Keep in mind this post is just after surgery and on my phone keyboard:
Mom and dad came over early Thursday morning to help get the girls off to school. Thank goodness! We needed the extra time to get ready and leave for the hopital. We were to check in at nine but we ended up waiting an hour and a half after the 10:25 projected surgery start time since Dr. Soisson was finishing up at another hospital. A young man wheeled my bed down the hall with Dan walking beside me. Then dan kissed me goodbye and I was parked outside the OR room. The nurse, anesthesiologisy doc and physician resident spoke with me while we waited for Soisson. I was attired in long compression hose, socks, net panties and the gown....and a blue cap to keep in my hair. When Dr soisson arrived, he was full of energy and asked again to make sure I was ready...I thought back to the check in stage where I had to sign a consent to sterilization form, so stark and cold and set me on the edge of tears. even as I write this post from my phone keypad in my hospital bed, I feel a peace from having this procedure behind me. Before surgery the resident reminded me that I am still at risk for cancers in the peritoneal cavity but I am greatly reducing my risk of other cancers. So the anesthesiologist dripped some loopy meds into my iv and i remember saying "I thank you in advance and you look great in green"...okay...
I remember waking up groggy in recovery and slipping back into slep often. Then I rememeber being in my room with Dan at my bedside while I am trying to answer the nurse's questions and Dan was answering for me. I remember talking to Dan for a sec and then sleeping and waking up to tell Dan to go on ahead home since i couldn't stay awake anyway.
Last night was the worst night of sleep of my life. I felt the gas pain in my ribs and shoulders from the nonflammable CO2 they pumped in me to be able to see during the procedure. I had urine sitting sooo heavily on my bladder and I tried several times to get up and go without succcess. Each time I got up it was easier, but still so difficult and I felt dizzy and nausiated. They thought they were going to have to put in a catheter. Finally after a bag of fluids and the third attempt I was able to urinate and it made a huge difference in my pain level in my tummy . I went potty about two hours later again and it helped relieve the tummy pain. All night it seemed like I was trying to sleep while being on the verge of transition labor contractions, plus the gas pain in my ribs and shoulders and the back pain from lying uncomfortably. After the second potty trip and some meds i was able to rest better around 2 am I guess.
Interestingly a girl from labs came to draw blood at 3 am. She also has the BRCA2 and last year she was tested for the gene and had a hyst ooph. Her cousin had just died at age thirty two of ovarian cancer so that's why she was tested. When they opened her up, they found ovarian cancer in its early stages. She has been doing chemo this past year. I am so blessed that they said I looked clean. The lab tech told me about a support site called hystasisters.com so I'll go check it out. She said they share about the side effects and treatments they are undergoing. This morning another lab tech came in and she was from the Czech Republic so we had a nice visit and chat in Czech. She escaped communist Czech in the early eighties while on vacation to Yugoslavia. She is from Olomouc, a city where I served. It was fun to speak with her. Heavenly Father sent me some lovely people to encourage and lift me.
Every hour I am supposed to take ten breathes into a breathing tube to prevent pneumonia. My calvees have been constantly hooked up to leg squeezers to prevent blood clots. I had a nice breakfast omlet, oatmeal and fruit. I have been up walking a bit and taking it easy in bed. I am to consult with Dr. Soisson in four to six weeks and not be on any HRT or drugs for menopausal symptoms. I'll have to see how it goes and then we'll talk hormone ish therapy.
I am in more pain than I had anticipated, but am grateful for a clean outcome. Truly blessed.
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