You know what’s weird? Being relieved when you have to have surgery to remove an organ. Lil confused? let me elaborate.
So at the start of the new year I was having some issues: chest pain, nausea, digestive difficulty, all kinds of shit. Naturally given the state of the world I was a little concerned as some of these are consistent with Covid-19 and other somewhat serious heart problems. Chest pain is always one of those things where it’s like do I need Tums of am I having a heart attack you know? I get in touch with my doctor and naturally she is concerned, she suggests the ER, but that would be a 7hr endeavor that neither of us thought was a good idea. I was slated for imaging and some labs and we were going to see what the hell was actually going on. Coincidentally the day I needed to go into downtown to get all this done, some IDIOT domestic terrorists decided to create a clusterfuck in DC. Lovely. Just Lovely.
Finally I get all my shit done, and we have gallstones, and I need surgery. I cannot tell you how relieving it was after this MESS to have what I would deem a normal person problem. Not something related to my chronic illness, not something rare, or incurable, or that will require years of trial and error with 15 different treatments. But a NORMAL problem fixed completely by a simple surgery. I was elated: a reaction neither the radiologist nor my surgeon were prepared for. But that’s the fun of being a complicated patient. Making medical professionals uncomfortable.
Ultimately my surgery was delayed due to the security measures placed in downtown Washington DC thanks to the IDIOTS, talk about collateral damage. Despite the mess, I was easy breezy going into this because I had so much confidence in the process and the outcome which is something so foreign I think for a lot of us in the chronic illness community. Doctors hardly ever come out and say, yes this will fix the problem. There is a minimal chance of issues. I am confident I can help you. Which honestly is a major bummer, but makes it all the more wonderful when it does happen.
My surgeon was lovely, we had matching clogs (always a good sign), and of course I was the “learning patient” of the day so there were hella students. The trainee anesthesiologist stabbed me 3 times with no success, poor kid. And BLESS the actual anesthesiologist who pumped my IV full of benadryl which made my post OP experience about a million times better. God I just love benadryl, I even have a little decorative bowl (one that you might put candies) out in my home that just has benadryl in it so I can pop ’em with ease. Ultimately recovery was a breeze and the problem is GONE. What a concept? It’s cray.
Anyway, thanks for making it to the end of my rambling surgery saga. The point of my sharing this is mostly just to highlight the fact that it is so bonkers to me the difference between an acute “normal person” health problem, between the chronic health issues I face on a regular basis. Just this magic of pain, diagnosis, treatment, done. It feels like that’s how healthcare should work, but it feels bizarre because that hasn’t been my experience for the past 15 years. I loved having a for lack of a better word, “normal” or routine issue. Granted this issue caused an incredible amount of fallout in my other systems, cuz inflammation, but I’m going to take this one as a win.
Note: I had multiple appointments, medical deliveries, and my actual surgery delayed or cancelled due to the actions of the Capitol Rioters, and I don’t know your politics or how you’ve ended up on my page, but I was lucky this wasn’t life threatening. However, for some people it was and they didn’t have access to care. Collateral damage you don’t really think of.
No, Really, I’m Fine. 