Expendable Organs

It's a very odd idea to realize some of your organs are expendable, and not an idea I ever thought I would have to consider.  Three days ago it became a reality when I had my gallbladder removed due to it being diseased and full of gallstones (I mean, how terrible a word is gallstone, yuck!).  

Several months ago I began having some health issues, that I just brushed off as really bad heartburn.  My boyfriend, who works in the medical field, kept telling me to make an appointment and get "scoped", I kept putting him off and popping Tums like Milk Duds.  A few weeks ago, I definitely knew it was more than heartburn when I ended up in the ER for the most excruciating pain I had ever experienced,  Once examined in the ER and labs upon labs upon labs were ran, it was there I was diagnosed with gallstones.  (Again, ew, such a gross word.  Along with gallstones I also had "sludge".  It is the actual medical term, I asked, multiple times what the "real"word was.  "It's sludge.").  Following the diagnosis, came more tests, more painful days, and finally a quick removal of my gallbladder.  I went in for a surgical consultation on a Monday, and had my gallbladder removed on a Thursday.  Apparently, the thing had to go, soon!  I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a mix of emotions.  I was happy to get the issue taken care of and start feeling better, but I was also terrified of a surgical procedure, no matter how "routine" I kept being told it was, on an organ that wasn't really "necessary".  Uh....why is it in our body if it's not essential to our well-being?  It's was a hard fact to wrap my mind around and one that caused me major anxiety up until and even a little post-operation.

I am now in the recovery phase, day three post-op.  There is some tenderness, some pain, bruising, tiredness, and still some anxiety on my part  about how my body really will function down an organ.  However, I am reminded through this process how comforting it is, at any age, to have your parents come and take care of you.  Nobody else in the world can take care of you like your parents,  My parents have been here every day but one since my surgery.  Even when I told them not to come, they came anyway, and just having them here, has helped tremendously.  

I continue to be leery of what food I am putting in my body for fear something will send me into a tailspin, but maybe this can be my new diet plan!  Need to lose a quick 10 to 15 pound?, Have an organ removed, just make sure it's an expendable one!