Foxnews Reporting: Ashcroft about to undergo surgery.

Foxnews ^

[ConservativeMan55]

John Ashcroft is about to undergo surgery to have his gallbladder removed.

Prayers going up!

There's no telling how many lives this man has saved!

[pollywog]

Praying now for John Ashcroft .
Polly

[mabelkitty]

What causes gall stones and the condition that requires the removal of the gall bladder?

[Angelwood]

I had my gallbladder removed 3 years ago and it was a two-week recovery for laproscopic surgery. My daughter had her gallbladder removed last month and went back to work after one week. This surgery is usually routine and low risk. Prayers for AG Ashcroft because his illness is more severe with the pancreatitis as well as gallbladder disease.

[mabelkitty]

I was afraid of this.
Right after he checked into the hospital, I had a feeling that he was sick/sick.
Giuliani coming out of the woodwork and showing up all over the television programs lately just had me jumping to conclusions that he had already been tapped for AG because Mr. Ashcroft will probably step down.

[cupcakes]

Here is a site with info--I think it advocates a diet or product of some kind, but still some good reading regarding the hows and whys as far as they know.
http://www.chem-tox.com/gallstones/

[cupcakes]

Isn't that something? Sounds like digestion/hormonal changes then may have much to do with the formation of gallstones. it is why it makes sense in a pregnant woman or soon after.

[surrey]

I had mine removed 32 years ago 6 weeks after giving birth to my son. My o.b. said it was very common for pregnant women to develope gallstones. Even back then I had a quick recovery(I was in my 20's)but to put it bluntly my system has never been quite the same. My Mom had it dome in her 80's and has the same complaints.

[cupcakes]

Sigh...wouldn't be an urgency to use the potty after the first meal of the day would it? I've had that too..very annoying, but I deal with it. Like you said, things have never been quite the same.

[Dionysius]

I let mine go too long and had to have the full surgery (after wearing a drain for six months). The incision took a full six weeks to heal, but I was immediately able to consume literally anything with no ill effects. My scar will put me out of the Mr. Universe competition, but that was certainly not an option to begin with. I pray that the AG has as full a recovery as my own.

[Cate]

Prayers for Mr. Ashcroft and a speedy recovery.

[Pegita]

+ Continuing in prayer ...

[marty60]

I just had this surgery 3 wks ago. I was out of the hospital the same day. Feel great. Good luck and look forward to waking up painless.

[TC Rider]

Yeah, he's worse.

Easy now, PL and I are nearly neighbors.

His perspectives and opinions are somewhat nuanced.

[duckbutt]

Hm.....I've had the "opposite" problem since GB surgery -- I'm always constipated - - take fibercon and other fiber meds (doubly bad since I'm trying to stick to Adkins).

Lost a lot of weight rapidly in '92 after undergoing chemo and radiation therapy for cancer. The GB laproscopic surgery was a walk in the park compared to that. In by 9 - - out by 6 the same day and sent back to work a few days later -- I felt guilty laying around....

Do you get bouts of indigestion? Seems mine has gotten worse over the years (maybe a function of age? I'm 52) --

Seems we have a lot of GB surgery "veterans" on this thread.

John Ashcroft is a "to the bone" good man. A deeply religious Christian - as a former Missourian, I remember him when he was attorney general, lt governor, governor, and senator. Good man from good people....

[fatrat]

my doctor told me that if the blockage of the bile ducts lasts long enough the blocked pancreatic juices will begin to digest the pancreas itself so it is imperative that the blockage is removed pretty quickly. if you recall, there was a woman doctor on an anarctic expedition a few years back who developed pancreatitis and they had to get a plane in there to medevac her. It took a lot of planning and luck and guts to get a plane in there during the antartic winter.

[LisaMalia]

Can you live without a gallbladder?

I hope so, I have for almost 22 years.....:)

I had a stone caught in my bile duct as well, three months after my son was born. The pain is excruciating. It had to be on IVs for 3 days before they could do the surgery.

Prayers for AG Ashcroft for a speedy recovery.

[Eva]

My husband had his gall bladder out last year and sees no difference whatsoever. He has no indigestion or any other problem resulting from the operation.

[FairOpinion]

I think Ashcroft is really sick.

BUT if he pulls through, he will be "good as new", there won't be any reason for him to step down.

Pancreatitis is an accute inflammation of the pancreas, but once it's gone, especially with them removing the gallbladder, to prevent a recurrence, he should be fine.

My concern is that he wasn't improving over the past 5 days, since they have not upgraded his condition and he was still in intensive care.

As for Giuliani -- I just had a thought. I wonder if he may get tapped for Secretary of State, since Powell did say, he will resign next year.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Yes, more mega prayers for AG Ashcroft!