Rarely in my life have I had this decision to make. I've had surgery once, when I got my tonsils and adenoids removed and tubes put in my ears. I was six, and yes they did that all at once! For weeks before the surgery I was promised (bribed, really) that I would receive a huge bowl of ice cream after the procedure, and it honestly made me feel a bit better about it. I still remember choosing the flavor of goo that they put underneath the anesthesia mask (cherry) so it's more appealing for kids. Kind of a neat idea, but silly too - I think I smelled cherries for all of five seconds before I was gone. So now that I get to decide if I want to have gallbladder surgery, I'm not sure what the best choice is. If I get it removed, I have to follow the same diet that I've adapted myself to since the attacks started: very low-fat, mostly whole grains, fruits, veggies, and nothing acidic, greasy, or high in fat. But it's different for every person I'm finding. I can't have tomato-based soups, but espresso doesn't bother me (thank GOD). I can eat In-N-Out cheeseburgers and fries, but not peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Go figure?? I've been doing a lot of online research since I haven't gotten to talk to the surgeon yet and most people who have had the surgery describe their diet to be the same as what I am currently doing. My thought of course was, if it's the same diet and I'm not experiencing pain as long as I eat like this, then why go through surgery if it doesn't really improve anything? The one thing I'm unsure of is how this is affecting my other organs, and how it will affect them long-term. My liver enzymes are very high, my pancreas is inflamed, and my spleen is larger than it should be. Should they bear the brunt of my unhappy, irritated and somewhat stubborn gallbladder? I'm inclined to say no. And so I'm still debating, and praying about the best option! I really don't mind eating well...since I've lost 24 pounds on Weight Watchers I've gotten into a style of eating that I like and which is good for me, so it's not really going to involve anything new. i'll just be one organ less than normal. :-)
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