Tougher than 20 Marines

I've been visiting this site off and on for a few months but just now registering to comment on here. I had an emergency complete hysterectomy in August. My situation was unusual. I've always had big problems with Ovarian Cysts and had one ovary removed several years ago when I was in college. It was rupturing and they had to do emergency surgery to save my life because the cyst was so large. I recovered very well but continued to have cysts on the other ovary and over the years got used to living with the pain and discomfort. In July I got married and moved from KY to CA...big change in my life. I knew I had a large cyst because I almost looked pregnant and people would ask me all the time when I was due. I had not been to a doctor like I should because they kept telling me I needed surgery and I was just in plain denial and did not want it. So the plan was that my husband was trying to get me to a specialist to see what they could do for me...he was going to give me a little time because we had just gotten married on July 13. Less than a month later I started hurting so bad that I could barely stand the pain and my husband kept saying he was going to force me to go to the emergency room because I wouldn't go...I kept fighting him. I kept telling him it was just a virus. So he gave me a deadline and if I was not better he was going to call an ambulance whether I agreed or not, but we never got to that point because the pain got so bad I literally felt like I was going to die. So I let him drive me to the hospital. It was late at night and I was not treated well. The dr on call thought I was pregnant. I told him I was not, and he did not believe me. I'm very thin so my stomach was swollen from the cyst so I did look pregnant. So he then said well I must be a drug addict and he suspected I was in liver failure. I told him I had a cyst and he said no way could I have one that large...well he had to eat his words. They ran all kinds of test and discovered I had a cyst so large that they could not see anything in my abdomen but the cyst. It blocked everything out and I had a virus that was attacking the cyst causing the pain. They did not know how to handle it and could not find a surgeon that felt qualified to perform surgery on me. After a couple of days they transferred me to another hospital in Sacramento, CA where I had a huge team of surgeons looking at me. They all felt that it may be cancer...they kept warning me. So we went into surgery and they removed a 36 pound (yes I said 36) from me and had to do a complete hysterectomy. The cyst popped when they tried to remove it, and it was filled with blood. They then had to clean me out completely so that I would not get an infection and they put me on massive antibiotics. I was cut from right under my breast all the way down....very huge incision. They thought my body was going to go wild when they removed it so they put me in ICU. The cyst had crushed one of my kidneys and the lower part of one lung. They were amazed that I had been functioning normally and did not know it was that bad. I did not have any troubles. They were watching me constantly because they really were scared that the shock was going to be to big for my body. When I had no reaction at all they started calling me miracle girl. They had never had a patient at that hospital with a cyst that large nor one that had absolutely no complications at all. I was up and walking in no time. My bloodwork was horrible though...the cyst and drained me of all my nutrients. I barely ate because I never felt hungry and I was very malnurished so they were fighting that more than anything. I had no clue how sick I was. My husband of only a month was wonderful. I am a lucky lady. He stayed with me at all times and took off work even though we really could no afford it. He even made one nurse in ICU cry. She had been watching how he treated me and when he left the room for a moment to get some food she came in crying and told me that I should really appreciate what I had that she had never seen a man treat a woman like he was treating me...especially when I was not awake. Oh and by the way I was completely cancer free which was wonderful news. So to make a very long story as short as I can, the surgeons said I was tougher than 20 marines and a walking miracle. They said I should be dead, but I'm not. In fact I am doing great. It was hard at first...my incision was so large I had a very hard time getting comfortable and when I got home from the hospital for the first few weeks I got little to no sleep. But with time I started healing. I was also put on a high protein high calorie diet to gain weight especially muscle. So I went from eating maybe a bowl or two of cereal a day to 6 meals plus snacks. That has been hard to get used to...so far I've gained about 10 pounds which is good since it has been mostly muscle weight gain. I am really beginning to feel very strong. I was really worried about sex...as I said I had only been married a month when this happened and I didn't know what to expect...neither did he. That is how I found this website. I sat and read for hours some days while he was at work. I was not given the clearance for sex until 8 weeks after my surgery. So...at first it was ok not great but not bad but he was so scared of hurting me that it was very "tame" sex, but as time went on it got so much better and I cannot get over how much better sex is for me. I know it has only been 4 months but so far everything is beyond great. My libido is off the charts and I'm not even taking hormones. My husband does not want me to due to the risks (breast cancer in family) so for now Im not taking anything but I do take some Chinese Herbs now and then. I had never taken any before but they seem to really help me...so for now I am sticking with that. We have sex just about every day and sometimes more than once a day...not sure how long this will last but I sure am enjoying it. So I've gained weight, my latest bloodwork was great, incision is healing nicely, I feel good, and sex is fantastic. My husband still will not let me wash clothes or lift anything heavy. The doctor warned me that they cut through just about every muscle in my abdomen due to the size of that cyst so they said it would take a full year before it was healed and not to lift anything heavy so my husband has taken that seriously....he does the laundry!!! So I dreaded and dreaded a hysterectomy and I wish I had not had to have one...but I am thankful that I could have one so that I can live...I still have a lot of living to do. So I am very thankful for my doctor, my surgery, and my husband. Im a lucky lady.