Well, I’m home from hospital now. I’d love to say it was a smashing success and they were able to remove my cyst and that was the only thing causing my issues. I’d love to tell you that I feel wonderful and didn’t have any issues with the anesthesia. I’d really love to tell you that they were able to cut out all the endo they found.
The surgery itself was OK – I got along swimmingly and it was fine. (Did I ever mention it was robotic surgery?) my doctor is fabulous – I love him to pieces. Seriously. This man is a freaking saint! He came in before surgery, explained what was going to take place (my mom and husband were there with me), and then he prayed with us. That totally made my nerves and anxiety subside.
Was wheeled off to the OR – they did their thing and within seconds I was out cold. The last thing I remember the anesthesiologist asking me is where I want to go in my big dream, and maybe pick someplace warm. I chose Paris. LOL
Next thing I know, I’m coming to in the post-op area. My hand with the IV is freezing cold, and I can’t keep my eyes open for anything. I just want to go to sleep. There’s a woman next to me who is freaking out – moving around a lot, trying to take her IV out, etc. Then…there is a kid. No, an infant. Gasping for breath, crying, and just making a real racket. I would love for someone to make it stop, but I dont say anything. But the lady next to me does. LOL
I ask for some ice – OMG – best ice ever. Then I tell them I’m really nauseated. He bumps up my pain meds and gives me something for the nausea. I doze in and out of a conscious state for an hour I think…then I get wheeled back to a recovery room.
This is where things go downhill. There are two nurses taking care if me (is that normal?) and one is just…clearly not used to working in this area. She was nice enough, but I felt very rushed and she kind of questioned me when I asked for some applesauce. She brings me applesauce… and Pepsi. Bleh. But I consume it, because she said the sugar from the Pepsi would help with my shakiness. After making me get up to use the bathroom and try to dress, I managed to puke all over the toilet. Yay Pepsi and applesauce. :-/
I explain how woozy I am, and visibly shaking, yet she wanted me to still get dressed. I ask to sit down on the bed. I feel like I just want to pass out and sleep for all eternity! I think she gave me more anti-nausea meds, but not sure. I say for about 30-40 minutes, and decided after the 4th time of her bothering me I would just get dressed. I did feel a little better after a bit, but still fuzzy.
She loads me up in the wheelchair, and takes me downstairs, managing to have a couple near misses with door frames and allowing a set of automatic doors to close on me. O_o
I’m home now – thankfully – and dozing in and out of sleep. I feel like I’ve done a thousand and one sit-ups! My incisions are about an inch long, and there are four across my tummy…one in my belly button. They feel OK enough, though the left one is a bit irritated.
Diagnosis is not great. Stage IV endometriosis…my doctor was in shock that I was not in more pain and discomfort. My husband explained it to me this way: think of it as though your organs are like Pangea** – your ovaries, uterus, bladder, and intestines are all tangled and fused by endometriosis. The Dr couldn’t get in and move things around enough to see where else it may be. He has a few ideas for us, to start with, then we’ll go from there. Fertility odds don’t look great at this point, but it’s not being ruled out entirely.
**I love my husband to death, but I love him to pieces for using Pangea as a reference. He gets me, man. He totally gets me. <3