Who could've seen that coming?

While I was glad to finally get May behind me, who'd have known that June could possibly be worse?

We successfully moved and unpacked with dazzling speed and efficiency, knowing I'd be going in on June 2 to have my gall bladder out. The procedure went smoothly and after a few weeks, I was feeling really good. I was looking forward to going back to work and finalizing details for the wedding on June 20.

Then...KABOOM. Last Thursday morning, I was hit with a wave of nausea and abdominal discomfort.

I was told after my surgery that it appeared that a gall stone had snuck out of my gall bladder and was down in a bile duct, near the opening to my intestines. I was given the option of doing a scope procedure called an ERCP to sweep out the duct or wait and see if I could pass it on my own - which may or may not be painful. The pain I was feeling was most likely that stone, giving me trouble.

After some deliberation, we decided to go back to the hospital and have the ERCP done. Sweeping the tract clean would guarantee me a pain-free, worry-free wedding day and honeymoon. I was told that they'd do it that afternoon, keep me overnight to make sure there was no internal bleeding, and then send me home the next day.

Piece of cake, right? Wrong.

Every one's anatomy is different. My pancreatic ductal system is apparently quite twisty (official medical term), which made the procedure more complicated than expected. When I woke up, I felt groggy, but good and even joked about making sure I was getting my money's worth out of the hospital visit.

My doctor told me that because the procedure had been so complicated, I could expect some discomfort. Feeling fine, I shook his hand and assured him I'd let him know if I began having trouble.

Not even five minutes after he left, everything changed. I got violently ill and my abdomen swelled up like a balloon. They called the doctor back in and he ordered stronger pain meds and anti-nausea drugs.

I have never been in so much pain in my whole life. Giving birth to twins was a walk in the park compared to this.

I don't remember much of the next few days. When I was awake, the pain was excruciating, so they cranked my meds to allow me to sleep as much as possible. My concerned family called, but I could barely hold the phone, let alone form logical sentences.

Mark became my voice. I'd tell him how I felt and what I needed when I could muster the strength, because 9 times out of 10, when someone would ask, I couldn't articulate my thoughts.

It turns out I had developed a bad case of pancreatitis as a result of the ERCP. The only thing we could do was try to manage the pain and wait it out. So, after 6 days in the hospital, including a four-day stretch where I could eat nothing but ice chips, they released me.

I'm still in a lot of pain, but am managing. I can only eat soft, low-fat foods - which doesn't really matter, since after just 3 tablespoons of anything, I feel stuffed.

Oh, and the wedding? We decided to postpone it.

It was a tough decision, but it was the right one. I really don't feel disappointed. I feel relieved - like a student who got an extension for the big term paper. Besides, I want to glide down the aisle, looking and feeling my best - not hobble along, grabbing every other pew to steady myself.

And that little stone that went AWOL and caused this whole thing? Gone. They never found it during the ERCP. Apparently I'd passed it before we got to the hospital.

Little bugger.