sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:36 PM
Original message |
I just had my gall bladder removed. Ask me anything. |
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My first post and by God it should be a trivial one. And a hug or two would be appreciated.
:woowoo:
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EstimatedProphet
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:38 PM
Response to Original message |
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I had very severe reactions to mine-2 months of near deadly jaundice. Be careful.
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sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:43 PM
Response to Reply #1 |
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I just got back from the hospital a couple of hours ago. So if I'm going to be ferried up Shit's Creek, it'll take a few days. Doc did the laparoscope procedure; certainly not as bad as the whack open and dig out old way.
Thanks for the heads up and I will pay attention to self. I had a mini bout of jaundice when the thing blew up - nasty.
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noonwitch
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Fri Feb-10-06 01:37 PM
Response to Reply #3 |
29. I had that done in 1992 |
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They kept you overnight in the hospital back then, just for one night.
The next morning, even though I really didn't sleep much, I was feeling better than I had in a very long time. The surgeon told me I had one huge stone that was almost the size of my gall bladder. He said everytime I ate, I was getting obstructed. I certainly was throwing up bile during the worst attacks.
I dropped my family doctor over the whole thing. He didn't believe me when I first told him I had the stones, and wouldn't give me any prescriptions for painkillers. Then he dicked around with the referral to the surgeon once he did get the ultrasound results back.
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:42 AM
Response to Reply #29 |
45. Yikes. That had to hurt. |
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Well, my doctor does listen. In fact, he asked me what I thought was going on.
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Call Me Wesley
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:42 PM
Response to Original message |
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And a virtual :hug: for comfort. Good vibes!
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sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:46 PM
Response to Reply #2 |
6. Thank you Acting Ensign Crusher (I always kiss up to officers, |
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then bad mouth 'em behind their backs). :evilgrin:
I've been hanging out here for about month now, but it's such mob scene that it takes time to meet and greet everyone.
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cassandra uprising
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:44 PM
Response to Original message |
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My sister had that procedure done a year or two ago. I hope you heal quickly and welcome to DU! :hi:
:hug:
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sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:54 PM
Response to Reply #4 |
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And thanks for the welcome. This is a great place. Duh, it has great people.
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Midlodemocrat
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:44 PM
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5. Did they do it laparoscopically? |
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That's how I had mine out. I was up and about within 24 hours. No problems at all.
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sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:52 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
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If you must have surgery, it definitely the way to go. So far, I haven't even needed any pain killers. I hope I follow your good example.
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Love Bug
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Thu Feb-09-06 04:57 PM
Response to Original message |
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You'll be fine. Just watch out for really greasy food once you heal. "Dumping" is no fun!
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sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 05:34 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
10. I'm on the South Beach diet |
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Dr Agatston will hunt me down and beat the stuff out of me if I go near anything greasy.
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ccjlld
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Thu Feb-09-06 05:52 PM
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11. Even if you don't need painkillers |
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Take it easy! You're likely to be sore for a while. Had mine taken out about 2 years ago and the surgery was a breeze. Unfortunately I'm allergic to the Steri-strips they closed my incisions with so had to deal with hives!
Like I said, take it easy, even though you're feeling pretty good, you still just had major surgery.
Heal fast and Welcome to DU!
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sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 06:04 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
13. Excellent advice, ccjlld. |
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I've had surgery before and I remember the high you can have afterwards. So yes, I'll take it easy. Good excuse for the spousal unit to do some housework, eh, eh, eh.
Thanks for the welcome.
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TheProphetess
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Thu Feb-09-06 06:00 PM
Response to Original message |
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Here's to your fast recovery! :toast:
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sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 06:05 PM
Response to Reply #12 |
Crazy Guggenheim
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Thu Feb-09-06 06:05 PM
Response to Original message |
sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 06:07 PM
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16. Thanks CG. I'm working on it. n/t |
SoCalDem
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Thu Feb-09-06 06:08 PM
Response to Original message |
17. A painfree hug coming your way |
sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 07:00 PM
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21. Oooo, that felt good. |
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Love your icon, SoCalDem.
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Taverner
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Thu Feb-09-06 06:08 PM
Response to Original message |
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hope you're OK....if ya dont mind me askin, why did they remove it?
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sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 06:54 PM
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19. Feel quite well, Taverner. |
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Edited on Thu Feb-09-06 06:56 PM by sarge43
It just wasn't working anymore.
A gall bladder produces fatty acids which it pumps into the liver which the liver then uses to help break down proteins and fats. When it starts to fail (an infection can narrow the feed tube, it can be flogged to death by overuse or it just gets old), the bile will start to pool within the sack and form gall stones, then the owner starts becoming aware that a gall stone trying to make its through the feed tube can hurt as much as a kidney stone. Plus, pooling bile just loves to get infected. And in case the owner doesn't have enough fun, the bile can back into the liver, flooding it and owner gets (drum roll) jaundice. It isn't serious in itself, albeit you feel like crap; however, the digestive system is a Rube Goldberg device. If one thing goes wrong and isn't corrected, the domino affect kicks in. Doc Feel Good said the ultra sound showed a narrow feed tube, so I probably had a low level infection in there which produced just enough scar tissue to bring me to this message.
Now, the liver can work quite nicely without the gall bladder so long as owner stays away high fat foods which, of course, is always good advice.
So, more than you ever wanted to know about screwed up g.b.s
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Shine
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Thu Feb-09-06 07:00 PM
Response to Original message |
20. Wow, glad everything is OK with you. |
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I am sending you best wishes for a speedy recovery... :hug:
May abundant Good Health be yours! :toast:
:hi:
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sarge43
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Thu Feb-09-06 07:04 PM
Response to Reply #20 |
sarge43
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Fri Feb-10-06 12:07 PM
Response to Original message |
23. Well, looks like time to let this one sail off into the sunset. |
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Thank you everyone for the hugs and good wishes. They really did help.
:loveya:
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purr
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Fri Feb-10-06 12:08 PM
Response to Original message |
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I need to get my removed in the near future - Im not showing typical gb problems - but its full of stones and a 15% hida scan.
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:20 AM
Response to Reply #24 |
32. As said purr, piece of cake. |
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Don't put it off if you don't have to. If it does blow up on you, it's miserable as hell and you have to cure any infection before the surgeon will have anything to do with you.
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land of the free
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Fri Feb-10-06 12:20 PM
Response to Original message |
25. hope you're feeling better... I had mine removed a year ago |
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I feel dramatically better. It was a quick surgery and a pretty quick recovery.
I didn't have gallstones, but my HIDA scan showed that my gallbladder was only working about 10%. The doctor warned me that removing it may not actually fix the abdominal pain I was having. It did. I felt dramatically better the very next day.
One thing to note: eat fatty foods in small quantities. as someone else mentioned. For example, I can have three eggwhites with no problem, or one whole egg, but two whole eggs make me feel a bit queasy. Without the gallbladder, your body can only handle so much fat at a time. Take it slow, try different foods to see what your system can handle well.
Now that your abdomen is healed up a little more, I'll give ya a hug. :)
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:26 AM
Response to Reply #25 |
34. Thanks for the lovely hug |
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Yeah, I do understand about fatty foods. Who needs them anyway.
Eggs don't seem to be a problem. In fact, that was my post op snack - a cheese omelette.
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Nicholas D Wolfwood
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Fri Feb-10-06 12:21 PM
Response to Original message |
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I hope you're feeling better!!! :grouphug:
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:27 AM
Response to Reply #26 |
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"Thank God and Greyhound you're gone."
I feel fine, Vash. Thanks.
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hedgehog
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Fri Feb-10-06 12:22 PM
Original message |
sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:15 AM
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31. Well, if I had the thing, I'd put it on ebay. |
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Hey, everything else is there, up for sale. :silly:
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rockymountaindem
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Fri Feb-10-06 12:22 PM
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27. Did they give it to you in a jar? n/t |
sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:29 AM
Response to Reply #27 |
37. No, nothing was said about it |
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A local blackmarket in used gall bladders? Mmmmmmmm?
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mwdem
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Fri Feb-10-06 12:23 PM
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28. Welcome to DU! I'm recovering from surgery I had last week. |
sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:30 AM
Response to Reply #28 |
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So, what did you have done, mwdem?
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mwdem
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Sat Feb-11-06 10:34 AM
Response to Reply #38 |
48. Look at my avatar and you can figure it out. |
sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 11:19 AM
Response to Reply #48 |
mwdem
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Sat Feb-11-06 11:24 AM
Response to Reply #51 |
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I'll get through this. As with everything else, you just do it.
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land of the free
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Sun Feb-12-06 12:05 PM
Response to Reply #54 |
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we'll be thinking of you!
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MissMillie
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Fri Feb-10-06 01:59 PM
Response to Original message |
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I know mine was when I had it done in '02.
Hope you mend quickly!
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:36 AM
Response to Reply #30 |
40. Yup. In and out in about four hours. |
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Thanks. I seem to be mending well, eyes to God.
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KitchenWitch
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:24 AM
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33. I am putting off having mine out |
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I figure I have had enough surgeries in my life...
Tonsillectomy Neck Biopsy Staging Laparotomy Lumbar Laminectomy Rhinoplasty Total Hip arthroplasty Total hip arthroplasty revision
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:34 AM
Response to Reply #33 |
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Well, don't put it off for too long. As said up thread, it's miserable when it turns nasty.
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KitchenWitch
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:37 AM
Response to Reply #39 |
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I have occasional attacks.
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hedgehog
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Sat Feb-11-06 12:35 PM
Response to Reply #42 |
56. Just make sure you aren't self diagnosing gall bladder attacks |
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My mother's self diagnosed gall bladder attacks turned out to be coronary arteries that were about 95% blocked. Fortuately, she got the roter rooter man in there before the heart attack.
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 01:38 PM
Response to Reply #56 |
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Doc ran an EKG on me just to make sure it wasn't the ticker.
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land of the free
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Sun Feb-12-06 12:08 PM
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62. yes, and gallstones can move |
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Edited on Sun Feb-12-06 12:09 PM by land of the free
if you have gallstones, sometimes they can be of a size that will go in and block your pancreas. (I don't mean to scare you here, but you have to watch this stuff!) I know three people who have had this happen, and they ended up with emergency surgery and a very long recovery (one person almost died). I don't think this is an extremely common problem, but it just happens that I know three different people who had this happen in a year and a half.
Be very careful, and follow up with your doctor regularly. Get the opinions of at least two specialists, too.
Take care!
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Redstone
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:29 AM
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36. So why are you up so early? You should be resting. |
sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:38 AM
Response to Reply #36 |
43. It's northern New England, Redstone |
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We go to bed early (8pm); we get up early (4am).
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Redstone
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:39 AM
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44. Hey, I grew up there. I know what you mean. |
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Lunenburg, Vermont.
Redstone
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:46 AM
Response to Reply #44 |
47. Lovely place, Vermont. |
entanglement
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:37 AM
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41. Do you plan to eat your gallbladder? |
sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 06:44 AM
Response to Reply #41 |
46. If they had given it to me, |
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I might have had it made up into a tasteful brooch.
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gollygee
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Sat Feb-11-06 10:45 AM
Response to Original message |
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I had mine out 2 years ago and they've been good years!
Take care of yourself and I hope you have a speedy recovery from the surgery!
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 11:20 AM
Response to Reply #49 |
CatholicEdHead
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Sat Feb-11-06 10:51 AM
Response to Original message |
50. Did they let you keep it? |
sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 11:23 AM
Response to Reply #50 |
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As said up thread, the subject was never brought up and, having seen a couple, I wasn't the least bit interested in having one parked in the fridge. :wtf:
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hedgehog
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Sat Feb-11-06 12:32 PM
Response to Reply #53 |
55. Keep it in the fridge |
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Now there's an idea I hadn't thought of. I'm not sure if I would or wouldn't.
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ScreamingMeemie
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Sat Feb-11-06 12:37 PM
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57. Did you wake up in the middle of the night...with a searing, stabbing |
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pain in your midsection? That's what happened with mine. And I begged MrG to get me out of the house before the kids woke up because I was sure I was dying.
Feel Much Better Soon!!! :hug: :hug: :hug: three hugs!
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sarge43
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Sat Feb-11-06 01:33 PM
Response to Reply #57 |
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My attack felt like mega heart burn with cramps that lasted for a couple of days. Unpleasant, but nothing like yours.
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graywarrior
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Sat Feb-11-06 01:10 PM
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58. Did they let you keep it for bronzing? |
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