Wednesday, October 23, 2013

WIP-my belly

Today is the last day of my medical leave for the removal of uterian fibroids and a hysterectomy.  I have struggled with whether to share this post or not.

My doctor was wonderful; the surgery should have taken 2 hours, but she stuck it out for 5 hours.

I learned two very important things:  First, I don't do well with anesthesia and had trouble coming out of it.

Second, narcotic pain relievers and not my friends - I am very comfortable in saying I will NEVER have to worry about abusing them.  My surgery was on a Friday, with a scheduled 23 hour stay.  Every time I was given the narcotics, I got violently ill and had to stay another day.  Saturday night I BEGGED the nurse to stop with the narcotics to see if the prescription strength Ibuprophen was enough.  It was, and I was home for lunch Sunday.

It has been a long haul and as I said earlier, I have struggled with the idea of sharing pictures of the WIP of my belly.

These are not the best pictures, taken in our bathroom mirror by myself.  Same clothes to better compare; taken more for me than anything else.

Taken August 7, five weeks prior to surgery.  My uterus was enlarged to the size of 18 to 20 weeks gestation.  My hips measured to a size 10 pants, while my waist was size 16!  I borrowed maternity pants from a younger coworker.  

I had spent the summer doing yoga 5-7 days a week, hikes in the wild's of Alaska, and volunteering at a local equine assisted therapy center as a side walker (walking a mile or more with while each client rode a horse).  I also followed Weight Watcher's eating plan.  Despite my activity and healthy eating, I couldn't loose weight, my belly kept getting larger.  At my annual physical, my family doctor informed me of the fibroids and referred me to a gynecologist.

There were 5 "rather large" fibroids, with many smaller ones.  Luckily, I was not the doctor performing the surgery; I would have cut me from hip to hip and pulled everything out in one large piece.  The fibroids were about the size of baseballs and had to be taken out of a one inch incision, piece by little piece!  Performing the surgery laproscopicaly shortened my recovery by 2 weeks compared to the bikini cut surgery. 



September 21, 8 days post operative - still puffy from air left over from surgery and swelling from the long surgery.


Taken this past Monday, October 21, five and a half weeks post operative.  The appearance of weight loss is completely from the surgery as I still haven't been cleared for full exercise.  I can walk, but hate walking alone, and can't take my dog with me just yet.  I have eaten horribly, and have gained a little more than two pounds in the last week.

I did return to my yoga mat this week.  Just doing beginners 15 minute practice, avoiding any core work until I see my doctor Friday.  

As I posted earlier, I still do not have the energy I had prior to the surgery.  Tomorrow I work 9-7, so hopefully I will be able to pull energy from somewhere!  Friday is my last post surgery appointment and I will be cleared to return to my life!

1 comment:

Gracey is not my name.... said...

Are you okay? Its been quite awhile