Gutted Like a Fish

Thanks to all who have been praying for my surgery and recovery. God is taking great care of me.

Everything went well. At least I think it did. Last week is pretty hazy. The surgery lasted about 2 hours. When the doc got in there, it was clear that the cyst/hematoma was in my spleen. It had not attached to anything else, which is very good. He had warned us that it could have been attaching to whatever else it was touching. The only hitch was that it was too big to pull out. He had already made about a six inch incision and didn't want to make it any bigger, so he drained the thing until it was small enough to fit through my six inch whole. I think he said it was 14cm around. They sent the whole thing to pathology. Pathology reported that it was nothing more than a hematoma surrounded by a cyst. I know this sounds strange. I could be remembering wrong. After all, I have been under anesthesia. The last time that happened, I couldn't remember my last name or the year.

As to what caused this thing, no one knows. They said it could have been there for 5 months or 5 years. They kept asking me if I had been in any sort of trauma, like a car accident. No. I think I would remember such a thing. I did have a small accident on a four wheeler last summer (I'll have to tell about that later), but I hit my arm, not my abdomen. Does birthing a 9lb 3oz baby count as trauma? I was traumatized to the point of crying like a child. Maybe Luke hit my spleen in utero. He does have quite the throwing arm.

Anyway, after 6 days in the hospital, I am home and recovering well. I am weening myself off the pain meds. I am now able to survive the day without a pillow held to my side. Soon, I will once again join the ranks of homo erectus.

I have considered posting a picture of my sliced belly for all to see, but I am afraid some might find it gross and offensive. What do you think? Do you want to see my new battle wound?