Surgery...It's a long one

Wow! The last few weeks have been a blurr. Lindsey was sick on Halloween, throwing up all day. Early Saturday morning I thought I was getting sick. I felt pretty nausious but never threw up. I felt fine the rest of the day. Early Sunday morning around 3:00am, I had intense, never felt that way before, pain. I wanted to throw up thinking that it would help me feel better but I never did. I couldn't lay down, sit up, or walk. Most of the time I spent pacing back and forth in my bedroom. I almost asked Steve to take me to the emergency room. I finally threw up once but it did not releave any of the pain. Steve gave me a blessing and I was able to sleep for a few hours. After I woke up the pain returned. After about 24 hours it reduced to just being uncomfortable. I was talking to my mom and she said it sounded like I had a gallstone attack. I looked it up on the internet and yep....I had all the symptoms. I decided that I should probably go to the doctor. I went to the doctor on Tuesday. He ordered some blood tests and an ultrasound. The next day the doctor's office called and confirmed that I did have gallstones. They referred me to a surgeon. I called and made an appointment for the following Tuesday. After I hung up, I decided that next Tuesday was almost a week away and I didn't want to wait that long. I was still really sore and uncomfortable. I couldn't eat hardly anything because that made the intense pain come back. So I could starve or be in pain. I called the doctor back and the nurse said he had another office and I could call there to see if I could get an appointment sooner. They had an opening the following day...Thursday. Steve and I met with the surgeon and he recommended surgery. So he said "how 'bout tomorrow?" They scheduled my surgery for 12:00 on Friday. This was fine by me. I didn't want to hurt like that ever again. Around 10:30pm I was sitting on the couch finishing some laundry before I went to the hospital. I heard someone run to the bathroom and start throwing up. I think it was Charity.....then Steve....then Braeden! Oh yeah...Kylie called us the day before when we were meeting with the surgeon and she had thrown up at school. So I have 4 people in my house that are throwing up! The night before I go in for surgery! I called the Relief Society president and asked for help. She found someone to take me to the hospital. It was Anna Weaver. We serve in the Primary Presidency together. She had another lady in the ward tend her two little kids so she could go to the hospital with me. She stayed until about 4:00pm and then drove my car home. Valerie Gordon, the Bishop's wife, and she is also in the primary with me called and checked on my family to see if they needed anything. They all felt better the next day. Steve came Saturday morning to take me home. I think it was a blessing that they all got sick at the same time. I didn't have to be there to clean up and I didn't have to worry about tending sick kids while I was trying to recover from surgery. My kids never get sick at the same time. It usually takes a week or two for something like that to go through everyone. Once I got home the kids were so cute. Steve bought me one of those horns that go on a bike. If I needed anything I was to honk the horn...shortly after I had three kids in my room...(Kylie, Braeden, & LIndsey) People from the ward also brought in meals and tended Lindsey while Charity and Steve were at work. We have been truely blessed by those around us. It has been really hard being in Texas without family to rely on for help. We have such a wonderful church, ward....the gospel. What do people do without it?