I’m now two days post-op from my hysterectomy/endometriosis excision and feeling tired but, overall, pretty good. Despite my building anxiety over the weekend, as soon as I was in pre-op, calm overcame me. I actually took a nap while waiting for the anesthesiologist to come for her consultation. I talked to another anesthesiologist after the first one and he gave me an anti-nausea medication that is typically given to people who are going through chemotherapy. I can say that I have not been nauseous but only a little queasy at times, but was easily mitigated with Zofran.
The procedure performed was laparoscopic via 5 portal holes in the abdomen and once the uterus and fallopian tubes were detached, those and my cervix were removed via my vagina. The surgeon then went about excising the endometrial tissue that they found along the abdominal walls on both sides as well as between the rectum and the uterus. She also mentioned that my sigmoid colon was adhered to my abdominal wall but the adhesion was not due to endometriosis, but they freed it. When my surgeon called me the day after the surgery to go over the findings, I felt so validated knowing that endometriosis was there. For years, my concerns were dismissed and the only way to get a diagnosis was to have laparoscopic surgery. I know that I am not the only person who feels that way as I sit with women in my clinic all the time while they relay their terrible experiences with doctors.
When I was in post-op care, the nurses gave me some more pain meds, made sure I could urinate, and could keep down some food (yay applesauce!). The surgical team was absolutely amazing and I need to write them a review about how safe, heard, and taken care of I felt throughout this process. I have mostly been sleeping, staying on top of medications, eating and moving around every 3 hours, and reminding myself to not overdo it. The pain initially felt like pressure (swelling) and stinging at my urethra while urinating. That pain was gone by noon on the first day after the surgery. I’m still sore, which is expected, and tired. Those are the physical feelings. The emotional aspects can only be described as relieved, validated, and hopeful about the future. I now know that I can not acquire cervical cancer again and that ticking time bomb is no longer over my head. I also no longer have to worry about endometriosis continuing to spread or spread at a rate it would have continued if I still had my uterus. I was able to maintain my ovaries, which will continue to produce sex hormones so I am not immediately going to menopause.
You might not want to know all the gory details (I spared you pics from the surgeon of my pelvic organs), but I wanted to possibly inspire you to get ANOTHER opinion until you find someone who listens and hears you. Thank you for all of your words of support and comfort throughout this time! Below is a picture of my swollen belly with the portals and steristrips.
Love,
Kathleen Neal, DPT
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