(sigh) I'm so uptight I can't sleep now...

It's 2:34 am Saturday here, and my surgery is scheduled for Monday at 6:00 am. I've waited SOOOOOOOO long for this surgery (since Feb 2003), and now it's almost here. So why worry, right? I'm finally getting what I wanted, right??

The thing is that I went in for my pre-op this past Tuesday, June 1. Dr found a Stage 3 rectocele (protruding from vagina) on that day. Earlier that day, he had the hospital perform another CT Scan, but he didn't have it to look at. Well, he determined on Tuesday that he would remove my uterus via TAH as well as repair the rectocele.

On Thursday morning, bright and early, he called my home to tell me he had gotten the CT Scan in and looked it over. Last year, when another dr botched a job removing my last ovary (he was *supposed* to take the uterus too, but didn't), some blood collected on the back of my uterine cavity forming a fluid-filled sac, called a seroma. It caused me lots of pain, but my old dr (not the one who botched the job, but the one I'm seeing now) wanted me at home on bedrest for a month in order to heal. ANYWAY, it seems that that seroma is still there, only NOW my ureter (tube from the kidneys to the bladder) is wrapped up in it, and he has to call in a urologist to put a stent in it on Monday, too.

Dr told me to prepare myself--that I was in for a rough ride. THEN, he tells me that he may not be able to fix it all in one surgery. He's concerned that I'll be under for too long. And while I appreciate that, I remember that I'm only 33 with 2 small children and a husband at home, and they NEED me. (We won't even get into how I've made it through the day and year as a teacher)

It's weighing heavily on my mind and heart now. I can deal with the surgical pain, I can deal without my uterus, I can deal with the fact that I'll be out of commission for awhile, but waiting ANOTHER year?? I waited til this summer just so I wouldn't be out of work for 6-8 wks, and NOW ANOTHER YEAR of painful intercourse, pain and heaviness in my abdomen, not to mention "inconvenient" bowel movements?

Sorry to take up so much space, but it seems that you all are my last resort here. I hate to impose on my dh for anymore waiting or another year of my coming home and getting off my feet. These are new subject to my mother, and my MIL is absolutely NO help whatsoever. I trust your opinions, and I value your input. I don't know where I'd be without y'all's understanding and support.

Anyone else dealing with or know how to deal with this??

Thanks for being there. I'm here for you--just holler!

~Chanda

Would it help if you asked your dr to explain what he expects to be able to accomplish in one sitting, and what would be left to do?

It could be that the second phase may be a lot less stressful on your system - and it could also be that the first surgery will really make a positive difference in how you are feeling so that you will have a better year.

I understand the ideas behind having your surgery when you are not teaching - I had mine in July for that very reason. When you only work part of the year, you have to make things work around that.

Talk to the dr again, and make sure he understands your worries from a health point of view and your very real concerns about work issues too, so that you can get a clearer picture of what to expect.

best wishes

oh im so sorry to hear your news *hugs* and im sorry i cant really give you any advice on the subject all i can do is reply and hopefully push you up the board to get replies from women who have been through the same as you.

All i can say is deal with one problem at a time try not to look to far into the future....its what im doing at the moment just focussing on the next hurdle and letting tomorrow take care of itself...sorry i cant help anymore....but will thinking and praying for you

lots of luck sis

xxxxxxhugsxxxxxxxxx

Thanks for all the sweet words of encouragement. I'm a little better this morning--had to get all that off my chest, I suppose.

I tried calling the dr on Friday, but he was in another town at a clinic, and I couldn't get him. I guess that I'll have to write down my questions for him for first thing Monday morning. (If I don't write them down, I'll NEVER remember them)

Thanks again, and I'll be sure to let y'all know how it goes.

Praying for you all, too!--

Chanda

I'm so sorry you have this to deal with on top of everything else!!!

I sure hope the doctor is able to answer your questions in ways that give you a bit of relief!!!

I'll be thinking of you!!!!! GOOD LUCK!

Chanda, good luck with your surgery! I really hope he can do it all at once! So you won't have to wait.

And I thought 2 months was a long time to wait!!! God bless you girl!! I don't really have any advice, I just wanted to give you a big and wish you the very best. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Writing down questions is a wonderful idea - and remember to write down the answers too --- I've found out the hard way that I don't remember the answers either unless they are written.


good luck.

Oh, Chanda -

I hope they can do the surgery all at once. But hopefully CAS29 is right in that the first surgery will relieve the majority of your problems, and the second one will be much less invasive. I, too have "possible" ureter involvement, and won't know the outcome until after surgery - the urologist is "on call" for my surgery. I have my Pre-Op Monday afternoon, but by then, you'll probably be in recovery. Please do let us know the outcome - Best wishes to you!

Esme

Thanks, sisters! I hope all goes well with you, too. Wish me luck!

~Chanda