Surgery in Style

Leading up to my cholecsystectomy (gall bladder removal), I was very reluctant to have it done. It turns out to have been a good thing we went ahead, as there wer a lot of stones (several the size of peanuts), and quite a lot a "gravel." More seriously, there was a stone and some gravel in the bile duct, which could easily have turned quite nasty and needed to be gotten out.

Mitcham Private is a nice little hospital (no emergency room, unfortunately), but clean and nicely laid out (for an instiution, that is). And while of course after such an operation you don't have much of an appetite, I was very impressed by the menu. I don't recall seeing beer or wine on American hospital menus...

They kept me in two days to ensure all was well (which it was), and I was able to head on home. I do have to admit that having to stay in bed in a hospital room really isn't much fun, especially with only 3 or 4 television channels, chilly hospital room temperatures, and even the bed becomes uncomfortable after about a day. In theory, I like the idea of being waited on hand and foot, but there's lots of competition for attention in hospital...but they were still quite good and helfpul overall.

I'm definitely glad to be home among family friends! (FYI, I do have pictures of the stones but didn't want to post them in case someone really didn't want to see them!)