Finally discharged from the hospital.

The red-brick exterior of Zhejiang Second Hospital is warm at this moment, forming a stark contrast to the constant moaning coming from the ward. My first general anesthesia surgery in life, inexplicably having an organ removed.

It all sounds a bit unexpected, but it seems unavoidable. Well, let’s review carefully—what exactly happened behind this “health defense battle”?

- The whole thing actually started with a “good news”.

Since my wife is nearing her due date, I’ve been trying to improve my health over the past six months. But due to a unhealthy lifestyle after graduation for over ten years, plus the long emotional fluctuations in the crypto world over the past two years, I didn’t know how many underlying health issues I had buried.

Overweight BMI? Elevated triglycerides? Hyperuricemia? Gout? Kidney stones? Plantar fasciitis? And recently, during a physical exam, I was highly concerned about gallstones + adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder, which the doctor recommended removing.

Doesn’t that sound exaggerated? Some say that middle age inevitably comes with “three highs” (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol), but the major problems I face are no longer just warning signs labeled “sub-health,” but have already seriously affected my normal life.

Let’s start with gout, which was my first detour.

My uric acid levels have always been high. In 2019, I inexplicably had foot pain once, was diagnosed with “gout,” but I didn’t take it seriously at the time. Until two years later, the pain started again inexplicably and became more frequent.

I changed hospitals, but they told me it was “plantar fasciitis.”

The unfortunate thing happened: for the next three or four years, I kept treating gout as plantar fasciitis. Every attack, I endured the pain and walked on one foot, suffering greatly during that time. I never thought that taking some gout-specific medication could quickly resolve it, nor did I consider the factors that could trigger gout and how to control them.

Until last year, after experiencing more than ten episodes, pain, and a systematic analysis of triggers, I suddenly realized that my real condition was “gout,” not “plantar fasciitis.”

Indeed, after targeted medication and prevention of triggers, recent physical exams showed that the gout crystals had almost dissolved. As long as I continued taking uric acid-lowering medication, I’d be fine. I felt a huge relief and joy—such a long-term torment almost cured, a sense of relief that’s truly gratifying.

- But then, an unexpected “bolt from the blue” struck.

This time, the physical exam revealed a particularly concerning indicator: multiple gallstones measuring 1.7cm combined with adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder. Especially the doctor’s comment “adenomyomatosis has a risk of malignant transformation” made me suddenly anxious.

I suddenly realized that in the past month, I had frequent acid reflux, occasional dull pain in the upper right abdomen, and even my long-standing issue of diarrhea after eating greasy food—could all of this be caused by cholecystitis?

Half a year ago, because of frequent diarrhea, I had an endoscopy, which showed no issues, and I simply thought it was irritable bowel syndrome. But now I realize that all these problems stem from that bad gallbladder.

Looking at the large stones on the ultrasound report, I couldn’t believe it. I remembered my last physical exam didn’t show anything, so how did it grow so big in just two years?

But when I pulled out reports from two years ago, even four years ago, I was stunned: that stone was already 15mm two years ago, and four years ago, it was already quite large.

It had been there all along; I just chose to ignore it.

At that moment, I was utterly foolish for my weak awareness of health and my indifferent attitude toward abnormal indicators in the report. I couldn’t forgive myself.

But I knew one thing clearly: dwelling on past problems and blaming others is pointless now.

Now I have to seriously consider whether to “save the gallbladder”:

Keep it: tolerate occasional abdominal pain and the risk of further acute cholecystitis, as well as potential malignant transformation in the future.

Remove it: face surgery and lose an organ.

With uncertainty and anxiety, I repeatedly discussed with Gemini, hypothesizing various possibilities, asking AI to analyze and simulate all potential issues and costs. The final conclusion: removal.

Removing it might allow me to enjoy a relatively high quality of life, free from frequent abdominal pain and diarrhea; but if it turns malignant, the consequences are unimaginable—gallbladder cancer is the “king of cancers.”

So I discussed with my wife and decisively decided to remove it.

Then, with fear and unease, I experienced my first hospitalization, my first time being pushed onto a cold operating table, my first understanding of “health is the foundation of revolution,” and finally realized: the ignorance accumulated from weak health awareness in youth will have to be paid back someday.

The surgery was minimally invasive single-port laparoscopic removal. It sounds small, but the preoperative torment and postoperative wound pain constantly remind me that I can no longer live recklessly based on feelings.

If you’re sick, face it bravely and seek treatment; if there are potential risks, follow medical advice to regulate. These are not just empty words to make ears numb—they are life principles and beliefs that must be strictly adhered to at a certain age, with no room for negligence. I won’t go into more details here.

Don’t think that the issues I mentioned above are trivial. Perhaps compared to those being rescued in ICU or suffering from terminal illnesses, they are just “fortunate illnesses.”

- But the key point is, looking at the long-term cause-and-effect:

If gout isn’t taken seriously at the first attack, stones will form; if gallstones aren’t controlled, the entire gallbladder could deteriorate; what about hypertension and hyperlipidemia later?

Combined with increasing age and high-risk factors, I can’t imagine what other unknown dangers are waiting for us in the future.

That’s the real meaning of sharing these with friends: I hope everyone takes regular check-ups seriously, pays attention to abnormal indicators, and respects the “cause and effect” emphasized by doctors or the negative advice.

Of course, the most genuine reason I’ve made this decision to “preemptively eliminate risks” is:

I’m about to become a dad soon, and I want to be his/her most unbreakable shield after birth.

And I especially want to thank my wife for her support and care while pregnant. Grateful.

Finally, I wish everyone a healthy body and a life free from all diseases in the New Year!