A Room With A View

Dateline United Hospital May 2023

Gangrene.  Necrotic tissue. An infection of the homeless, earthquake victims, 3rd world countries, the poor whose health care provider is the ER and then only in the most dire circumstances. 

When my wife worked at a VA hospital, she was processing a patient for cataract surgery when she was treated with a foul smelling odor emanating from his foot. When the shoe was removed, a couple toes fell off. Gangrene. The patient cursed her profusely for cancelling the cataract surgery in favor of a foot amputation. (A week or so later he returned a thanked her - profusely - for saving his life).

So when the surgeon informed me I had a gangrenous gallbladder, I was shocked and a bit embarrassed. I had clearly failed gallbladder maintenance 101. 

But where is the gallbladder and what the heck is it for? I knew it was part of the internal organ cluster but it apparently is something you can live without. There are no gallbladder transplant specialists so it’s well down the list of vital organs. But having gangrene sloshing around your innards is a definite problem. I am told It was a near run thing.

I had been experiencing low back pain on arising for a few weeks.  I chalked it up as a muscle issue since a hot pad dissipated the pain. But on Wednesday evening I was suddenly stricken with severe abdominal and back pain, a doughnut of fire just below the diaphragm that forced a dead of night trip to the ER. In hospital time I went very quickly from ER to OR for a laparoscopic procedure to remove the dead organ.  

After an overnight in hospital, remarkably, the first of my life,  in a luxurious 2-bed room with a view of the St Paul Basilica and James J Hill house, I am now recuperating at home under Carol's care - a big upgrade from the night nurse. I am now under much less pain although when needed opioids are a godsend. 

So consequences?  Gallbladder- holder of gall - implies it entraps (or releases) my ill humors. As in the old-time carburetor commercial, 'here you are with it, here you are without it'.  Which is better?  I guess we'll find out.

So please remember to incorporate those gallbladder exercises into your daily routine. You really don't want a gallbladder attack.

Dave

Copyright ©  2023  Dave Hoplin