Baby #2

So just as I had suspected, I was pregnant and PAIN FREE!!!! It was good! I was already in with Dr. X so he just followed me through my pregnancy and we set a section date. On November 9, 2012 we welcomed our baby boy into the world! We couldn't be happier! After the surgery, it seems my uterus has the consistency of "papar mache" according to the doctor. Each time they went to stitch me up, it fell apart. That explains the massive hematoma I had on my abdomen. (5 months later and the bruising is still there!) My hemoglobin dropped as well. A lot. But I eventually got back to normal, somewhat. I was happy that my recovery was going so much better than the first time! Then my period returned. Sweet merciful crap!!!! I have never bled like that in my life! I couldn't move for the pain. I had to get my mother to take care of my kids because hubby was away at work and I was completely incapacitated. I'm sure if you took my bloodwork, my hemoglobin would be down in the basement again. Nauseated, dizzy and unable to keep a single thought straight in my head were just a few more awful symptoms I had with my period. I went to see Dr. X right away. He put me on birth control and I return to see him in 3 months. I did one month of the Nuvaring that he prescribed. My skin does not like it. Nor do I. My period was just as bad, plus now I had side effects from the damn hormones! Month two, the ring lasted a week. It wouldn't fit properly and it was killing me. I just took it out and I'm waiting to see him again. A month and a half to go. Originally I was going to just say "hysterectomy". Get it out and over with. But another major surgery does not appeal to me. Then I heard a radio interview with a woman in a similar situation as me. The difference being, she suffered from uterine fibroids, and well, I don't have a diagnosis yet, but I really think I have endometriosis. (According to my symptoms, I'm textbook.) So this woman on the radio, Holly Bridges, wrote a book called "The UNHysterectomy".(You can find her on Facebook) It's her account of her story as well as a lot of research into women's options and our Canadian health care system. Hysterectomy is the #2 over-prescribed surgery for women. Second to Cesarean Section. Now let me be clear, my doctor, Dr. X, did not advise me to have a hysterectomy. I just figured it was my only option for pain management and sanity. Holly's book has proven otherwise. Now I look forward to my next appointment at the end of May and I will have book and questions in hand. Wish me luck!

AT LAST!

So it has taken me 3 years to get back into my blogger account! Finally I'm here again! Now to catch up. Let's try to do the Reader's Digest condensed version. I had my laparoscopy in October 2010. When the doctor woke me after, she said she didn't find anything. I began to sob. I heard a nurse say to someone, "She's crying" Then she tried to reassure me that everything was fine. But it wasn't. If the doctor didn't find anything, what was wrong? I was starting to believe the other doctor's that it was all in my head. I spiralled into a depression. I did seek help, but this just wasn't fair. I wanted to enjoy my life and my beautiful daughter. What I had thought would be a 6 or 8 week hiatus from work turned out to be 14 months. And when I did return, it was for 4 hours a week. By July 2011, I was in so much pain and frustration, I went to a walk-in clinic. The doctor listened to me and tried to refer me to many of the doctor's I had already seen. Then she said she would write a letter to another OB/GYN. We'll call him Dr. X. I received a letter later in the year saying I had an appointment with Dr. X in December. I really didn't hold much hope. I figured he would just say the same things to me. December came. My husband accompanied me to the appointment. Dr. X was phenomenal! He gave me a thorough examination and right away told me I needed physiotherapy. (He seemed to privately question my laparoscopy report when he read it on his computer. I'm still curious about that!) Anyway, I went to physio and the therapist was amazing! Turns out, the right side of my pelvis was dropped and inwardly rotated over an inch! So my muscles were in spasm for years! Then every time I had my period and things relaxed, they had to work even harder. So, I was going to physio every week. I followed up with the doctor about the pain associated with my cycle. He said we will go in and take a look. Laparoscopy #2! I was booked for my surgery on March 16, 2012. For those of you keeping track, my daughter was now 2 and 1/2 years old. I had a head cold that week, so when I went to the hospital on March 14 for my pre-admission testing, the nurse said more than likely my surgery would be cancelled on account of my being sick. However, the anesthesiologist said he would do a chest x-ray. If it was clear, I could go ahead with the procedure. Countless hours of bloodwork, urine samples and a chest x-ray later, I was in the clear! I arrived home, anxious because I had company coming for supper and nothing yet prepared, when the phone rang. it was the nurse from the hospital. "You're cancelled." NOOOOOO!!!! I calmly asked "Why? My chest x-ray was clear." To which she replied, "You're pregnant."