Wow. It's been awhile - sorry! The surgery went well and I am recovering fairly well. Now, of course, I've wrenched my knee and can't walk, but hey, I get to sit on the computer all day, and my cat is thrilled - he is snuggled next to me sleeping at the moment.
This cycle is being a bit strange, but I guess that is to be expected. I have had more EWCM than ever (you either know what that means or don't want to), but am not showing other signs of ovulating yet. And when E and I babydance, I'm spotting a bit. I figure that is still from the surgery, as I know it is supposed to take six weeks before you are really healed up. So now just waiting to see if we catch the egg this cycle, and if not, hoping it is a nice short one so I can be onto my clomid/IUI cycle. I have the clomid in the medicine cabinet. I can't wait!
In other news, I am still getting magazines like Babytalk and things like Enfamil in the mail from when I was pregnant last year. I don't know HOW they managed to get our new address. Really, they shouldn't ship this stuff out - especially given the rates of miscarriage. I wonder if they know how upsetting it is to get this - a nice weekly reminder that I don't have a baby. If I ever have to use formula, I promise it will not be enfamil now.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
OUCH!
Well, I did it - I made it through a surgery without a complete freak out. I won't say it wasn't that bad - the recovery room time was awful and I'm still very sore, but the surgery itself, in the words of my doctor, was "excellent."
The surgery was scheduled for 2pm on Monday. I had to stop all solid food on Saturday night. I had some yogurt on Sunday morning (as per the ok of the pre-op nurse) and then had to drink liquids and broths for the rest of the day. By that night I was starving. Monday morning, I slept late and then got my bag ready to go to the hospital in case I had to stay over. I took the train into the city and E met me at the station and drove me to the hosptial. We went up to the admitting room and waited about 20 minutes until they took me back. They had me in this waiting area with about 15 other beds with curtains all around. They had me change into my gown and put in the IV, which stung like CRAZY!!! I started feeling a little queasy so they gave me a warming pad over my stomach and that helped. E was allowed to be in with me at that point. He wanted to take a nap. I did too, frankly, but was too nervous.
About 1:30, they came and got me and wheeled me into the anesthesia prep area. Here I met the anesthesiologist, the nurses, and the resident who was assisting my surgeon. They finally gave me something to help the nerves and it made me a little dizzy but I was ok. Then it was into the operating room. I actually remember all of this, which is apparently unusual. In the operating room, they made me move onto the table and then we had to wait because my surgeon was late getting there. So we waited about 10 minutes, then they did the "time out" where everyone confirmed what surgery we were doing, and then the anestheisologist told me I would start getting sleepy. The next thing I knew, someone was waking me up from a really good dream and saying something about my tubes being clear. I stayed in the anesthesia recovery room for about 40 minutes, lying in the bed, and I was fine. They gave me morphine and then took me into regular recovery, where it all went downhill.
In that recovery, I had to sit in a chair. Moving to that chair made me dizzy and gave me horrible nausea. So they gave me something for the nausea and it turns out - I'm allergic to it! I noticed my hands were swelling and then I leaned forward and E called out to the nurses "Should she have these welts on her back?" Yep, came out in a rash all over - little red welts all on my back, arms, and chest. So benedryl was given and then I was SLEEPY! Oh, and of course, part of the allergy was that the anti-nausea stuff made me throw up. It took ages before I could stand up without wanting to barf or pass out. So I got to stay in recovery an extra hour or so. I finally decided I could go home, but was still sick. However, by the time I was home, I was just happy to be here and started finally feeling better. I woke up an hour after I went to bed (maybe 30 minutes after I got home) and had a bit more of the rash, but just one more benedryl took care of it and no problems since.
Happily, by yesterday, I was feeling much better in the nausea department. I'm sore, defintily, especially around my belly button, and my cats are ticked at me that they can't snuggle on mommy like normal (their favorite place is to lie on my tummy and purrrrrr). I am a little swollen in my belly, but haven't really had much in referred gas pain, which I understand is pure luck.
As for the outcome of the surgery - the cyst was an endometrinoma, but I had NO other signs of endometriosis at all, so the diagnosis is now endo free!!! Also, my tubes are perfect apparently, which is great news. Finally, the best news is that the cyst removed easily and my entire ovary is preserved. So now I am just waiting to be able to start IUI, hopefully in the next cycle, but maybe one more, depending on word from my RE. If we don't start IUI, we will try on our own, of course. So just keeping my fingers crossed that we see a BFP soon!
The surgery was scheduled for 2pm on Monday. I had to stop all solid food on Saturday night. I had some yogurt on Sunday morning (as per the ok of the pre-op nurse) and then had to drink liquids and broths for the rest of the day. By that night I was starving. Monday morning, I slept late and then got my bag ready to go to the hospital in case I had to stay over. I took the train into the city and E met me at the station and drove me to the hosptial. We went up to the admitting room and waited about 20 minutes until they took me back. They had me in this waiting area with about 15 other beds with curtains all around. They had me change into my gown and put in the IV, which stung like CRAZY!!! I started feeling a little queasy so they gave me a warming pad over my stomach and that helped. E was allowed to be in with me at that point. He wanted to take a nap. I did too, frankly, but was too nervous.
About 1:30, they came and got me and wheeled me into the anesthesia prep area. Here I met the anesthesiologist, the nurses, and the resident who was assisting my surgeon. They finally gave me something to help the nerves and it made me a little dizzy but I was ok. Then it was into the operating room. I actually remember all of this, which is apparently unusual. In the operating room, they made me move onto the table and then we had to wait because my surgeon was late getting there. So we waited about 10 minutes, then they did the "time out" where everyone confirmed what surgery we were doing, and then the anestheisologist told me I would start getting sleepy. The next thing I knew, someone was waking me up from a really good dream and saying something about my tubes being clear. I stayed in the anesthesia recovery room for about 40 minutes, lying in the bed, and I was fine. They gave me morphine and then took me into regular recovery, where it all went downhill.
In that recovery, I had to sit in a chair. Moving to that chair made me dizzy and gave me horrible nausea. So they gave me something for the nausea and it turns out - I'm allergic to it! I noticed my hands were swelling and then I leaned forward and E called out to the nurses "Should she have these welts on her back?" Yep, came out in a rash all over - little red welts all on my back, arms, and chest. So benedryl was given and then I was SLEEPY! Oh, and of course, part of the allergy was that the anti-nausea stuff made me throw up. It took ages before I could stand up without wanting to barf or pass out. So I got to stay in recovery an extra hour or so. I finally decided I could go home, but was still sick. However, by the time I was home, I was just happy to be here and started finally feeling better. I woke up an hour after I went to bed (maybe 30 minutes after I got home) and had a bit more of the rash, but just one more benedryl took care of it and no problems since.
Happily, by yesterday, I was feeling much better in the nausea department. I'm sore, defintily, especially around my belly button, and my cats are ticked at me that they can't snuggle on mommy like normal (their favorite place is to lie on my tummy and purrrrrr). I am a little swollen in my belly, but haven't really had much in referred gas pain, which I understand is pure luck.
As for the outcome of the surgery - the cyst was an endometrinoma, but I had NO other signs of endometriosis at all, so the diagnosis is now endo free!!! Also, my tubes are perfect apparently, which is great news. Finally, the best news is that the cyst removed easily and my entire ovary is preserved. So now I am just waiting to be able to start IUI, hopefully in the next cycle, but maybe one more, depending on word from my RE. If we don't start IUI, we will try on our own, of course. So just keeping my fingers crossed that we see a BFP soon!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
I hate jell-o (or complaints about surgery prep)
So tomorrow is surgery to remove a cyst from my left ovary, check for endometriosis and to check whether my tubes are open. E is driving me home and taking the next day off. Everyone - doctors included - have said I will be miserable for three days. Then accounts vary. My doc says no lifting of more than 5 lbs for two weeks and 10 lbs for 4 more weeks. Ummmm, right, so don't carry my purse for two months. Most women have said you're pretty sore for a week then are back to most activities but will be slow for a couple of weeks. A few people have said they were pretty out of it for two weeks. I guess I'll just have to see how it goes. In good news though - as they can check my tubes during the surgery since they use a different dye to which I am not allergic, I am having this done and will know yet more about my fertility when it is over. Loads of people say that once you do this, your fertility is much higher. Wooohoo!
So far, I've been to the dr. three times in the past two weeks - once for a follow-up with my RE to say that yes, in fact I do need the surgery, and to get all my pre-IUI bloodwork done; once to the pre-op department for the "scare you to death before surgery" physical and consult and yet more bloodwork; and once for the "it's going to be awhile before you feel normal" consult with the surgeon,who also happens to be my ob/gyn. This is supposedly not that big a surgery - I can't imagine what you have to go through with the major stuff. Forgot to mention - I've never had surgery before - only had my wisdom teeth out. I'm trying not to be nervous - I just keep telling myself this is good preparation in case I have to have a c-section once I do get pregnant. Once surgery is over and Auntie Flo shows up, it is on to IUI. Now that is a procedure I can get excited about. I've even picked up my clomid already.
Oh, and just for the record - I hate jell-o. Like, I can barely swallow it without gagging (congealed gel made from boiled animal bones and sweetened with something - YUCK!!!!) Now, I'm prepping for my lap tomorrow and all I can eat is jell-o and broths - the joyous clear fluid diet. URGH. In everything I've read about this surgery on the fertility chat boards, everyone left out this lovely detail - you basically have to clean out your system like you are having a colonoscopy. Google "Fleet Phospho-Soda" and you'll see what my day is all about. C'mon girls, you let me down here! Just kidding, but for the rest of you - now you know.
I will check back in after surgery, but as my laptop weighs more than five pounds, I may be out of touch awhile. Hope you are all having success on your journey!
So far, I've been to the dr. three times in the past two weeks - once for a follow-up with my RE to say that yes, in fact I do need the surgery, and to get all my pre-IUI bloodwork done; once to the pre-op department for the "scare you to death before surgery" physical and consult and yet more bloodwork; and once for the "it's going to be awhile before you feel normal" consult with the surgeon,who also happens to be my ob/gyn. This is supposedly not that big a surgery - I can't imagine what you have to go through with the major stuff. Forgot to mention - I've never had surgery before - only had my wisdom teeth out. I'm trying not to be nervous - I just keep telling myself this is good preparation in case I have to have a c-section once I do get pregnant. Once surgery is over and Auntie Flo shows up, it is on to IUI. Now that is a procedure I can get excited about. I've even picked up my clomid already.
Oh, and just for the record - I hate jell-o. Like, I can barely swallow it without gagging (congealed gel made from boiled animal bones and sweetened with something - YUCK!!!!) Now, I'm prepping for my lap tomorrow and all I can eat is jell-o and broths - the joyous clear fluid diet. URGH. In everything I've read about this surgery on the fertility chat boards, everyone left out this lovely detail - you basically have to clean out your system like you are having a colonoscopy. Google "Fleet Phospho-Soda" and you'll see what my day is all about. C'mon girls, you let me down here! Just kidding, but for the rest of you - now you know.
I will check back in after surgery, but as my laptop weighs more than five pounds, I may be out of touch awhile. Hope you are all having success on your journey!
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