We arrived at the hospital at 6 am for my 7:30 am surgery. I was on the verge of tears all morning. Mostly worried about going under but this was emotional because we were only to this point because we lost children. They take your name, your spouse's name and cell number and then you wait in a waiting room with lots of other people that are there for different surgeries. Then once all of the surgery patients arrive, they take you all back to pre op together.
In a group they start putting you behind the little pre op curtains and going over your medical history. Then you get into your gown, slippers, the little cap thing and they start your IV. I cried multiple times behind the little curtain. They take your clothes in a bag and then you wait for the resident and surgeon to come in. They allow your husband to come back at this point. Finally, I wanted a familiar face and needed support.
Dr. Haney's resident stopped in. I think her name was Sam.She was the sweetest little Asian women, all smiles,super nice and very young. She had wonderful bed side manner and had to go through all the paper work with me. She said that a doctor there was asking 1000 women that were having gynecological surgeries if they'd participate in an ovarian cancer study. If I wanted to participate I would just donate a tiny piece of tissue that he would compare to ovarian cancer patients in order to help them figure out more about it. So I signed the papers to help with that. It didn't hurt me and didn't affect the surgery in any way, so I was all for it. She then crouched down to my level and said she had to ask the hard questions, the reasons why we were there and my pregnancy history. She was so careful when asking. I really loved her.
Then Dr. Haney stopped back there. He was dressed in a wool coat, with his scarf still on and all smiles. He congratulated the resident because he found out she won a huge award given to her by her peers for being the best resident/student in the whole university. He then shook our hands and then explained what he was going to do. He used my husband's hands as a visual. Explained that the tac was going to go high up. He put his hands around Derrick's imitating the band and then asked Derrick if he was able to open his hands, obviously he couldn't. That demonstrated what the tac does. You can't funnel to it and nothing is going anywhere. He spent a long time back there with us. Then before I knew it the anesthesia lady (another sweet women) came back to walk me down the hallway. She got me out of the little pre op curtain area and through the doors, there in the hallway I had to say good bye to my husband. I was shaking and starting bawling. I was nervous, scared and emotional. I missed my kids and wasn't ready to say good bye. She was so nice, carried my IV and into the OR we went. I got up on the table, she put something in my IV but I didn't notice a difference, didn't feel weird at all. Laid my arms out and she was asking how long I have been with my husband and how young we were when we met, then I felt a little spacey. Someone walked over and put a mask on my face and I was breathing in, then they asked me something about my husband and I remember answering them (still don't know what they asked or what I said to them lol) but I remember trying to talk with the mask on then I was out. They didn't even warn me, didn't tell me it was anesthesia. I thought it was oxygen, maybe it was. Who knows. I then woke up in recovery and didn't have my glasses on so I couldn't see a thing.
I remember waking up slowly and then wanting water really bad. I didn't say a word. During this time, Haney was speaking with my husband and telling him how surgery went. Apparently my ovaries are no longer polycystic. The doctor said 'her tubes, ovaries and uterus are gorgeous" yes, those are his words. Derrick was obviously very excited about that and explained to the doctor the changes I've made in my life and he said that must have fixed everything. He told him the surgery went great and my cervix was long and he was very happy with the placement of the cerclage. That in fact the only thing wrong with my cervix was that it was weak, and not short so that was great news. The tac cures the weakness of it and he is not worried at all about the length. He was very happy about that.
He told Derrick that when he was allowed back in recovery with me that I'd be very groggy. To his surprise I was very alert and wide awake. Apparently anesthesia agrees with me and I had no problems with it at all. The one thing I worried about and it ended up just fine. They wheeled me up to my room and I had already been pushing that morphine button. I loved the morphine. It didn't make me feel funny at all, just took the pain away.
I was up on some maternity ward, no sure what kind but they had baby stuff in my room and I heard babies crying etc. The nurses there weren't the greatest and I remember pushing my button for something and she didn't answer it for 2 hours. She never showed up until I pushed it again. Anyways I was kind of happy that they didn't come in often. As long as I was ok, I'd rather not be bothered. I had vitals checked by other people once in a while. Other than that we just hung out and I ate right away. Lots of fruit, yogurt, a smoothie, cottage cheese and a salad. I hadn't eaten since 7pm the night before and it was around noon at that point. I packed that food in :) I was surprised I wasn't feeling nauseous and the nurses seemed surprised by it too.
I dozed off here and there and then was so excited and on cloud 9 that I couldn't really sleep. We managed my pain and then ordered dinner later. At that point I felt a little sick because I was pushing my morphine a lot and tried to eat. Once I sat up I felt sick but if I laid down, I felt better. I kind of ate dinner laying down. We spent a lot of time going over all the positive things Dr. Haney told Derrick. He said I was better off than a normal pregnant person now. My cervix was stronger than the average person and I could work, exercise, bathe, and carry on like normal during pregnancy. We haven't been this happy in a long time.
I slept on and off through the night and woke up at 4am when they come in, take your morphine away and make you get up. I felt good. I got up and had some pain, but once I was up I felt much better. I asked if I could get dressed and then we walked the halls. It was difficult at first because I was so stiff. I hung out in the room waiting for Dr. Haney and his assistant to come by and discharge me. The sweet little women, his assistant came in and I was all dressed and up. When she noticed me, she almost fell over. Said I looked wonderful and has never seen a patient that had surgery less than 24 hrs, up and about. She was shocked. I was probably on a natural high still. She checked my incision and told us once again how happy Haney was with how it all went. She was very happy too and said she was very excited for us and our future. She couldn't have been more sweet, so caring and I seriously loved her.
We waited a little bit longer and Haney came in. He was completely taken back that I was up and about. Even told one of the nurses that he's never seen this before. I had no idea how insane it was, that I was up, I just felt good :) He said that's what happens when you are a young, healthy women, you just bounce back after surgery. He then went over everything that he had already told Derrick while I was in recovery. How great it went and how the next pregnancy we will bring home a baby. Even the nurse said how great this tac was and she has seen many women come through with it and have children now. I knew that, because I know women with it and researched it enough :) He spent a long time with us and then we got our photo with him. I am sure I'm missing some details and I wish I had time to sit down and do this right away but we were enjoying the happiness and the positivity from the days.
I just feel great. Lucky to have this opportunity and so happy we were able to get this done in January. I'm glad anesthesia went well and though the day was so emotional, it was so great too. He renewed my hope and we have no doubts the next pregnancy will be a success. I wish I recorded everything he told us, so that everyone could hear it. You'd be a believer too, if you spoke to this man. He has the stats and I wouldn't have gone to this length if I didn't have proof that he's the top doctor.
I am so happy that we did this. I'm literally just speechless and no words can explain the feelings we have right now. Just pure happiness and I can't wait to bring home a child.
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