All the stress and obsession and panic and hand-wringing and annoying my friends and family for naught. Finally, the hysterectomy is done! (well, 18 months ago, but this has been sitting in my files gathering dust since then). The fibroid/endometrioma extravaganza I named "Georgette", the baby I could never have, is no more! Never having been through major surgery besides my laparoscopy and minor eye surgeries, I think the pain and the helplessness were my biggest fears.
Ultimately, I am glad my timeline got scrunched, as I couldn’t physically or emotionally wait another two months for my surgery date. The doc told me to go to the ER that weekend because she was on call and I was in so much pain and discomfort, but I got called at the end of the school day on Wednesday, October 12th with a last-minute cancellation for the next day. Poor students and colleagues who had to witness my complete and total breakdown. What a wimp I was!
Three kilos of gunk gone. A normal uterus is about 8cm and weighs about 100 grams. ONE of my fibroids was 28cm. I really like to live large.
So, I lost one uterus, 2 fallopian tubes, gained 16 staples and a 20cm scar, lost my horrible anemia, my hair stopped falling out, and I’m aliiiiiivveee!!! Three fewer cancers can get me, and I can fit my clothes better. I can drive over bumpy roads without screaming. I don't have a giant pregnancy-sized lump on my front. I don’t have a monthly visitor! It’s hard to tell from the photo, but I lost several inches from my middle.
I’m really happy my pain tolerance is more like my mom’s, who had Stage 4 cancer and was complaining of a “twinge” in her back. I’m not quite that hard-core, but happy I could just do Tylenol by the end of Day 2, as morphine makes me barf, and there’s nothing grosser than barfing when you have a 20cm incision in your belly.
I found it strangely comforting that everyone in the ER was a woman, except for the baby doc training to be an anesthesiologist. I swear he was still in high school, and got all nervous and shaky just asking me basic questions upon admission. Maybe it was his first day? Hope he’s found his footing.
Ultimately, I am glad my timeline got scrunched, as I couldn’t physically or emotionally wait another two months for my surgery date. The doc told me to go to the ER that weekend because she was on call and I was in so much pain and discomfort, but I got called at the end of the school day on Wednesday, October 12th with a last-minute cancellation for the next day. Poor students and colleagues who had to witness my complete and total breakdown. What a wimp I was!
Three kilos of gunk gone. A normal uterus is about 8cm and weighs about 100 grams. ONE of my fibroids was 28cm. I really like to live large.
So, I lost one uterus, 2 fallopian tubes, gained 16 staples and a 20cm scar, lost my horrible anemia, my hair stopped falling out, and I’m aliiiiiivveee!!! Three fewer cancers can get me, and I can fit my clothes better. I can drive over bumpy roads without screaming. I don't have a giant pregnancy-sized lump on my front. I don’t have a monthly visitor! It’s hard to tell from the photo, but I lost several inches from my middle.
I’m really happy my pain tolerance is more like my mom’s, who had Stage 4 cancer and was complaining of a “twinge” in her back. I’m not quite that hard-core, but happy I could just do Tylenol by the end of Day 2, as morphine makes me barf, and there’s nothing grosser than barfing when you have a 20cm incision in your belly.
I found it strangely comforting that everyone in the ER was a woman, except for the baby doc training to be an anesthesiologist. I swear he was still in high school, and got all nervous and shaky just asking me basic questions upon admission. Maybe it was his first day? Hope he’s found his footing.
The first thing I thought when I saw this picture of me hiking in Manning was “Georgette is HUGE!”
Pic on the left is pre-surgery. Post I can get my hand closer to my insides. Picture might not show it, but there's a huge difference.
Three weeks post-op. I miss my caterpillar! 18 months on, and only a faint line is visible, save for the top centimeter that went keloid.