It's been three days since surgery and I am able to somewhat see straight today. I hate general anesthesia. It makes your world blurry, hazy for a few days and all you can do is lay around and watch tv. It gets better each day, although, I am very tired today and will have to nap. Yesterday, I couldn't nap until late and was woken up by Shane about 30 minutes later. Today, I will tell the boys not to wake me if I am sleeping. Yeah, right!
So the night before surgery was bad. For some odd reason, I can not digest the bowel prep. It just sits there until I throw it up and then I panic that they won't do my surgery the next day. Luckily, the plumbing started working around 5am (9 or so hours later than it should have). We had to wait a little while for my surgery to began as I was second in line for my doctor that day. It wasn't too bad. They let Shane come sit with me in the pre-op room for a little while and he got to enjoy me getting my Demerol shots. They also have full wireless there so Shane was able to work all day.
Recovery was not fun. I had trouble getting a breathing pattern established, not unusual for me and I had the shakes real bad...nothing more Demerol won't help. We finally left the hospital after 6pm as we waited for traffic to die down. I actually felt no pain at all until about 10pm that night. Since then, I hurt when I move but laying down isn't so bad.
What they found was more endometriosis and adhesions. My uterus is fine on the inside but pretty ugly on the outside. It was attached to my bladder and they left it that way. My fallopian tubes were attached to my pelvic wall and my right ovary was attached to my uterus...these they unattached. I also had endo on my large bowel..this is a new spot for it to grow. I think and pray that this is what has caused me so much misery the last few months and will be better now.
My doctor said it is time for my uterus to come out. And, when that happens they will take my ovaries, tubes, etc, too. I have to admit that I can't wait. First, though, we have to transfer our remaining two embryos. And before that can happen, I have to check my thryoid. Not having enough thyroid hormone when you are pregnant can be very bad to the baby. I am quite sure that some of the problems Jacob has (tics and anxiety) is because I was hypothyroid when I was pregnant with him and didn't know it.
Prayer Requests: pray for quick recovery so I can be a mom and wife this week. Pray that my thyroid will be ok enough to transfer the embryos and that God's will be done with the embryos. Pray that this will all happen quite fast so that I can have the hysterectomy within the next few months.
Showing posts with label endometriosis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label endometriosis. Show all posts
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Surgery Tomorrow
The hospital has told us to be at the hospital at 9am tomorrow. That is not the best time as getting there that late means that I am the second surgery for my doctor that day; and, as I well know, that means we may be waiting for a while. If all goes on schedule, though, I will be in the preop room about 10:30am and in surgery by 11:30am. The surgery should take around 2-3 hours. We should be home late afternoon (hopefully, not in traffic as I will be in pain).
Please pray that the surgery is not delayed for any reason as I will be dehydrated andd not feeling well at all. Please pray for Shane as he will be sitting around waiting for a long time. Please pray that tonight will not be too bad on me. I have already started the dreaded bowel prep, in fact, I accidentally started it an hour early. Please pray that the surgeons will be able to remove all endo that they see and not leave any. Please pray that they will not have to remove my uterus as we do stil have two frozen embryos waiting to be transferred. Please pray that my pain will be minimal. Please pray for my parents as they keep Jacob the next night or two and that Jacob will be ok with this. He seems to understand (I think he is just excited about spending the night at MiMi and PawPaw's.)
Special thanks to my prayer warriors and my friends that are bringing me yummy meals afterwards.
Please pray that the surgery is not delayed for any reason as I will be dehydrated andd not feeling well at all. Please pray for Shane as he will be sitting around waiting for a long time. Please pray that tonight will not be too bad on me. I have already started the dreaded bowel prep, in fact, I accidentally started it an hour early. Please pray that the surgeons will be able to remove all endo that they see and not leave any. Please pray that they will not have to remove my uterus as we do stil have two frozen embryos waiting to be transferred. Please pray that my pain will be minimal. Please pray for my parents as they keep Jacob the next night or two and that Jacob will be ok with this. He seems to understand (I think he is just excited about spending the night at MiMi and PawPaw's.)
Special thanks to my prayer warriors and my friends that are bringing me yummy meals afterwards.
Friday, August 1, 2008
The Big "E"
What is the big "E"? Endometriosis. I know, I know, some of you are saying why is she writing about that? Well, it has crept up on me again so I thought that I would share. I was first diagnosed in 1997. The doctors say that I have most likely had endo since I started my cycles. I started having problems as a teen, but, back then all they did was put you on the pill. That minimized the problem for a few years, although, I am not sure that was such a good thing. In 1995, Shane and I thought it would be a good time to start a family, so I came off of the pill. Right away I knew something was wrong. At first the pain was once a month but eventually it became a daily thing. On one trip, I stood up out of bed and hit the floor writhing in pain. I saw my gyn the next week who said she suspected endo but wanted us to keep trying to get pregnant for another six months. I made it four months before I demanded surgery as I couldn't take the pain any longer.
In March 1997, I had my first laparoscopy. Apparently what they found was so unusual that not only did they decide not to operate but they also paraded med students in and out of the OR to look at me. What they found was that I had severe endo, Stage IV, and that my uterus was intertwined with my bladder. So, they sewed me up and told me that I would have to be on Lupron for 4 months and then have a laparotomy, where they cut your abdomen open.
I had no idea what I was getting into with the Lupron. It is the meanest, dirtiest drug on earth and if I knew what I know now, I never would have taken it. It did, however, have the effect of shrinking the endo by 50% by the time I had the laparotomy; but, I am not sure it was worth it otherwise. Lupron puts you into menopause. I gained weight, became severely depressed and started having anxiety and panic attacks.
In July 1997, I had the laparotomy to remove the remaining endo and had 1/3 of my bladder removed and part of each ovary. What I didn't know then was that every time you have surgery, your body heals by creating adhesions. The adhesions create much the same symptoms as endo itself, thus requiring more surgery. All in all, I have had 6 laparoscopies to remove endo and adhesions and one laparotomy.
The bad news is that I will be having another laparoscopy soon. I started having symptoms of pain and nauseau (a new symptom that I have never had before) last April. They have improved with diet but not gone away. The nauseau often puts me to bed early and had quite an effect on my vacation last week. So, I am opting for more surgery and waiting on the doctor's office to call me with the surgery date.
What is endometriosis? It is when the uterine lining plants itself outside of the uterus. The lining then acts where it is planted just as it does when you are having your period....and it grows and grows. Some women can have little to no endo and be in severe pain and some can have severe endo and little to no pain. In addition to being outside of my uterus, my endo has planted itself on my ovaries, fallopian tubes, kidneys, intestines, bladder and my bowel. This of course has an affect on your fertility and is the main reason why Shane and I had to go through infertility treatments.
Prayer request...please pray that I have made the right decision (I think I have) to go ahead with yet another surgery and that the symptoms that I am having will go away for at least another two years. The only remedy for endo is a complete hysterectomy (which is in my future but not just yet) and that may not be the end of the problem as the endo has grown on other organs besides my uterus and ovaries and then there is the issue of adhesions.
Right now, I am meditating on Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God" as I know that God is in control. Endometriosis is another "thorn in the flesh" that I endure and that is ok...because that is what God has planned for me. I know that sounds corny and may be unbelievable to some, but that is where my faith has brought me...to trust fully in God's plan.
...to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh...Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9
In March 1997, I had my first laparoscopy. Apparently what they found was so unusual that not only did they decide not to operate but they also paraded med students in and out of the OR to look at me. What they found was that I had severe endo, Stage IV, and that my uterus was intertwined with my bladder. So, they sewed me up and told me that I would have to be on Lupron for 4 months and then have a laparotomy, where they cut your abdomen open.
I had no idea what I was getting into with the Lupron. It is the meanest, dirtiest drug on earth and if I knew what I know now, I never would have taken it. It did, however, have the effect of shrinking the endo by 50% by the time I had the laparotomy; but, I am not sure it was worth it otherwise. Lupron puts you into menopause. I gained weight, became severely depressed and started having anxiety and panic attacks.
In July 1997, I had the laparotomy to remove the remaining endo and had 1/3 of my bladder removed and part of each ovary. What I didn't know then was that every time you have surgery, your body heals by creating adhesions. The adhesions create much the same symptoms as endo itself, thus requiring more surgery. All in all, I have had 6 laparoscopies to remove endo and adhesions and one laparotomy.
The bad news is that I will be having another laparoscopy soon. I started having symptoms of pain and nauseau (a new symptom that I have never had before) last April. They have improved with diet but not gone away. The nauseau often puts me to bed early and had quite an effect on my vacation last week. So, I am opting for more surgery and waiting on the doctor's office to call me with the surgery date.
What is endometriosis? It is when the uterine lining plants itself outside of the uterus. The lining then acts where it is planted just as it does when you are having your period....and it grows and grows. Some women can have little to no endo and be in severe pain and some can have severe endo and little to no pain. In addition to being outside of my uterus, my endo has planted itself on my ovaries, fallopian tubes, kidneys, intestines, bladder and my bowel. This of course has an affect on your fertility and is the main reason why Shane and I had to go through infertility treatments.
Prayer request...please pray that I have made the right decision (I think I have) to go ahead with yet another surgery and that the symptoms that I am having will go away for at least another two years. The only remedy for endo is a complete hysterectomy (which is in my future but not just yet) and that may not be the end of the problem as the endo has grown on other organs besides my uterus and ovaries and then there is the issue of adhesions.
Right now, I am meditating on Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God" as I know that God is in control. Endometriosis is another "thorn in the flesh" that I endure and that is ok...because that is what God has planned for me. I know that sounds corny and may be unbelievable to some, but that is where my faith has brought me...to trust fully in God's plan.
...to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh...Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9
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