Surgery Results

The pathology is in, America. And the results are:

I do have endometriosis.

Today I had my check-up for my surgery. It was 3 weeks ago yesterday that I had it. I have noticed a few small things changing for the better already, despite the fact I'm still in a lot of pain. I have a pretty extreme of IBS and any sort of change in my body make my colon contract and I have horrible cramps that can last, literally, for months. Despite having this all my life, I initially believed my doctor when he said I'd be normal after 2 weeks. I totally disregarded my own body and so it's been frustrating because I'm basically an idiot. It took me 2 weeks to realize, oh yeah. Maybe it'll take me longer to heal since I have a chronic condition. Genius. So I am still in pain but it's gotten much better. The incision in my belly button got infected during week 2 and I highly recommend avoiding an infected belly button at all costs. It's super painful and just gross. But now it's healed.

So what happens now? The surgery I had was initially ruled as diagnostic but while they were in there, they found lots of scar tissue (endometrial tissue) and they removed it. (They found a few lesions on my colon so that could've been adding to my IBS pain) They kind of did everything all at once. We just had to wait for the pathology to come back to make sure it was endometrial tissue. I should see some improvement with all of my symptoms. But that doesn't mean this is the end of it. Endometriosis is notoriously hard to get rid of. Some women get hysterectomies and it still persists. I wouldn't be surprised if I have to have more laparoscopies in my lifetime. At least now I know what to expect!

I'm so grateful to all the family and friends that helped me during this time. I couldn't have done it without you! I'm relieved it's over and I'm hoping for better health soon.

Surgery: Part 2

As most of you know, I had laparoscopic surgery yesterday. So today my mind is a little more focused but I'm in more pain. Overall, though, it's really not as bad as I thought it would be. The hardest part is not being able to do things like pick up Charlie or work on purses. When I have to work, I just want to rest. When I have to rest, all I want to do is work. Sigh.

During my procedure, my doctor found tissue, especially on my intestines that he suspects to be endometrial tissue, which would mean I have endometriosis. He sent the tissue to a pathologist just to make sure. At this point, it does really matter since he burned and scraped away any of that tissue he could see. If it is, in fact, endometrial tissue, that doesn't mean I'm cured. It can always come back, even if you have a full hysterectomy. It's just yet another problem to deal with. Though, my doctor did say I had lesions on my intestines he closed and that could possibly help my IBS some. I'm thinking that the procedure will reduce my pain greatly. Again, it's not a cure and I could quite possibly have to have another one of these or surgery on my intestine if the tissue comes back and eats all the way through.

Right now, I'm just very sore and looking, as my friend Emily (who's been through the same surgery and tons more) puts it, "awesomely pregnant." I'm nice and puffy. Hopefully that will go down in a few days, though the bruising is NASTY! My outside hurts more than my inside. Anyway, it's all for the good and I'm going to TRY to rest as much as I can. John has taken a few days off of work to help and so many family members have taken care of Charlie. I'm very blessed to have a great family to take care of me and Charlie.

Recently, my friend Rochelle and I discovered that we both write song parodies for fun. No, seriously. We're like young female Weird Als. Weird minds think alike, I guess! So, in celebration of my successful surgery, here's the chorus to "Laparoscopy" to the tune of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi."

My belly’s hurtin’ bad

I sleep with my heating pad nightly

Lapa-Laparoscopy

Ultrasounds give fuzzy views, won’t do

Can’t see my ovaries

Lapa-Laparoscopy

Doctor, please be kind

Don’t stop scoping my belly ’til you find

Endometrial tissue

Burn it out so it can’t hurt me

Lapa-Laparoscopy!

Surgery

I've been having lots of extreme pain for awhile and other symptoms that have lead my doctor to believe I have endometriosis. I had an ultrasound today and they saw lots of excess fluid . . . my doctor guesses (you really can't tell a lot from an ultrasound) that I had a uterine cyst that ruptured.

The only way you can diagnose endometriosis is by laparoscopy, which I'm scheduled to have next Tuesday. My doctor will make three small incisions in my abdomen, pump it full of air (gross, I know) and with a scope, check inside my abdomen for endometrial tissue. If he finds any, he will burn it off with a laser. It's an outpatient surgery so I get to go home the same day. I'm extremely happy about that--I'll actually get to sleep! The recovery time is usually 1-2 weeks. It's a minor surgery though it doesn't sound much fun. Even though I am nervous and not looking forward to the pain, I actually feel really good about it. I think it's the right step in getting better. I don't believe it's THE answer to everything but I feel like I'm going in the right direction.

John and I are so lucky to live in our hometown where we are surrounded by family and friends who can help with Charlie and my recovery. Sometimes we wonder why we have to be in the situation we're in but it's times like these that we are very grateful to be living with family!

Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers Tuesday if you can!