Gallbladder Surgery

Since Zoë was six months old, I have had many gallstone attacks.   They are EXTREMELY painful, and come on quick.   Some may last 10 minutes, while others hours.  I had planned on getting it removed over a year ago, but I decided to take a pregnancy test the night before my surgery and found out I was pregnant with Tenley.    They didn't want to operate on me while I was pregnant so I had to postpone it.    So on Friday, I finally had it taken out.

I was very nervous about surgery, not so much the surgery, but getting put to sleep.   I had never been put to sleep before, as the only surgery's I have had was my c-sections, which they kept me awake for.   It was so weird as I was wide awake, and then someone told me to think about a beach and then I was out.   I don't remember closing my eyes, or even feeling slightly drowsy.  It was SO instant...

Recovery is better then a csection, but still quite sore.   I am supposedly not allowed to pick up more then 5 lbs for at least a week.    Which means I cannot pick up Tenley, let alone with a carseat.    Which makes it next to impossible as I take the kids 3x a day to school, and I have Tenley to watch while Lee's at work. So we will see how long that lasts...

I have 4 seperate incisions, which will blend well with my stretch marks.  

If you are interested in what the surgery entails, this is a description

The Laparascopic Gallbladder Surgery Procedure

The gallbladder is a small organ whose function is to store and release bile, which is a digestive fluid secreted by the liver. Bile performs the critical function of breaking down fats so they can be absorbed by the digestive tract. 

Gallbladder removal surgery is called for when gallstones have formed, blocking the flow of bile and leading to attacks that can cause severe pain and discomfort.

Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery

 
With the invention of the laparoscopic procedure in 1989, the surgery can now be performed through several small openings, can be completed in one to three hours, and has a much shorter recovery time.

• After the patient is anesthetized, the abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide to create enough space that the surgeon can both see and maneuver inside the abdominal cavity.
• Next, four tiny incisions are made, including one in the naval.
• A laparoscope is then inserted, which is attached to a camera, allowing the doctor to see inside the abdomen and identify the ducts and organs.
• Using the camera and screen as a guide, other instruments are inserted through the other incisions. These instruments are used to close off the ducts and blood vessels with small metal clips.
• The gallbladder is then separated from the liver and from the ducts and arteries running to it.
• The gallbladder is drained of all fluid through the naval opening and is then removed through that incision.
 

 • The procedure usually lasts about an hour to an hour and half.

After getting out of surgery, and out of the recovery room I went to the day use beds where I stayed for a few more hours before being released.  I was really drowsy, but I remember asking them to get my husband but since he was gone the first time they went to get him (think he was at the cafeteria) they didn't get him again until over 2 hours after my surgery.   

I know Lee is excited to get back to work (well he starts with my dad tomorrow), so a new job.   But having to take care of me and the 3 kids mostly on his own has worn him out.  

Luckily I won't have to worry about getting anymore gallstone attacks now!

 

My ever growing baby girl

 

Tenley's hair was way past her nose, and even when I had it up in a ponytail, little strands would get loose and cover her eyes.   So I decided to get her bangs cut, which has made a HUGE difference.  She was so good at getting them done.

     

Having her bangs cut makes her look so much older.  

  

Zoë loves to help take care of Tenley, and play with her.  They have such a close bond, she can get Tenley to smile so easily when she comes in the room.   She will feed her, change her diapers, and help me carry her while i'm still healing.    Not to mention just playing with her and making sure she's included in any family time.

She currently army crawls, but she is getting on her hands and knees and rocking to start crawling, I give her less then a week.  She says the sounds ma-ma and ba-ba.  I haven't been practicing sitting with her much, but she's almost to the point where she can get to a sitting position herself.  

She is now eating cheeries/puffs, baby mum mums, a few different baby foods, and rice cereal.  

She is sleeping so great at night now, over 10 hours a night!

Tenley is so happy, and very rarely cries.    She goes down for naps very well, and can play on the floor for so long playing with her toys and learning new tricks.

Bath Time

A better quality video of her having fun at bath time

A Peek in the Past - Zoe 3, Dreyton almost 2

first solids

Tenley is 6 months old (almost 7 months).  We started her on rice cereal at 5 1/2 months as she was not sleeping much at night and we could tell she needed some solids to help her sleep longer.

Sitting up for her first time in her high chair

First taste of rice cereal

Open wide!

She gagged the first few times, until she got the hang of swallowing

Hmm. not bad.

Tenley at 6 months old.   She is now army crawling, which has been kinda nice as she loves to entertain herself by rolling, crawling, and playing with her toys in the living room.   She can stay there for a long time now that she can move where she wants too.

My happy baby girl

 Her two teeth sticking out.   Hoping the ones on the top won't come for awhile as I am enjoying my happy, content baby girl.

She was sitting up on her own for this picture, she can sit for little bits at a time.

Big Brother helping

Big Sister helping (luckily now she can for the most part hold her own bottle!)

Playing in her usual spot in the living room

Zoë loves to get pictures with her little sister

Something is usually in her mouth 

She LOVES the bath!   She tries to get me as wet as possible.

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School 2012

Dreyton is in kindergarten!  hard to believe, I have two school-aged kids.  He LOVES going, and meeting new friends.  He is so social and will go up to kids and talk to them without feeling shy.   He is really good going to his kindergarten doors by himself, and waiting in his class line to go in.   Eventually I will feel comfortable just dropping them off in the drop and go area knowing he will be fine getting to class.


He misses Zoë (aka Mama to him lately)  but LOVES that he can eat kraft dinner (orange macaroni) daily since she isn't there to complain (as she only likes white macaroni) for lunch.

Zoë is in grade 1!   crazy, and sad to have her gone all day long.    She had a hard time adjusting to school now that its full time, and a different school for the first week.   She is getting better now.  She will go in to school on her own now, without having two teachers drag her in, while she's crying for me.   She has a big smile at the end of the day and is excited to tell me all about it.    Now that she's making friends she is more comfortable staying at school for lunch.   


Last night on Sept 10th, Zoë lost her first tooth!   She was so excited as she was one of the last kids in her age group who hadn't lost a tooth yet.    She had me check to see how loose it was (as she did this almost daily), I wiggled it a couple times and it popped out.   Here is Zoë, with her toothless grin.