Guess where I am? Guess where I am blogging? Wish I can say that I am in a vacation somewhere or in some far-flung exotic place waiting to be explored. Well, SURE there will be a lot of exploring from where I am. But not in a good and exciting way. As I write, I am at the eighth floor of Asian Hospital and Medical Center waiting to be literally "explored and opened" by my good and trusty surgeon (but not the McDreamy-Burke-McSteamy-Addison variety).

I was admitted last Sunday after severe stomach and back pains which I experienced around 4:00 in the morning. I cannot sleep, tried walking, and even tried to induced whatever I ate the night before. This is my second hospitalization in barely a month. The first one was just for a routine Endoscopy to check my abdomen and other internal organs where I was diagnosed with Gastritis. I stayed for only two days and was discharged immediately. This hospitalization is rather different. I was in so much pain last Sunday that the medical staff at the ER had to pump around 3-4 dosages of pain relievers in my IV varying from Buscopan to Demerol before I was relieved.

To make the long epic short, a quick read at my ultrasound indicated that I've been keeping a 1.2 cm big, bad, nasty gallstone in my gallbladder. My Gastroenterology doctor immediately referred me to an Internal Medicine Surgeon and he advised that I undergo Open Cholecystectomy as soon as possible to avoid another batch of "gallstone attacks". In English, they will be removing my gallbladder (yep, as in the whole organ) pronto at 2:00 pm tomorrow, March 28.

I was truly surprised. I never expected that it would be THIS bad. This is truly a giant meltdown since our family just spent 24 whole days at Medical City last December/January when my dad was hospitalized due to leg infection caused by diabetes. He's barely recovering and I am now here about to go under the knife, too. 2007 is slowly becoming one of my least favorite years. Tsk, Tsk, tsk.

I'm actually fine NOW. I am blogging and writing even if an IV line is attached to my right hand with dextrose and a Metrodinazole 100ml on it (antibiotics for the surgery). My left arm is the battered one with three blood incisions and the hospital tag. I am just pissed that I have to pee once every 30 minutes because of the continuously flowing water in my veins. I am also in a low fat diet and is not allowed to take any sour and spicy foods nor drink any caffeine or carbonated drinks. I am bored to my wits with nothing but TV to amuse me. I've already watched anything that Pinoy Big Brother can offer, a lot of Oprah, Double Jeopardy, the US Figure Skating Nationals, gazillion movies at Star Movies and HBO and I am planning to re-watch again for the 3rd time Grey's Anatomy Season 3 which I ripped for my iPod last week. I even did some worksheet computation for Binchy for a certain project that we have to launch a couple of months from now (I am kindda guilty for missing work again).

Am I scared? Yes. I know that this is a huge operation. I can actually die, right? Seattle Grace surgery patients - as we know - truly have high mortality rates, right? The Anesthesiology Resident went to my room this evening and told me that they will be applying General Anesthesia on my spine since this is a major abdominal surgery. That's scary. Then there's the four-finger wide incision and slice that would scar my stomach. Great! Twenty-eight, single and with a giant scar to boot!!! Oh well!

So, here goes another unfortunate adventure of my already twisted life. Whew! My Marketing Teammates (Binch, Ros, Mon, Obet), Ms. Nitz, best bud John and friends Ate Omie and Ate P already visited me. A lot of friends and cousins already sent words of prayer and encouragement. I guess this is all for now. I now have to rest and watch another lengthy senatorial debate on the tube.


P.S.
I was texting earlier with one of my bestfriends, Olen, and told her that my surgeries might have something to do with my resignations and attachment to my companies. When I resigned from Honda in June 2004, I've undergone emergency grafting surgery in May 2004 for my right ring finger before finally throwing the Honda bucket. Then there's the recent Goodyear resignation and this surgery. See a pattern? A vicious cycle? Then how about in Carrier? What body part do I have to leave and detach for the then resignation? Easy answer! It starts with an H and ends with a T.