July 21, 2024

Gallbladder Removal Surgery

One of the big reasons I returned to Philly when ship notified us of the last delay, was to attend to a health item that had surfaced for me, right before originally departing on 5/18/24. It was recommended that I have my gall bladder removed sooner than later due to large stones and a lesion that was showing on recent scans. I had originally scheduled it for 9/11, right after my niece's wedding weekend of 9/7, since I was going to be home then anyway. With the ship notifying us of the delay and itinerary changes, it seemed prudent to get this taken care of now. So on Thursday 7/18/24 I had outpatient surgery to remove my gall bladder. I had it done by a Jefferson Doctor, Sami Tannouri, who does a ton of these everyday at Methodist Hospital. The whole procedure was rather easy and I'm recovering with very little discomfort. I see the Dr. on Tuesday for a follow up and should be cleared to fly and join the ship next weekend for our maiden voyage out of Belfast! Amazing how everything is falling into place.

By Patricia Patrick January 14, 2026
Since Janette Emerich is generous enough to share her drone photos with all of us on board the Ship, I have to share them with you all. This beauty is why I said we felt like we were in a screen saver the whole day in Rangiroa! I love the height perspective in the photos it really captures so much more. Blue Lagoon below:
By Patricia Patrick January 13, 2026
The water in Rangiroa is so spectacular, I wanted to spend more time drift snorkeling and checking out the area called " The Aquarium ". So today I went back out for a 3 hour session to do 3 drift passes in Tiputa pass and then spent an hour in an area with wonderful healthy corals and tons of fish, earning it the nickname " The Aquarium ".
By Patricia Patrick January 13, 2026
Today felt like we were inside a Computer Screen Saver! You know how everybody has one of those amazing beach shots on their home screens ? I am guessing we were in the place where most of them are filmed! Rangiroa is the 2nd largest atoll in the world, and its lagoon feels like its own ocean, it's huge! It is famous worldwide for "drift" diving and snorkeling, due to its fast moving current, crystal clear water and excellent visibility. We joined a group of 44 Residents in an all day adventure.