For the past few days, I've been waking up feeling a bit ill. I will feel a dull but annoying burning sensation in my stomach as well as some minor heartburn. I know it's due to gallstones. I found out last December. Since the last few weeks of my pregnancy, I've experienced several major attacks that have rendered me useless. Yes, useless. I wouldn't be able to do a thing aside from curling up into a ball or pacing back and forth, hoping that the pain in my chest and in my back wouldn't last 4 hours. Apparently, gallstones are quite common in women who have been pregnant. When I went in for my ultrasound to determine the cause of my pain, the childless nurse made an interesting comment: Pregnancy seems to be rather unhealthy, doesn't it?

I thought about that for a moment, pondered about my own personal experience and made a mental list of arguments in favour of that theory.

#1. Much of your insides get squished together, causing discomfort, lack of breath/appetite, digestive problems, etc.

#2. Your hormones are sent on a roller coaster ride and you can't make heads or tails if you're coming or going.

#3. Your body retains water, your blood pressure rises and you risk cutting off circulation to your lower limbs if you sleep the wrong way.

#4. During labour, you get a huge needle jammed into your spine while trying to stay still amid excruciating contractions. Check that, I had two epidurals. The first one missed. We'll make that point #5.

#6. Your body tears, requiring stitches.

This list could go on but #6 is a strong enough point on its own.

So now I have to add to this list the incapacitating pain of gallstones. Unlike supermoms who go to work regardless of feeling like they've been hit by a Mack truck, I am quite content with doing nothing. I'd rather curl up under a blanket on the sofa in my pj's with my messy hair and just vegetate. I am certainly not looking forward to the return of my "monthly visitor", that's for sure.

I'm going under the knife, and the laparascope, in about two months time. Until then, I need to avoid raw veggies, corn, beans, fruit with the skin left on, coffee, spicy foods and fatty foods.

People keep asking me when I plan to have another kid. I think they should ask me again after my surgery!