 1 and my liver enzymes were elevated in the 400's and should be under 30. At first the Dr thought possible hepatitis. Since I was feeling a bit better, he decided to let me go to sleep and scheduled an MRI for the next morning. The MRI revealed I had a large stone (the size of my thumb), lodged in my main bile duct. Even though I had my gallbladder out 19 years ago, you can still get stones.
The ER Dr. transferred me to a different hospital on Saturday afternoon because he wanted the best surgeon to do the surgery. Wade, Kristina, and Kaitlyn came to visit me Saturday night. They brought Michael his Father's Day cards and gifts since they wouldn't be together on Father's Day. It was nice to see them.
For some reason, I was pretty fearful of having this surgery. I have had had many surgeries before and have never been fearful. Michael prayed with me and I was in continuous prayer for the Lord to take away my fear. The morning of surgery (Sunday), all my fear was gone. The Dr's told us the surgery would last 2 1/2 hours. Thankfully, everything went better than expected and I was out of surgery and in recovery in 45 minutes. Praise the LORD!
Monday afternoon the Dr's came in and were concerned because my hemoglobin levels went down to 6.7 which is dangerously low. I had to have a blood transfusion and received two units of blood. They took blood tests again on Tuesday morning and my levels came up to 9.5 so I was released to come home. Michael picked me up after work and brought me home.
I have three incisions. One is right above my belly button and the other two are located on the left of my belly button. One under my rib cage and the other a couple inches below that. I'm sore and bruised but healing well. I am extremely grateful the Lord brought me through the surgery and all is well.
Kristina's 19th birthday was on Monday, the 17th. This is the first time we have not been with her on her birthday. I have to admit it left me weepy. While we are happy our girls are married, we are still trying to adjust to them being gone and things being different. Maybe next year we call all be togther to celebrate? Here is our beautiful girl.....
Hard to belive our *baby* is 19 already. Time really does go by way too fast! We love you bunches and bunches, Kristina <3
Wow. You must have been bleeding somewhere too, to have your iron levels dropping like that! Hope your recovery goes well!
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