Surgery Report, uh, what?

Since my last blog, oodles of experiences have come my way.  My transplant countdown was in place and it was only days from the BIG DAY!  Saturday, I went on a small shopping trip and lunch out with one of my bestest friends (my mom), celebrating the day to come and making an attempt at one last Hurrah for a while.  As the day wore on I began to experience some lower abdominal pain, but thankfully I was in the midst of receiving retail therapy and was able to shrug off the annoyance.  But later that evening it was far less tolerable.  I attributed the discomfort to having missed a dialysis treatment due to power outtages.  I was sure the night's treatment would make me right as rain in the morning.... Wrong, morning just brought more pain.... I had concerns at this point, but was trying to think positively and ignore it.  Fevers, however, aren't as easy to ignore, so later that evening, after being unable to find any comfortable position, I called the doctor.  I won't bore you with all those details, but that itself was quite the task -- when I finished calling, I had talked to three operators, left 1 message for the wrong nurse (i know this b/c the operator called me back) Spoke with one nurse and then ended up talking to my nephrologist and transplant surgeon -- (yep, it does seem like overkill for a stomach ache).  Finally it was decided that I would meet with the surgeon on Monday just to make sure everything was okay for the transplant on Tuesday.  Monday morning we arrived at the hospital at 0730 where I waited to meet the surgeon -- after palpating the lower area of my tummy he sent me for a CT of my abdomen, blood work, and a dialysate sample.  His initial thoughts were that I had peritonitis (infection of the peritoneal cavity resulting from dialysis), or that my initial donor kidney from years ago was infected or appendicitis.  My nurse told me if it turned out to be a hot appendix she would never go to Vegas with me b/c my "luck" was terrible.   After waiting for HOURS -- this is no exaggeration, at 1pm we were still in the waiting room and the nurse finally took pity on poor pitiful me and put us in a room with recliners to continue waiting.  I want to interject at this point a comment that was voiced on at least 2 separate occasions.  The medical professional would look in on me, no interventions having been taken and say "are you still having pain?" -- uh, no, I just like the atmosphere and thought I'd get  a discount room fee for being early..."  YEAH ...   Okay, moving on, the Surgeon came in about 3:30pm, said all test results from the CT were inconclusive and he wanted to operate right away -- within an hours time..... By 7p I was finally down in the Pre-op area and the surgery lasted from 9p - midnight.  They ended up doing an exploratory lap. -- removed my kidney, my peritoneal dialysis catheter and yes, my appendix, which after all the pathology came back, the appendix was the culprit.   Now, after reading all of this you might think this is all a real bummer, you'd be right -- But really, it's another way God has proven His faithfulness and that He desires the best for me even when I don't get His timing.   Right before surgery, when I was clarifying if this would delay the transplant, my doctor explained to me that if I was to have the transplant the next day, with the infection that was brewing within me -- I wouldn't survive... So, in the midst of feeling incredulous that there would be yet another delay, I can appreciate with my whole being how God is carrying me through.  Days earlier my pre-op lab was completely normal -- God allowed stomach pain and a fever to protect my future and my life.  I can deal with delay.  For now, I am working to get used to Hemo Dialysis, it's 3 times a week and the diet is amazingly restrictive, but I thank GOd daily for His gift to me of comfort, peace, my parents and life.... He is in control and even when I feel like I'm back at square one I can't help but marvel at the ways in which He works.