The devil in my stomach and its set backs

I've had a rough couple of weeks. My stomach issues are becoming more prominent and unrelenting. I guess it all started back in August when I felt the need to indulge in a little fried food. You know the late night hunger devil, cheese sticks, onion ring kinda sampler. Well, I paid for it by awakening with some cold sweats, angry stomach pains and ending with vomiting up all the deliciousness. This happened again the following night, although I don't really remember what I ate. This does happen sometimes, I do have a sensitive stomach when it comes some things and I consider myself a decent puker...this certainly doesn't make it any better. Well it happened again a couple weeks later, this time burger king, again I don't typically eat that type of food and am definitely paying for it. Lesson learned.
Hmmmm, more and more 2am is the witching hour and its really getting annoying. I like my sleep, who doesn't? My breaking point was the night before the Niagara Falls Marathon. This time I ate salad with a piece of grilled salmon on top. Certainly not anything bad. Jeepers, 2am strikes again! This time I didn't get up I didn't want to waist my precious food energy, for I have a race in the am. After about a 1/2 hour of pain I finally fell back asleep. This was followed by daily vague nausea with the occasional right upper abdominal fist sized pain under my ribs. I called my GI doc and got in right away. He says he thinks its my gall bladder and order up some tests. Unfortunately these weren't going to be completed til 3 weeks later. In the meantime I might wither away and die (super dramatic, I know). I complained to my medical director at the hospital and he got me in at the end of the week. Sometimes who you know DOES make a huge difference. The right upper quadrant ultrasound was normal and the Hida scan which tests function was also normal. Not the gall ladder = no surgery which makes me relieved. So now what? I'm not eating right. I'm sticking to the food groups of soup, tea, bread, and veggies.

This is tough to fuel with, when your just getting back to running. I'm feeling extra tired and weak. Add this to working extra and I'm due for afternoon nap time on my one day off, yup-I skipped my run and slept two glorious hours.

My doc scheduled me for an endoscopy at the end of this week.It's interesting to think, 'I hope they find something' because I'd like to take care of it and move on, but yet I don't want something wrong with me...just think about that paradox.

By Wednesday, I started feeling a bit better. Monday, I had this delicious bagel-which made me super excited

 and devoured some chicken. 

Then Tuesday night a burrito bowl from Moes which I was prepared to rid from my body at 2 am, but I didn't have to work Wednesday, so I was accepting my fate. I awoke with my two beauties at 8am no vomiting. This set me up for a fantastic day. It was a seasonally warm day out so we hung out in trees all day.

Thursday was super busy at work so I didn't get a chance to eat, which was good for me because no eating = no pain. I met Brent after work and we did more strength training. Some fundamentals for the Turkish get up, some dead lifts and more presses.

Phil and I ate an amazing dinner and I mentally prepared myself for the early am procedure. 

The alarm went off way too early but I struggled to me feet and got dressed. I arrived to the place that I work every day but this time as the patient. It was super weird for me. They were all very nice and took great care of me.

Don't let this smile foo you, I was very nervous.

The nurse went over the procedure and my husband held my hand. She offered me a heated blanket...Yes please! and then told me Logan (one of my friends) would be doing my anesthesia, score #2! I quickly texted her and she was happy to provide VIP service, not sure what that entails but I'll take it. Along with all that good news, one of my favorite anesthesiologists would step in to help as well. Wow-it really pays off to work at the hospital.

She placed an IV-ouch! and started some fluid. 

The waiting was over and they started to wheel me away-Logan in the drivers seat. I kissed phil good bye....

That's it, that's all I remember. I woke up confused, in a different place, that handsome husband at my side looking at me. Wait, what happened? I thought for a second they didn't even do the procedure but they did and that's what they meant by VIP service. Good sedation = no recollection. Apparently the doc came to talk to me but I was 'sleeping it off,' he updated Phil and let me rest. The anesthesia doc checked on me 3 times and yup, still sleeping. Everyone just let me rest-it was beautiful.

Diagnosis...still unanswered. a couple biopsies were taken to test for H-Pylori and he is referring me to a surgeon to re-evaluate my gall-bladder.

When we got home my awesome husband got me a heated blanket, set up the couch, and got me a bowl of ice cream to accompany Netflix-I just adore him.

Focus on the icecream-not the dopey eyes ;)

To be continued, I guess