home again

Just wanted to leave a quick post letting yall know that I made it through surgery just fine and am home again in one piece. I so much appreciated the sweet comments, texts, Instagram & FB messages, emails, Tweets, calls, singing telegrams, and messages-in-bottles yall inundated me with (pop quiz! two of the previously listed things actually did not happen...any guesses?), and since the pain is temporarily fairly well-controlled (well, maybe it won't be temporary? I can be optimistic...), I wanted to give a decent update. And some super attractive pictures.

Try not to be jealous of my stylin' compression leg warmers (reason you wear them: they velcro these leg massager thingies around your legs during surgery, since your legs are up in stirrups the whole time, presumably to keep the blood pumping and your legs from falling asleep. Too bad I was asleep and didn't get to enjoy the massage) and non-skid socks that look like fish skeletons (reason you wear them: because it's FREEZING in the operating room and frostbite would really complicate things). Yes, I got to bring them home, yes, I'm still wearing them, no, you may not borrow them. So sorry.

 I also got a super sweet hairnet and an IV in my hand. Matt called me "The Painter" the whole time I had on this thing, and kept requesting I paint him murals. That kid...

 Prior to surgery, Dr. S predicted that surgery would take an hour to 1.5 hours. The anesthesiologist said that "coming out" of the anesthesia would take 5 to 15 minutes. Surgery actually lasted 2 hours. Waking up from anesthesia took me 45 minutes (to become semi-conscious. Probably another hour before I could move my body or open my eyes or talk on command. Weirdest feeling ever...). I guess you could say I'm an overachiever? Or I like to get my money's worth?

As far as surgery went, the good/expected things were: got the giant cyst off my left ovary (comment from Dr. S: "whoa, that guy was a BEAST!"); did not find ANY fibroids or polyps during the hysteroscopy/D&C. Found that my cervix is super tiny and tight (not new news: this was why our second IUI had to be converted to an ICI, and I've been repeatedly told about my 'stubborn' cervix), but now Dr. S suspects that this could be one of the causes of my endo (due to increased retrograde menstruation). Maybe I'll go into this more later, but that was good news because he can and did 'widen' the cervix some, so he is hopeful that it may delay the re-growth of endo.

Less good/unexpected things: A new (since my ultrasound last month, I guess) (but small) endometrioma on my right ovary (quote from Dr. S: "Yeah, I was not impressed...that guy was tiny, you certainly coulda done better..."), and a fair smattering of adhesions throughout my pelvic cavity. The adhesions are totally a bummer (basically that's scar tissue growing and fusing together organs in my pelvic cavity that uh...aren't supposed to be fused together) and definitely a sign of more advanced endo. He removed them all, but...yeah, bummer. But you know Dr. S-- he certainly wasn't bummed. He apparently had a fantastic afternoon discovering all these fun things and totally whipping my insides into shape. He is so funny to me!! Slash I wonder how much coffee he drinks...(related note: there are Keurigs in every single waiting room/area at the practice and the surgery center!! So nice!!)

Anyway...wow, did I actually say that this was going to be a 'quick' update? Hahaha. Hilarious. Blame it on the meds!

I would have to say that the best miracle of the day (besides not dying, obviously) was that despite leaving at 4:00 on Friday afternoon, it took only an HOUR AND A HALF to get home!!!! That's from Johnson Ferry Rd in ATL all the way back to almost-Athens, yall...during rush hour(s)?? Totally a miracle. And I was still basically unconscious from the anesthesia, so I wasn't even totally miserable. That was a HUGE blessing.

Anyway. So now I'm trying to stay ahead of the pain by adhering to a disciplined regimen of pills, and easing my way back into food with the BRAT diet (which I would like to refer to as Boring, would Rather have A Taco). But since a banana and rice were a vast improvement over mag citrate, I'm pretty satisfied, actually. Currently my abdominal pain isn't too terrible (unless I'm moving or trying to sit up) and the CO2 is apparently hanging out in an optimal location, because my shoulder pain is minimal. Hence the reason I've felt well enough to type a novel of a blog AND text people. Woohoo! I have high hopes of sleeping through the night tonight, and tomorrow morning my parents will be showing up with arms laden with food for our freezer and hearts full of parent-ly love and 'fuss over your poor broken daughter'-ness...which I am all about. We are so thankful for all four of our parents' love and help and care for us!! Sometimes being a grown-up is awesome, but...sometimes it's not so bad to have other people taking care of you, too.

Well, I'm losing focus now, so I'll go back to watching the 282038th swimming event...I mean, I am seriously bored with swimming now. Is there NO OTHER sport worth televising? I appreciated (and cried through, which hurt my tummy) the special on the Magnificent Seven tonight...perhaps next they could do a special on the Russian Gymnasts' Eye Makeup? It is simultaneously ridiculous and inspirational. Just like me. Hahaha. G'night and thanks again for the love!