want to see what comes out of me!

Just before surgery I asked the Dr & nurses if I could see my parts they removed as I was curious , they said no,It goes to pathology asap so then I said could I have a picture?Long story short,while in recovery as I was waking up someone said "Melodee,wake up-heres your picture.." And it is a very cool picture.I will have to have my daughter help me load this on the computer as Im not real savy when it comes to doing this...It gave me a peace of mind just to see the parts that had been so much trouble.I dont know why,but that is how I feel..

I just went to my pre op on tuesday, and asked my Dr. if she would take pictures, she laughed and said I was her first patient ever to ask that so she said why not, bring the camera and we'll get you the pictures. My husband thought this was so funny, but I really want to see this.

I brought a disposable camera (with a flash) in and gave it to my doctor before surgery. Given how all the light there is in an OR, I don't know that I needed to get a camera with a flash... but I wasn't taking any chances. Just like I want mechanics to SHOW ME the parts they remove from my car, I want my doctors to SHOW ME the parts they remove from me. Seeing is believing! I will be picking up the pictures tomorrow. I kind of feel sorry for they guy developing the film. LOL

I didn't want photos, but I *was* extremely eager to find out exactly what they found in there -- because I had suspected but uncomfirmed/undiagnosed endometriosis. I have had severe menstrual pain since I was 14 and it turned out I had advanced endo and several adhesions.

Part of me would like to know what adhesions look like, and what my endometrioma (blood-filled ovarian cyst caused by endometriosis) looked like, but part of me is quite squeamish. If you can stomach the photos/video, though, I say more power to you!

I wonder now after reading up a little on endo if I have that, even though never diagnosed. Very painful periods and my mom did too. That's why she had her hysterectomy at age 35. She just couldn't take it any more.
I still have a couple more appointments with my Dr. so will ask about photos, videos, etc. so I will know the results of what is taken out.

Thanks for the encouragement!

I just looked at the pelvicfloor.com site and man there is some bad looking stuff "nasty" on there. I would like to see what comes out of me, I know one thing Im glad im having it abdominally, cause I dont know if I could stand to have it vaginally that looks very pain full.If you havent checked pelvicfloor.com out , you should. woo..

Whew! is right!
Lots of stuff I don't quite understand on that site (pelvicfloor.com) but I'm sure I'll be learning in the next little while. I have a friend who I think has a prolapsed vagina, but she has no medical right now so can't even think of taking care of it. Thankfully it's not too bad and not really uncomfortable for her so my prayers go out to her while she waits.

As for me, I still plan on talking to the doctor about photos and/or videos and lots of explaining.
I know I need to start making lists of things so I don't forget, but I think it's all too new right now and I'm a bit overwhelmed.

Thank you for the information on that website. Not pleasant to look at, but good information non-the-less.

At this point I know my vagina is very small and I can't imaging that they would be able to do my surgery that way. I'm planning on abdominally, which will take longer to re-cup, but I think it's best for me. At least with the information I currently have.
Hoping the best for your surgery!

Hmmm. I might think of going digital! That way no one has to "develop" the pictures! Good point!

I have posted photos of my uterus after it was removed if you would like to view them. They are in the photos section under my name. Seeing it let me know that, yes...there were problems, and yes I can see it had to come out. There is also a picture posted of my surgery with my doc and surgery team working on me.

I was told not to take a digital camera. In the moving from OR to recovery to hospital room it may become lost.

Disposable is best.

edited to add: if you click on my name, next to my avatar you will have a drop down box come up and choose photos. It will take you right to my member photo page.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by kreative_ily I wonder now after reading up a little on endo if I have that, even though never diagnosed. Very painful periods and my mom did too. That's why she had her hysterectomy at age 35. She just couldn't take it any more.

It could well be, kreative_ily. My understanding is that the three most common symptoms of endometriosis are (1) extremely painful and often very heavy periods, (2) pain during sexual intercourse, and (3) infertility. In my case, 2 & 3 were moot because it's been a LONG time since I've been in a sexual relationship and I wasn't trying to have children. There are a whole host of other symptoms as well, including chronic pelvic pain, which I never had.

Endo is a very weird condition in that doctors are still not entirely sure how it happens, and there is a wide spectrum of symptoms. Also, a woman can apparently have advanced endometriosis and NOT be displaying symptoms (and the endo is found by accident, like during surgery for something else), and a woman can be perfectly miserable with endo symptoms and yet turn up to have very few adhesions/lesions. It must depend on WHERE the adhesions/lesions/whatever you call them are, and what part of the body they're affecting. Adhesions are what often cause pain during intercourse, they prevent the uterus from moving about as it was meant to do.

My mom also had painful periods, and had a hysterectomy at about my age because of profuse bleeding during her periods. As far as I know, though, she never got a diagnosis of endometriosis. My mom died in May, so I can't ask her now. Endo does tend to run in families, though. My two younger sisters also have painful periods, so I am encouraging them to consider having laproscopic surgery to see if they have it. My youngest sister has been suffering from severe chronic lower back pain for years, and they've never been able to determine what is causing it -- she's had all sorts of tests that have ruled out all sorts of things, and the doctors are stumped. I am now wondering if maybe she has adhesions that are causing the back pain, I've heard that can happen with endo.

Take care, tamsin