Tales of a welcomed hysterectomy....

Well folks. Tuesday I checked into the hospital to have a robotic assisted total hysterectomy. Might I say, it hurts!

I have been dealing with issues for years! Honestly, we have tried everything to take care of the problems. I have been seeing my current gynecologist for about three and a half years and I do t think they ever realized how much pain I have been in, on top of having extremely erratic, heavy, and frequent periods. I would have one for three months straight, then have nothing, then have one for nine days and a week later have another one.

This past November, I decided to be a bit more assertive. I told my doctor I was no longer interested in medication that was not working. She suggested we try either an IUD or the Nuva Ring. I told her I would try the ring for the three months as suggested. At the end of that three months everything was still the same although I had gained ten pounds. So I called her back.

They got me in the following week and I decided to be very assertive and tell her I was done with medical interventions and wanted to discuss hysterectomy. She assured me there was a protocol for insurance approval to which I said, "let's go!" That visit I had blood drawn that showed I was anemic, I had a uterine biopsy done, and I scheduled a pelvic ultrasound.

Two weeks later I got a call saying everything was fine and continue what I wAs doing. I was so shocked I just hung up the phone. After speaking with my cousin, I called back and told the nurse I wAnted to speak with the doctor that day. She called me later that evening and she told me that she had a colleague that does laparoscopic hysterectomies and she would present my case to her the next morning.

The next day I got a call saying the surgeon wanted to see me. I felt joyous!!! A week later I was in her office. She did a thorough work up and told me that even though I was young, I had had a tubal ligation almost 9 years ago and my child bearing years were way behind me. She felt comfortable performing the surgery on me.

Two weeks later ( Tuesday) I checked in to have my surgery. Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous, my husband had taken off work, my parents were going to watch my kids, and I was ready. Checking in, all the nurses and techs were wonderful. Dr. Tran explained everything and then I was wheeled into surgery. I had this amazing paper gown on that had a pocket for a heating tube to fit in that blew warm air into my gown. They had music playing..Michael Jackson and I told them this seemed like an amazing set up for a flash mob. There was a nurse on my right gently rubbing my right shoulder. That was really comforting. Then, I was being told to move into a bed in mg own room. ThAts how quick it felt to me.

In my room they had to give me oxygen because my sats were low. I slept off and on for the rest of the day. The pain kicked in on Wednesday! They pump you so full of air I was feeling major pockets of sharp gas pains. I got up to walk and go to the bathroom very cautiously. By that afternoon they discharged me to go home. They showed me pictures of the surgery and the surgeon said she was really glad we did the surgery because once the actually got in there, they found a cyst and endometriosis that none of the tests found. We could just address it all at once. I felt so validated. I just wanted the doctors to understand that this wAs a serious problem for me!

I have now been home 24 hours. One minute I feel really great and the next I feel awful. It feels like I have the worst stomach ache, plus I have PMS, plus awful gas, plus I have been punched in the pelvis 100 times. I am so bloated a swollen from surgery and I am weak. But every day will get better. I will heal and will never have to deal with this mess again!!! I feel so liberated! And in pain, but liberated!

I am so glad that I was able to have this done. So glad!