Hey Y'all!
I started to panic, because I am less than a week out, I am not able to take anything herbal (throat drops, vitamin C, etc) and if the cough gets worse they will cancel the surgery because it makes anesthesia and recovery harder. I took my EDO and the last day of work off as I had no new work coming in and then I could just sleep and get better. The surgeon and the admitting told me to just show up on Tuesday and the anesthesiologist would decide.
I got to spend the night at the hospital and my nurses Caroline and Andrew were lovely and kind and tried not to wake me up to many times. I was visited by the fellow who assisted with my surgery and she went over the pictures and told me how the surgery went. I will spare you the pictures but it was weird to see my internal organs. Apparently, I have a lovely healthy liver and appendix.
This was a surprise to me, a very happy surprise, which helped me feel like I can keep this train going LOL.
A lot has happened in the last two weeks and so I thought I would stop by and update everyone. As many of you know I was diagnosed a few years ago with Stage 4 Endometriosis and in the last year or so the complications have gotten worse. I really had to sit in my feelings for a bit but after talking with my family and some close friends I made the decision to request a total hysterectomy. Not surprisingly, I had to fight a bit, even though it is my body!
I appreciate that the medical system and specifically women's health wants to work tirelessly to protect my fertility but the reality is that this opportunity was blown many years before when they refused to acknowledge the issue when I was a teen and young adult. Trying to preserve this when I am in my late 40's is laughable. Trying to preserve this after lost pregnancies and lost marriages....please just let me enjoy my life on my terms now!
Anywhooo.....
While I was getting ready for my trip to DC and NYC, I got a call from the surgeon saying they had a date just a week after I got home. Though I felt bad for my co-workers, I was not willing to drop down to the bottom of the list and so I accepted the date and then it was time to prepare myself for the eviction!
I'll post more about my trip later, once I am done with my memory planner. The short story is that I had an amazing time with my friends and my mom! It was a dream trip and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to make it happen this year.
While I was away, I developed a scratchy throat and dry nasal passages due to the forced air in the hotel, etc. and after a few days of being home, I got sick....with a cough!!!!!!
So Tuesday morning Tanya drove me to the hospital and I got a lot of giggles because of my shirt
I was given the all-clear and after a long day of no food or drink, I was finally whisked into the OR, the staff was so kind and funny and my surgeon even gave me a little one-armed hug before I jumped up onto the bed. I was given some extra oxygen and I remember hearing the anesthesiologist say I am just going to give you a little here to relax you and then I felt a weird tingle in my head and then I woke up.
She said that it went well and that they were able to save my right ovary, so I would not have to deal right away with menopause and hormonal changes. They had to do additional excision of endometrial tissue and scarring and only had to leave some small spots of scar tissue on my bowel and uterers which should not affect me but the risk with removal would have been significant and life-changing.
They were able to do everything laparoscopically and so my recovery time will only be about 6 weeks. All in all pretty good. They sent me back home with Tanya and some good drugs and told me not to lift anything heavier than a few pounds and no physical activity, other than light walking. I am unbelievably thankful for having such amazing supportive people in my life. My family took excellent care of me and I am doing well at home with Tom. I received beautiful flowers from my choir friends and had a great visit and walk with Denise who also brought me a gorgeous plant which I will try not to kill!
I have to be honest I don't actually remember the last surgery and how things went but this time I am sleeping a lot and at weird times but just allowing my body to do what it needs. I stopped taking the good drugs after a few days and now just alternate taking Advil and Tylenol. I felt pretty good almost straight away which was weird to me, but it makes sense since the things that were causing all the pain are gone.
So now here we are 2 weeks out and still lots of naps but feeling pretty good. Two of the four incisions are doing excellent, the other two are situated right in a place that gets bumped easily or where I fold when I bend. They are more bruised and sore but I think they are still healing well.
To be honest, I was a bit surprised I am only two weeks past surgery and I have to be very careful to not push the envelope. I did so last Friday and by the end of the day it was clear I am still in the early days of recovery!
When you have laparoscopic surgery they fill your belly cavity with CO2 to make a nice big open space to do what they need to do. After the surgery is over they release a bunch of the gas but you are still left with quite a bit of gas in your abdomen. Your body has to absorb and/or expel this gas and it creates some pain that you will feel in your abdomen, chest, and even up to your shoulder and neck. You remain bloated for some time, depending on how much they are able to get out and it can be several days to a week. Which leads up to day 300 on WW.....
I haven't been tracking really during vacation and surgery and now I have to take a picture and my stomach is still bruised and a bit bloated. yikes....
I have been really struggling for the last two months, I am floating back and forth between the 40 and 45 lb loss range but just not busting it. I am very frustrated, this happened at the 30 lb mark as well! Anyway, I took the pic because I promised myself to do so. I want to be consistent and recognize that this is all part of the getting healthy process. I was shocked when I took the photo. I decided to put on the same shirt I wore on day 1 and despite being a bit bloated and feeling like I am stuck I can see massive changes in my body.
I am looking forward to getting clearance from my doctor to get back to dancing and swimming and I am doing my best to make good choices although my eating schedule is a bit off whack just like my sleep! I have lots of things to keep my mind busy:
- Practicing for choir
- Reverse colouring book
- DC Go Wild memory book
- NYC memory book
- Diamond paintings
- New DLC for the Long Dark
- and a new update for Disney Dreamlight Valley.
And when I am too exhausted to do activities my sister got me hooked on Mad Men, so I am binging that though I appeared to have slept through a crucial episode and had to look up some plot points on the internet hahahaha.
Okay, I am feeling pretty tired so TTFN.
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