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Friday, July 30, 2010

Ignorance is bliss

I don't even know where to start typing right now...my mind is sort of all over the place. I guess I'll start with the day of the surgery...

We had to be at the hospital at 5am and I was cool as a cucumber. We checked in and the nurse was so sweet and answered all our questions, ok, really she answered all my husband's questions because I was, like I mentioned, cool as a cucumber. It still didn't feel real that I was about to have this infamous surgery that we had thought about, dreamt about, prayed about and thought about for so long now. It started to feel a little more real when I was asked to slip in the gown and socks and lay in the bed though.

Then it felt even more real when they gave me my IV...I was surprised when they didn't want to do it in my right arm where I always got blood drown from (I suggested this because this was where my best veins were located!)...but rather they needed to put it in my hand. Nerves definitely started sinking in at this point.

Then the anesthesiologist came by and discussed what he would be doing. The one thing I will say about the nursing staff and all those that worked with me on Tuesday is that they were so sweet and compassionate. They seriously made me feel like the most important person and like I was their only patients. I loved that.

My doctor came by and we talked about what she was doing and then she grabbed my hand and my husband's hand and led us in prayer.

At this point I was just about in tears. And not because I was scared of what would happen or what they may or may not find...but I had a sense of peace rush over me and I knew that that was exactly where God wanted me to be. I kissed my husband and was given some "margarita" through my IV and off we went...

Ignorance is bliss.

I woke up in so much pain. And I have a pretty high pain tolerance. I had no idea I would be aching so badly nor did I realize how groggy and out of it I would feel. In all my go.ogling days leading up to surgery, not once did I search for what to expect AFTER surgery. Oh boy, is ignorance is bliss. If I had known, my anxiety level would have been a bit higher.

The surgery took about 2 hours, I was in recovery for about an hour and then my husband came back and it took another (almost) 2 hours before I was "well enough" to make it to the car to go to the hotel. I slept 18+ hours after we got back to the hotel. My husband was so amazing, helping me get up and getting me food to eat so that I could take my medicine. I seriously fall more and more in love with him each day...

I'm switching between pain meds and extra strength tyl.anol and am healing. Each day gets a bit better. I will say this though, when I try and do too much at one time my body goes from feeling pretty damn good to feeling like it was hit by a ton of bricks. My DH told me not to be too stubborn and just relax! My GM told me the same thing today after I was trying to organize some things here at her house. Oh yeah, and when a nurse called and checked up on me she said the same thing...I guess I need to just take it easy!

I don't think that I thought too long or too hard about the fact that I was having actual surgery because I thought I would be back to normal by now. Call me crazy, but I usually bounce back from sickness and other things pretty quickly, so I just assumed this would be no different. My doctor told me that for everyone, it's different and although some may be fine in a few days, others take up to two weeks or so. I hope that I fall somewhere in the middle! Thankfully my DH, Gm and family have been incredible with showering us with prayers and support during all this.

Ok, after typing all this out I realized that I haven't mentioned specifics about the actual surgery...so here goes: The wedge resection and drilling went great. She said that my ovaries looked great and my uterus looked great also. She found mild endometriosis and removed it and afterwards my tubes looked wonderful (she did the dye test and it flowed WONDERFULLY she said). She said that she was impressed that everything looked so beautifully (her words, not mine...never thought I would hear those words!) and that she was glad she found and removed the endometriosis. I have stitches in my belly button and over my left ovary and down by my uterus which I'll go back in two weeks to get removed.

Oh yeah, my old Dr. that referred us to this new doctor actually showed up to the hospital to assist during the surgery and to talk with my husband. He said he has worked with us for so long he was eager to help. It was so sweet to know that he didn't have to be there but stopped by to show his support.

Sorry this post is all over the place...I blame it on exhaustion, pain meds and excitement that everything is over...

12 comments:

Hebrews 11:1 said...

I'm glad it went so well!! I have been thinking about you. I hope you recovery quickly! They are right--don't try to do too much--I did and I sure regretted it!

Hope you are back to normal in no time!

Danya said...

It sounds so hopeful! I am sorry you are in pain...be sure to get in front of it with the meds. and don't wait until you're dying to come around it afterward. AND, do we know each other this well yet? Do not forget to take your stool softeners while you're on pain meds. Pain meds. slow everything down including digestion and it can be problematic later (this was a hard lesson for me to learn). Blessings and healing your way!

airing the chapel said...

I'm thrilled for you that the surgery went well! Can't wait for you to achieve physical healing. God Bless!

Faith makes things possible said...

Thanks for the prayers!

Danya-I was actually thinking about that...I haven't been eating too much so I've attributed that toward my not having a bm (sorry if tmi, you started it!;))...thanks for the advice

Sew said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sew said...

Did I miss what they found?

mrsblondies said...

I'm glad the surgery went well. Getting my digestive system back to working normally was the hardest part for me in healing from surgery. I had dealt with constipation and nausea. It was about 2 weeks before I ate normally and I lost 10 lbs (not good for me at all).

I hope you heal well. Definitely try not to overdo it.

Faith makes things possible said...

Sew-she wasn't really looking for anything in particular, juat that since she was in there preforming the surgery, she would check out everything else. She was going in to do the ovarian wedge and drilling on each of my ovaries and she came across some mild endometriosis on my tubes, which she removed. Everything else looked good, thankfully and now we just wait for my body to heal!!

Mrs.Blondies-thanks for the heads up! Like I mentioned, I never even thought about that side of the healing process!!

Angela said...

Oh I'm so happy for you that everything went so well! Praying for less pain and that you will heal soon! It does sound so hopeful, and it sounds like you've got excellent, caring doctors! I love that your doc prayed with you! Everytime I hear that I think it is so awesome and wonder were my praying-doc is!? ;)

Leila@LittleCatholicBubble said...

Oh, I am so relieved it went well! I pray you are feeling better even as we speak! Good things ahead!!!

Kaitlin @ More Like Mary said...

I'm so glad it went well! Blondie is right-my digestive system has not been the same since my surgery this past January! But I had NO problems after my first one a few years ago. You just never know!

I hope your recovery continues to go well!

Faith makes things possible said...

Thanks again ladies! And yes, the recovery is going well...each day is soo much better than the last! Also, like many of you had mentioned, I have a feeling that it's going to be my digestive system to take the longest to "heal" out of it all!!!