Medical Update

Howdy!

I have been sitting here staring at a blank screen not really knowing where to start with this post. The last few months have been absolutely crazy. I think for the sake of having this post make sense I am going to start with surgery and go from there, the reason behind this is because since surgery I have found out a lot more about what had happened in the recovery room.


July 10th: Surgery Day 

I arrived at the hospital at 5:45am. I was taken to preop and then by 7am, I was in the OR. Surgery was estimated to be anywhere from 2 -5hrs. there was talk of the following organs being removed; uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix, ovaries, appendix, and gallbladder. The determining factor of it was dependent on how far the endometriosis had spread as well as general inflammation. In other words, they weren't willing to risk another surgery in the future.

Well, the surgery lasted about 4 hours. They only took my uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes. However, at the time I was not informed as to why the surgery had taken so long.

I was in my room by 1pm pretty much feeling like poo. In recovery, they gave me Dilaudid, that worked for a short amount of time and then I was in a SEVER amount of pain. If I was unaware of what pain was before, I surely knew at this moment. I was then given morphine and forced myself to go back to sleep.

A little while later it was time to unpack me and take out my catheter. As soon as they shifted me to be able to do this, I knew I was going to throw up. I don't know if any of you have had abdominal surgery before, but the WORST thing you could do is throw up after. You have no stomach muscle to support the action and it makes you feel even worse.

Anyways, they gave me some nausea meds and this seemed to help and they switched my meds and I was thankful for that.

While I was there I had several different visitors and was glad to almost never be left on my own. It made fight off the depression of what I had just gone through a lot easier.

July 11th: Recovery Day 1

If I am being honest, most of this day is a blur. But what I do remember is the important parts, so I guess that's important.

I was able to speak with my doctor about surgery for the first time and he showed me pictures of what everything looked like before, during and after. He informed me the reason I was in so much more pain than we expected and the reason the surgery took so long was that my uterus was fused to my pelvic cavity. In other words, my endometriosis had spread so rapidly and furiously that it formed adhesions and scar tissue between the uterus and the pelvic cavity.

He explained that he did not get rid of all of my endometriosis because it was not safe to do so.

Later that day I was discharged and switched hospitals. I was then a patient at the hospital I work for.

The rest of recovery:

I spent the following few days in the hospital and was only able to head home after I had a bowel movement. Needless to say, I did what was needed to make that happen. Then I was at home resting.

Now you would think that this would mean I was on the upside of things! Ha, if only! I was discharged to home on Saturday and on Sunday night I felt like I was dying. I had attempted to take a shower and there was a drastic temperature change in the water and I wound up tearing tissue in my belly. Then on Monday night, I went back to the ER because I was incredibly nauseous and had a horrid headache. They were able to help me out with new meds and again I went home.

I had started to feel better, was listening to doctors orders and things were going well. I had a few scares with my incisions and I went back to the ER just to be looked at for it, and everything was good.

2 Week Post-Op:

This appointment did not go as I had planned. I was recovering just as the doctor had expected but I was not ready for the results and treatment plan moving forward.

I was informed that because the endometriosis was still active and in me, that I was going to be on hormone therapy to try to keep it under control because they did not want cancer to come back. Yes, cancer. They told me that in the preliminary pathology report they found complex abnormal cells, and he was fairly certain that it was cancer and if it wasn't it was as close as a cell can get before it becomes cancer.

He told me to take my meds and to try not to focus on the impending results until we knew for sure what we were dealing with. This is a lot easier said then done, however thankfully I am a workaholic and I was able to stay pretty busy.

4 Week Post-Op:

This appointment I was dreading the most out of any of them, this could be the appointment that ended my life as I knew it. I was very anxious going in and I think the staff knew because they were all overly sweet and checking with me.

The doctor spoke with me and explained that it was in fact cancer and that it was a good thing I was so stubborn and pushed him into this surgery. It was necessary to save my life. This was not anything I was expecting. However, the next sentence out of his mouth wasn't as comforting. He said to not get my hopes up because I am not out of the woods. He said that because I have endometriosis, it was more than likely to come back and we need to keep a good eye on everything. He is hopeful that with the hormones, we can keep it at bay.



So, this is why I have not updated anyone. I was trying to process all of the information and I got stuck in my own head.

Please know that I am doing well. I am happy and living my best life. This moment does not define me. I have already given the last month of my life to it.

I became lost, hurt, and angry. I am not going to lie, the last month has been a crazy roller coaster. I have felt joy and misery all together at the same time.

I lost myself there for a while after surgery. I shut myself off to the world. I became antisocial and solely focused on work.

But I am done being that person. I have worked through all the stages of grief and I am finally able to accept it, and I want to feel joy again. I need the light to come back into my life.


As for how I am feeling, I am almost 100% recovered. There are times that I know I cannot physically do something and I keep myself in check. The only times I am in true pain is when I am gassy, have a bowel movement, or overdo it. The doctor said this will go away with time.

I am still extremely bloated and distended. I look like I am a few months pregnant. ironic I know, and if one more person asks me when I due they are going to get hit.

I know that this is a lot of information and that it's a long post but please feel free to ask questions. I really truely am an open book.

This has been very hard to go through I will not lie, however as alone as I have felt I know that I also have an army waiting for me to left them in, and I appreciate it.

Thank you for all of your love and support. I really have appreciated the outpouring I have gotten and I honestly had no clue how many people really cared about me until I started telling people about this.

Remember that when life gets hard, keep moving forward and...

Always Smile!

If you feel like any of what I am saying could help the people in your life please share it with them! That is why I am doing this, to help!

I have set up an email list if you would like to join it click here.

PS: Here is a cute picture of my baby to make you smile!