2 days after surgery
So on Monday (three days before surgery), a wrench got thrown into the plan. I knew something was wrong because I had been out of the ordinary tired for almost a week. The thought of waking up early for my pre-op blood test and then rushing to school knowing what the blood results were going to say (hello, super anemic from blood loss) motivated me enough to arrange for a sub. Thank goodness I did that for myself!
I let myself sleep and then went straight to the blood test center. Within a few hours, they were calling me with results: low red blood count, low hemoglobin, low hematocrit (whatever that all means)... I was like look lady, all I know is that I'm tired and realize even my brain is not getting enough oxygen to function normally...what do I do? I was not ready for options:
-blood transfusion before surgery
-iron infusion (to raise blood levels on my own; would require pushing back surgery 4-8 weeks)
-do nothing and proceed
I ended up not really having any options due to lack of time. Receiving a blood transfusion sounded scary at first, but in the medical world, it's a common procedure, and in some ways, may be better than an iron concoction made in a lab. I don't know enough about it; all I knew was that I really didn't want to delay surgery for SO MANY REASONS.
For the next two days, my phone was ringing non-stop: women's clinic, general practitioner, blood bank, insurance people. I just wanted to be left alone but I had so many decisions to make. My GP said she was comfortable with me proceeding with surgery. If I needed blood, they would get it to me. She said that one of the best things I did for myself was know my body enough to know that something was wrong. I didn't need an ultra sound (in January) and blood tests to tell me something was off. My gut told me. The doctors just had to identify it.
I was so excited the day of surgery! All I had to do was show up and lay down. I feel so proud that I was so brave. I hadn't even meditated that morning but it was like all the calm (from previous meditation sessions) was with me. I knew I was making the right choice.
When I woke up after surgery, I immediately checked my stomach for an incision. The doctor had told me that if worse came to worse and she found more than she was anticipating, she might have to cut me open. No abdominal pain or wound was a good sign!
When my doctor came in to check on me later, she said it was a success and that she found all kinds of stuff up there she removed! The fibroids were expected but it also sounds like she got the rest of a polyp that had been removed before, cleared out some clutter...who knows what else (can't wait to see the pics)?! Thank you doctor for Marie Kondo-ing my vagina. "Thank you fibroid but you did not ever bring me joy. You're free to go now."
Day 1 of recovery felt like a breeze. Day 2 was only rough because the pain meds messed with my stomach, so by now (day 3), I've tapered off for the sake of my gut health. I have yet to leave the house, which is the goal for today. I'm already tired for Monday and feel like I have a lot to get together to make it through a full week of school, but I have tomorrow to sort that out. I'm usually pretty OCD about having clothes picked out, coffee and lunches ready for the week, etc. Might have to just go with the flow this week and take it one day at a time! However it goes, hopefully I will be feeling like myself again soon. That was the goal, after all.
I let myself sleep and then went straight to the blood test center. Within a few hours, they were calling me with results: low red blood count, low hemoglobin, low hematocrit (whatever that all means)... I was like look lady, all I know is that I'm tired and realize even my brain is not getting enough oxygen to function normally...what do I do? I was not ready for options:
-blood transfusion before surgery
-iron infusion (to raise blood levels on my own; would require pushing back surgery 4-8 weeks)
-do nothing and proceed
I ended up not really having any options due to lack of time. Receiving a blood transfusion sounded scary at first, but in the medical world, it's a common procedure, and in some ways, may be better than an iron concoction made in a lab. I don't know enough about it; all I knew was that I really didn't want to delay surgery for SO MANY REASONS.
For the next two days, my phone was ringing non-stop: women's clinic, general practitioner, blood bank, insurance people. I just wanted to be left alone but I had so many decisions to make. My GP said she was comfortable with me proceeding with surgery. If I needed blood, they would get it to me. She said that one of the best things I did for myself was know my body enough to know that something was wrong. I didn't need an ultra sound (in January) and blood tests to tell me something was off. My gut told me. The doctors just had to identify it.
I was so excited the day of surgery! All I had to do was show up and lay down. I feel so proud that I was so brave. I hadn't even meditated that morning but it was like all the calm (from previous meditation sessions) was with me. I knew I was making the right choice.
When I woke up after surgery, I immediately checked my stomach for an incision. The doctor had told me that if worse came to worse and she found more than she was anticipating, she might have to cut me open. No abdominal pain or wound was a good sign!
When my doctor came in to check on me later, she said it was a success and that she found all kinds of stuff up there she removed! The fibroids were expected but it also sounds like she got the rest of a polyp that had been removed before, cleared out some clutter...who knows what else (can't wait to see the pics)?! Thank you doctor for Marie Kondo-ing my vagina. "Thank you fibroid but you did not ever bring me joy. You're free to go now."
Day 1 of recovery felt like a breeze. Day 2 was only rough because the pain meds messed with my stomach, so by now (day 3), I've tapered off for the sake of my gut health. I have yet to leave the house, which is the goal for today. I'm already tired for Monday and feel like I have a lot to get together to make it through a full week of school, but I have tomorrow to sort that out. I'm usually pretty OCD about having clothes picked out, coffee and lunches ready for the week, etc. Might have to just go with the flow this week and take it one day at a time! However it goes, hopefully I will be feeling like myself again soon. That was the goal, after all.
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