It Lives!

[kelliem]

Well, it's been a week now. I am feeling much better and thought I would let folks know I am still alive and actually doing quite well, and thank everyone for their kind wishes. The surgery was apparently horrific but fortunately they have this thing called 'anesthesia' so I didn't know it sucked until later. My surgeon said she was going to write me up in a medical journal and I told her it wouldn't be the first time (the previous time being when I had a lung removed some 24 years ago) and she told me to stop being greedy and hogging the limelight. ;-D I really like her.

So far I've read several books (good LAWRD Robert Ludlum writes purple prose! He's like the Barbara Cartland of thriller authors.) but haven't managed to watch many DVDs. Now that the staples are out it's more comfortable to sit so I will hopefully be doing more of that. And more of this. I've missed being online and reading my LJ and email.

I'll stick some gory details behind a cut because I know very few people will want to read them but some who have had similar experiences might be curious.

My surgeon (who teaches people how to do hysterectomies and is one of the best in the region) told me flat out that it was the second-worst hysterectomy she has ever done. Oh joy. :-P Not a distinction I really enjoy.

Apparently fibroids tend to grow their own vascular system. This isn't unusual. However, where most people might have between one and three new veins due to fibroids, I had more like 15-20, and they had managed to wrap themselves around my ureters (the tubes that go from kidneys to bladder) so she had to dissect them from around the ureters, a very painstaking and dangerous job, and she ended up calling in another surgeon to help her so I had two surgeons working on me. I apparently lost a lot of blood, they had to give me a couple of pints. They also nicked my bladder a little bit toward the top, which they then had to fix, and because of that I got sent home with a catheter. Ick. Fortunately they took that out yesterday.

She told me that the fibroids were even larger than they had appeared on the MRI and ultrasound images, and that what they had thought was an ovarian cyst on the left side, turned out to be an enlarged, scarred, formerly-infected fallopian tube. Between that and the uterus she said I had enough 'mass' in my abdomen to equal about a six-month pregnancy. Ugh. (It seems so weird to me that I could have had an infected/ruptured/scarred fallopian tube without ever knowing it. I guess the symptoms are very similar to ovarian cysts, so we probably thought that was what it was, whenever it happened. She said it was at least 3 years old, because that's when I started seeing her and it was 'preexisting' then.) I did actually have a cyst on the right ovary, so that was another reason why they would have assumed it was a cyst.

Suprisingly, and likely due to the skill of my medical team and the nurses afteward, I feel pretty decent. My energy levels are good and I can walk around fairly easily, and get in and out of bed, and even go up and down the stairs, but I have a lot of aches and pains in places the meds don't seem to touch and that don't make any sense (middle-right back, right shoulder, left buttock.) They tell me this is from being on the operating table for 6 hours with one shoulder/arm hyperextended, and I guess I have to believe them but it rather feels like someone was beating on me. Also everything I eat or drink, including water, tastes *weird* (I suspect due to the meds I am on). At least the bruises from all the IVs snd blood draws are starting to fade, though I will be colorful for at least a week longer, I suspect. The puffiness in my right hand and arm from the IV leaking subcutaneously has finally gone away yet.

Yesterday after getting the staples and catheter out I was feeling so good I got cocky and decided it was time to start cutting back on the pain meds. Mistake. I spent the next 12 hours trying to get myself rebalanced on those but I'm feeling better now and will not try that again for a few days. Live and learn.

Comments

[umbo.livejournal.com]

Glad you're doing so well after what sounds like a hellish surgery--thank goodness for anesthesia for sure!

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Anesthesia, and good nurses. They are underpaid and overworked and we'd be lost without them. I am especially grateful for Ted, the night-shift RN I had for 3 nights. He was wonderful. :)

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better, albeit with meds! Sending heal-fast vibes your way.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I got your gorgeous card yesterday, and the cranes! They are sitting on my nightstand where they will remind me of your good wishes.

[caseylane.livejournal.com]

Yikes! Hope your recovery is uncomplicated.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you're through the worst of it ::fingers crossed:: Hope you continue to heal well and quickly!

I've got an ugly one coming eventually (we're putting it off as long as we can) -- maybe I'll come to Colorado and let yours do mine, too! :)

PS.

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

At the risk of asking too much, down the road a little, I'd love to hear if you're enjoying your "unmassed" abdomen! I would think that might be a nice silver lining to the whole thing.

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

Oh man. Glad you're okay.

I can commisserate. I'd had endometriosis for years before having my son and I'm told that all the material as calcified like coral.

So I'm carrying something like The Great Barrier reef wrapped around my uterus.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Oh geez. That sounds awful!

[irene-heron.livejournal.com]

Whew! What an ordeal. So good to hear that you are recovering. It'll only get better and better from here on out.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Yup. It's a big relief.

[arallara.livejournal.com]

Yikes! Good to hear you're back and, well, nearly on your feet again, anyway. Thank goodness for anesthesia, huh? :) Take care of yourself!

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And yes, despite having once been a member of the SCA, I am very glad I do NOT live in medieval times. The lack of anesthesia (or health care in general) would be a definite minus. :)

[bluster.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you're feeling better! You've really been missed around here.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

And likewise. I think only the drugs kept me from going stir crazy. :)

Oh! I found out (too late) that I could have taken the laptop to the hospital if I had an ethernet card and cable. They have in-room hookups. Not that I was in any shape to have been using one, but still!

[elke-tanzer.livejournal.com]

*gentle hugs*

Glad you're doing OK!

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thanks, hon! {{hugs back}}

[reginagiraffe]

Wow! Sounds complicated and painful.

I'm glad you're doing so well. Take it easy and don't push yourself.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm trying not to. :)

[shiningmoon.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear from you, YIKES on the complications, but YAY that you had a kick-ass doctor/surgeon. May your recovery be smooth and quick!!

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[mrlnpndrgn]

*hugs gently*
Glad you're ok.
I'm guessing that "fibroids" are what I called "fibrome" (because I was too lazy to search for the words)?

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

It probably is. Here's an explanation: http://www.4woman.gov/faq/fibroids.htm
{{hugsback}}

[brynwulf]

It sounds like you're doing extremely well, all things considered and I'm so happy to hear it. I thought I might drive up early next week if you're up for a visitor. Let me know if there's anything I can bring.

And you have definitely been missed around here.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'd love to see you next week, just let me know what day. Tuesday might be out, but I think any other day would work.

[claire.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you're doing well. I'll continue to keep my fingers crossed for you.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I really appreciate the good wishes. "I feel a fluctuation in the Force." ;-D

[katyabaturinsky.livejournal.com]

I am very glad to hear that things turned out fairly well in the end, and that you're starting to feel human again. We've all missed you. Many wishes for a speedy and pain-free recovery!

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thank you kindly! I've missed you guys. :)

[byob-kenobi.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you're feeling better! I've been thinking about you.

*hugs gently*

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thank you! {{hugs}}

[imkalena.livejournal.com]

GOD. I am *so* praying for your quick recovery. That's just . . . egad. *shudders*

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thank you hon. Much appreciated.

[shayheyred.livejournal.com]

Good lord, girl, I knew you were special, but this was not what I meant. Relieved and happy to hear you are mending. You were missed.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

:-) Yeah, I'm *special*. ;-D

[dine.livejournal.com]

glad to hear you're on the mend - it sounds like quite an adventure for your doctor! here's hoping your progress continues apace, and life is back to normal soon.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[silme.livejournal.com]

You have a fantastic doctor! And yes, nurses truly are underpaid and overworked.

It sounds as if this surgery was needed even more than previously thought.

I hope things continue to improve. I'm glad you're at home now and I hope you get to rest a lot. You deserve it!

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

It definitely was. I wish that circumstances had worked so I could have had it done a couple of years ago, it would probably have been easier then. But thanks. {{hugs}}

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear you're recovering - I hope it continue and goes smoothly.

From personal experience I'd say don't rush to cut down on the meds, in the long run it isn't worth it - but I know exactly why you wanted to try.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I just really hate the idea of narcotic pain relievers, but it'll only be for a few more daya and then I think the ibuprofen can handle it. Thanks for the good wishes.

[dinahmt.livejournal.com]

Wow - that sounds pretty horrific, Kellie. You're well rid of that lot! All the people I know who've had hysterectomies tell me once you recover from the surgery you feel like a new woman - roll on that, huh?

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Definitely! I've heard that as well, hoping that it's true!

[franciskerst.livejournal.com]

Glad to know all was fine for you eventually but the process looks horrible. Have a quick and easy recovery with a lot of good readings and writings...

I feel concerned because I could be obliged to follow the same path someday. Your tale is not encouraging. I think I am going to wait my menopause patiently.

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

If we'd done it a few years back it probably would have been much less complicated. Waiting was a bad idea, but we all have 20/20 hindsight. :)

[frau-flora.livejournal.com]

So good to hear you´re feeling better. I´ve been thinking about you a lot.

And, yes, anesthesia is a good thing. ;-)

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I appreciate that.

[the-haunt.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear that the surgery was more than expected for everyone. :( I'm glad to hear that you're recovering well, though! Take care of yourself and no overdoing it!! {{{SquishyHugs}}}}

[kelliem.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I will be careful not to over do.:)