I've been stiffer and sorer today than I was yesterday. My chest feels tight because of the gas they put in me (so that organs could be visualized easier). My throat is sore from the intubation (apparently standard procedure). And my abdomen hurts because that's where the doc was mucking about. I have two small incision marks - one at my belly button and the other about an inch over the pubic bone. They both have round bruises around them and the lower one seeps a little. The information sheet I was sent home with says a little bleeding can be normal for the first 48-72 hours.
I didn't get to talk to the doctor yesterday after the operation. Because of the anesthesia and pain meds I was on, he just spoke with Nathan. So the second hand news I got about my insides is that the doc didn't find endometriosis. When Nathan told me this in post-op I almost cried from frustration. Sure, endometriosis isn't a fun thing to have and there's not cure, but at least the surgery would have helped the pain. Since the doctor didn't see any endo tissues to excise then I imagine that after I recuperate I'll have the same pelvic discomfort as before. Yes, that really bites.
2009-03-25
2009-03-24
I'm Home Again
Okay. I had a longer note written and then I erased it by accident. So now I'm just going to say that I got home around 3:30 and am doing well. Probably going back to sleep after typing this. Pretty drowsy from the anesthesia and pain meds.
In Twelve Hours I'll be done :-)
I'm supposed to arrive at the surgery center at 7:30 AM and the operation is scheduled for 8:45 AM. Of course, it is a hospital and these things can change if the docs say so. I hope to be home by 2 PM.
In the meantime, I'm not supposed to have anything to eat or drink and I'm thirsty. So I can look forward to having a good glass of water after the surgery.
In the meantime, I'm not supposed to have anything to eat or drink and I'm thirsty. So I can look forward to having a good glass of water after the surgery.
2009-03-22
Attention To Details
Seems like I forgot to tell Nathan what hospital I'm getting the slice and dice done at. As I said to him on Saturday, Orem Community is a great place for having babies but if there's any chance of complications (like with a surgery...) then I'm going to Utah Valley.
And I also arranged for a friend to give me a ride to the hospital when Nathan was fully expecting to take me there. Not sure what I was thinking on that one. Maybe next time I should ask him first?
If I were to analyze it, I'd say that maybe if I don't treat the surgery like a big deal then I won't feel like it's a big deal? So then I don't have to be so anxious? Well, don't have to worry about that idea because I'm good and anxious. Can't wait for Tuesday afternoon so I can focus on recuperating.
And I also arranged for a friend to give me a ride to the hospital when Nathan was fully expecting to take me there. Not sure what I was thinking on that one. Maybe next time I should ask him first?
If I were to analyze it, I'd say that maybe if I don't treat the surgery like a big deal then I won't feel like it's a big deal? So then I don't have to be so anxious? Well, don't have to worry about that idea because I'm good and anxious. Can't wait for Tuesday afternoon so I can focus on recuperating.
For those who don't know but may want to know...
I'm tired and it's late, but I just realized that, apart from my coworkers, I've only told about five people this... Sometime Tuesday morning I'm having laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis. Apparently it's routine for the patient to not know until the night before what time the surgery is going to be. Lame. The surgical center is supposed to call me after 3 PM on Monday (tomorrow) to tell me when to show up.
In this case, the laparoscopy is a minor outpatient procedure that will both confirm the diagnosis of endometriosis and treat it if the doc finds that it's there. Endometriosis is where endometrium tissues that are usually in the uterus are found elsewhere in the abdomen. This causes pain. For me, the point of this surgery is to hopefully reduce the pain. How I understand it is that there'll be an incision near/in? my belly button and another about 4 inches down from that. One hole is used for the viewing instruments and the second is used for the cutting instruments. If the doctor sees endometriosis areas then he will cut or laser them off.
A coworker asked me last week if I was nervous. I told her then that I was trying not to think about it and it would be good to get it over with so that I could have less pain. Really though, I'm nervous. First off, I just plain don't like the idea of some stranger mucking around in my insides. Also, it's my first time going under general anesthesia, being intubated, and getting catheterized. Yuck, yuck, yuck. The surgical center called Friday to get a health history. I was asked if I have any caps or crowns on my teeth. Yeah, that's because if you have dental work on front teeth then sometimes they can get knocked off with the intubation process. Fun.
Here's the full story:
1. Last July I saw my general practice doctor because of some persistent abdominal pain. She sent me for an ultrasound and CT scan. When both tests came back normal, she referred me out to a gynecologist.
2. Due to not liking to try out new doctors, I procastinated and didn't get in to see an OB-GYN until November. The new doctor (well, nurse practicitioner really) listened to my history and immediately said it sounded like endometriosis. She gave a brief explanation of what it is and stated that the best treatment is surgery. Keep in mind that it took me 3 months to go to a specialist in the first place. My distaste at the idea must have shown on my face because when I asked if there were any alternatives she told me about a procedure called HSG that we could try first.
3. I went home and researched endometriosis and the HSG procedure (short for hysterosalpingogram). Turns out the only way to diagnose endometriosis is surgery and HSG just shows that it's not other things but it can't show that it IS endo. Which is probably what I would have heard from the nurse practitioner gyno if I had known what questions to ask and she had known how to say it so I understood.
4. I sucked it up and scheduled a pre-op appointment. That was March 18. I met with the doctor gyno who is doing the operation. I learned something - one doesn't have to be a surgeon to perform surgery. How reassuring. At least the doc seemed self-confident. Good. When he goes out to tell hubby that I'm a vegetable he'll be able to do so with poise.
In this case, the laparoscopy is a minor outpatient procedure that will both confirm the diagnosis of endometriosis and treat it if the doc finds that it's there. Endometriosis is where endometrium tissues that are usually in the uterus are found elsewhere in the abdomen. This causes pain. For me, the point of this surgery is to hopefully reduce the pain. How I understand it is that there'll be an incision near/in? my belly button and another about 4 inches down from that. One hole is used for the viewing instruments and the second is used for the cutting instruments. If the doctor sees endometriosis areas then he will cut or laser them off.
A coworker asked me last week if I was nervous. I told her then that I was trying not to think about it and it would be good to get it over with so that I could have less pain. Really though, I'm nervous. First off, I just plain don't like the idea of some stranger mucking around in my insides. Also, it's my first time going under general anesthesia, being intubated, and getting catheterized. Yuck, yuck, yuck. The surgical center called Friday to get a health history. I was asked if I have any caps or crowns on my teeth. Yeah, that's because if you have dental work on front teeth then sometimes they can get knocked off with the intubation process. Fun.
Here's the full story:
1. Last July I saw my general practice doctor because of some persistent abdominal pain. She sent me for an ultrasound and CT scan. When both tests came back normal, she referred me out to a gynecologist.
2. Due to not liking to try out new doctors, I procastinated and didn't get in to see an OB-GYN until November. The new doctor (well, nurse practicitioner really) listened to my history and immediately said it sounded like endometriosis. She gave a brief explanation of what it is and stated that the best treatment is surgery. Keep in mind that it took me 3 months to go to a specialist in the first place. My distaste at the idea must have shown on my face because when I asked if there were any alternatives she told me about a procedure called HSG that we could try first.
3. I went home and researched endometriosis and the HSG procedure (short for hysterosalpingogram). Turns out the only way to diagnose endometriosis is surgery and HSG just shows that it's not other things but it can't show that it IS endo. Which is probably what I would have heard from the nurse practitioner gyno if I had known what questions to ask and she had known how to say it so I understood.
4. I sucked it up and scheduled a pre-op appointment. That was March 18. I met with the doctor gyno who is doing the operation. I learned something - one doesn't have to be a surgeon to perform surgery. How reassuring. At least the doc seemed self-confident. Good. When he goes out to tell hubby that I'm a vegetable he'll be able to do so with poise.
2009-03-16
False Alarm
Just kidding friends. Looks like I'm not moving into that place I excitedly posted about yesterday.
Turns out the previous tenants were a little misleading about the deposit and pet policy. Instead of a $250 deposit, it's really that much plus first and last month's rent except you have to pay last month's rent when the time comes, so it's really just $850 deposit. And $100 is non refundable for carpet cleaning, which the new tenant arranges for themselves. 1) that's an expensive carpet cleaning, and 2) why isn't this taken care of before the new person moves in?
Instead of a no cats or dogs policy, the landlord went on to say no snakes, birds, guinea pigs, or fish. More animals may have been mentioned. I'd rather not live there in fear that my pet rats will get me evicted. Holy cow, no fish?! Sounds a little uptight to me.
Oh yeah... Apparently the landlord (an elderly man) and his wife spend several months of every year in St George. What the heck? What if something needs to be taken care of?
I guess it's back to searching Craigslist ads. I'll let you know if things change.
Turns out the previous tenants were a little misleading about the deposit and pet policy. Instead of a $250 deposit, it's really that much plus first and last month's rent except you have to pay last month's rent when the time comes, so it's really just $850 deposit. And $100 is non refundable for carpet cleaning, which the new tenant arranges for themselves. 1) that's an expensive carpet cleaning, and 2) why isn't this taken care of before the new person moves in?
Instead of a no cats or dogs policy, the landlord went on to say no snakes, birds, guinea pigs, or fish. More animals may have been mentioned. I'd rather not live there in fear that my pet rats will get me evicted. Holy cow, no fish?! Sounds a little uptight to me.
Oh yeah... Apparently the landlord (an elderly man) and his wife spend several months of every year in St George. What the heck? What if something needs to be taken care of?
I guess it's back to searching Craigslist ads. I'll let you know if things change.
2009-03-15
Am I Really Doing This To Myself?
Well, Nathan and I have an appointment tomorrow to sign papers for a new apartment. Man I hate moving, but my now apartment is really bugging me and has been for a while. The new place is $600 a month and very close to my work. No more waiting for Nathan to pick me up! And I'm still being responsible with my money and not splurging for a much more expensive place that would leave us financially strapped each month. Which I've been tempted to do.
Cons about my curent place that I hope the new place will fix:
- have to drive over a curb every time I enter or leave the driveway because only about 3 feet of the entrance was smoothed down
- neighbors in the next house over who sit outside in their cars and blast mariachi music so loud that I feel the base while lying in my bed
- radiant heating located in the ceiling. And the heating system downstairs broke so there's a small space heater type thing stuck in the wall instead.
- nosy and noisy school age children that constantly run by my window in good weather. And I live in the back of the building and these children are from several houses down.
- shower has separate knobs for hot and cold water. I spend half of my shower time adjusting the water temperature.
Possible cons about the new place:
- less storage space
- possibly not as much sunlight. Windows are only south and north facing. South facing windows have awning over them.
- only one story. Might feel like less space even though square footage is the same.
Pros about the new place:
- a block away from my work
- kitchen is L shaped and not galley style
- it's an end unit so there is only one shared wall. No neighbors above or below either.
- built in dishwasher
Cons about my curent place that I hope the new place will fix:
- have to drive over a curb every time I enter or leave the driveway because only about 3 feet of the entrance was smoothed down
- neighbors in the next house over who sit outside in their cars and blast mariachi music so loud that I feel the base while lying in my bed
- radiant heating located in the ceiling. And the heating system downstairs broke so there's a small space heater type thing stuck in the wall instead.
- nosy and noisy school age children that constantly run by my window in good weather. And I live in the back of the building and these children are from several houses down.
- shower has separate knobs for hot and cold water. I spend half of my shower time adjusting the water temperature.
Possible cons about the new place:
- less storage space
- possibly not as much sunlight. Windows are only south and north facing. South facing windows have awning over them.
- only one story. Might feel like less space even though square footage is the same.
Pros about the new place:
- a block away from my work
- kitchen is L shaped and not galley style
- it's an end unit so there is only one shared wall. No neighbors above or below either.
- built in dishwasher
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