I teach, I'm a teacher. I am in love with literature. There I said it. I am a book nerd. I salivate at the thought of obtaining new books or now ebooks {love that kindle of mine, thanks hubby}. I read the stories over and over again. I repeat, I am a book nerd. With that being said, the state believes that inspiring a student's love of literature isn't enough, they want to test every single aspect of what they have learned over the course of the year. Here I was trying to pull these early memories forward, preparing for a friend's baby shower and my baby sister's nuptials. Oh and my stomach felt like it wanted to reenact the Civil War one night. I did what any busy mommy/teacher would do. I took some Tums slept in the opposite direction than normal and wished the pain away reasoning with myself that I could indeed do that. Turns out my magical powers only allowed a two day truce with my stomach and my ever growing schedule of things to accomplish.
After the baby shower was over life settled down, state testing was the next night what the students knew they knew and we were prepared as we could be to send off my little sister into wedded bliss until early Sunday morning {4 a.m. to be exact} the war started to resume and I knew it wasn't good. I woke my slumbering husband who asked in confused tones, "wha, you're going to the where? what time is it? okay text me when they tell you you're fine". So, off to the emergency room I go to ease my fears of an exploding appendix. After telling the nurse my symptoms I was immediately sent back and set up with an IV. Not the cocktail I had been dreaming of, but at least I didn't scream when she put the needle in. After seeing a few doctors, {I luckily made in to the ER right at a shift change} they confirmed that my gallbladder would need to be removed and that it would be happening sometime today. {insert silent scream here}. I texted one of my students so they would know what was happening {I know weird} along with the hubby who immediately went the "oh crap, sorry I thought you had gas" speech. Not really thinking about my gallbladder or the intensity of the surgery I agreed and mumbled, "the naughty gallbladder has got to go!"
Almost twenty-four hours later my gallbladder was removed with four incisions with one being larger than it's mates--evidently they had to 'tug' a little to get it out. I asked if I could go back to work in the next few days, swing dancing, yoga and to my sister's wedding--which was in five days and I was the matron of honor. The doctor looked at me and smiled clearly believing that the anesthesia held a tight grip on my faculties. Ha! Little did she know I was serious until I tried to walk or go to the bathroom.
Nothing is more humbling than asking someone to help walk you to the bathroom ---so you can pee with an audience.
Lesson learned: Gallbladders and other internal organs can be naughty and may need a permanent time out. Also, just because you think you're too busy to take care of yourself you're really not in charge of what will happen next.
In case you're worried {the two people who read this blog} all worked out fine. I was able to be with my students as they finished up their state testing {I wasn't supposed to, but I worked out a a deal to be with them in the morning during testing}, hobble down the aisle in my baby sister's wedding and watch her enter the newest phase of her life all the while realizing that life doesn't always have to be jam packed to be worthwhile, because swing dance waits for you even if you're hobbling during the triple step.
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