I also didn't really feel like smiling. Anyway we'll skip the prep details (aren't I nice?). The next morning we arrived at the hospital just down the road. Scranton is nice and small and easy to navigate the streets although the directions provided were nice. I was feeling blue because I hadn't met anyone yet from the doctor's office. The nurse couldn't get the I.V. in. No surprise. That was the only spectacularly colorful bruise I had. Anyway, after they put it where I told them it works, that was fine. We finally met Dr. Reich and Dr. Redan. I wanted to make sure they had rested and eaten and was willing to wait for them to do these things, even though it was mid-afternoon by this point. They had already worked so hard that day. I wanted fresh minds and hands. Dr. Reich made me feel like he would never let anything happen to me while I was under his care. The strength of his personality combined with his absolutely astounding amount of knowledge about adhesions went a long way towards stopping my terror.
They explained the whole procedure, a little hole in my belly button to join the others and then they expand the abdominal cavity and look around. They then put three little holes, two on one side and one on the other. I was "out" of course. They then spent three hours cutting a huge column of adhesions that went from my old pelvic "bikini cut" to my liver and intestions. My liver was also attached to my diaphragm. The adhesions had just started to wind around my intestines. It reminded me of a weed we have in the garden. They also found a few odd adhesions here and there. The column was the most spectacular. I have pictures, but the intestinal one was the most dangerous. According to the doctors "It was as good as it gets" meaning it went very well, I guess. They could find the beginning and the end of everything( which I hadn't realized is sometimes very difficult. They were also able to cut them all away without damaging my organs, which are healthy. Praise the Lord.
Anyway, I stayed one night at the hospital where I had a morphine drip, no tylenol for this girl. Anyway, its bad for your liver. The staff there is very friendly and nice and make you feel at home and like they care. The next day I went back to the hotel (which has no windows that open, so its all re-cycled air) and the next day, my mother, husband and I drove to Albany where we had a family reunion in one day. Lots of hugging and kissing.
Then I boarded a plane for 3000 miles of agony, flying through a visually spectacularly beautiful electrical storm which bounced my poor, sore insides around. We them drove home over the worse roads in the world. I used to think they were nicely paved and civilized, but no more. They're demons- out to get my boo-boos. Anyway, We're home, I hurt, I'm Glad I did it, I haven't got the bill yet (though we paid $5,000 upfront) and I'd do it again. I think Dr. Reich and Dr. Redan know how to operate on adhesions and are probably two of a VERY SMALL group of doctors who do know what they are doing. I thank them from the bottom of my heart and would recommend them.
Love to everybody and as I get more energy back, I'll start e-mailing you personally. If you want a phone call you need to give me your number and I'll call you. I couldn' t have done it without my friends on the board. You've given me faith again in the human spirit and the will to live. Thank you all so very, very much. Sally Grigg 707-964-6725