Health Update

I've been hurting all year (sounds more dramatic when I say it that way) and I went in to my PCP at the end of January. Urine test showed bacteria so I went on antibiotics for a UTI. After I was done with the meds, I felt a little better, but I still had a lot of abdominal pain. So I went back to the doc at the beginning of March. I had an ultrasound and barium swallow imaging. The barium showed a sliding hiatal hernia (the top part of my stomach slides up and down through the narrowing where only my esophagus is supposed to go) and reflux. So then I got an upper endoscopy (camera down my throat to look at the esophagus down to the beginning of my small intestine) and there was definite esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus) and nothing else - no ulcers or anything like that (yay!) so I was prescribed some serious reflux meds and told it would take a couple of months on the meds before the esophagitis was gone. (boo!) Then the ultrasound came back and revealed gallstones! So I made an appointment with a surgeon. I had some gallbladder irritation after Liam was born, but I went on a completely fat free diet for about 6-8 weeks and a little rest was all my gallbladder needed cuz I had no problems after that. Until this year. Where I have no pregnancy hormones to blame, and definite, multiple stones. No doubt about it, it has to come out this time. This will make my 3rd abdominal surgery (appendectomy, hysterectomy and now cholecystectomy). It's not so bad - it'll be laparoscopic (been there, done that! twice!) and the recovery is 1 week to normal/light activity and 2-3 weeks to heavy activity/exercise. (so, 1 week for me since I don't do any heavy activity or exercising) The real complication though, is the 11 day European vacation we are supposed to go on at the end of this month. So like, 2.5 weeks post-surgery. Yup. We are doing everything we can to make sure I don't have post-surgical complications, but you just can't account for EVERYTHING. Sometimes things just happen that no one could have predicted. Chad talked to a gastro surgeon he works with who said he will put me in right away if I have stones that get stuck in my biliary duct and need removing, so that's covered (and comforting. they'd take me right away anyway, but it feels reassuring to know there are people who know us willing to help.) It's too late for trip insurance (pre-existing condition) or cancellation. And we've been planning this trip since October - I am dang well going!!! It is a stressful situation to be in. And sadly, there's no guarantee that this will solve all my abdominal pain. I mean, this is treatment #3 for me this year. If I'm still in pain mid June, it'll be time to look for what else could be wrong! But it comes in threes, right? So I should be fine.?