It's a Pain in the Gut

Hellooo out there, is anyone still here? Sorry I've been MIA for so long, life has been a little busy around here. Actually, it's been a little painful.

After waiting, and waiting and waiting for over a year I finally got a date! Not the kind of date that includes a good dinner (Corey manages those a few times a year) but the kind of date that includes a sexy white and blue gown, drugs and sleeping in a strange bed. Yes folks that's right, I got my laparoscopy date! Not only did I get it, I've had it and it's over.

Since getting pregnant with Bethany and having so much trouble with my belly pains we've been wondering. Curious as to what's happening in there, and wondering what to do about it. After Audrey was born those pains didn't go away and the problems with my physical health mounted. I saw a specialist a year ago and it was decided that the only thing left to do was to go in and take a look, at which time we were going to do a tubal ligation (tie those bad boys), which we've since changed our mind on. It's a sensitive subject and I'll broach that one later, when I know what to say.

Anyways, I've spent the last week and bit having doctor's appointments, letting a lady posing as a lab tech draw enough blood to keep a family of vampires satisfied for a month and standing on a hospital scale, because gosh darn it don't I want to share my weight with the world - not! The one good part about the scale experience is they also measured my height and it was proven that Corey was wrong and I'm still a solid 5'8" and NOT SHRINKING! Wahoo!

I also met with the anesthetist because with my Dextrocardia they always want to have a visit. See the whole heart on the other side thing throws them off. He was a nice man, older and somewhat shy. Poor guy, we talked about my drug allergies, my surgery and my heart being on the right. He then needed to listen to said heart and proceeded to put the stethoscope on the left side. This isn't all that unusual for me as they need to listen to both sides and often do that to people with "normal" heart position. However, he must've forgotten that the sounds would be less because of my dextrocardia and was utterly confused. He frowned a few times and then looked at his paper, when it dawned on him what the problem was, he shook his head and moved the scope. I kept in a laugh and he carried on. Next he announced that he was going to listen to my lungs to make sure they were clear for the surgery. He placed the stethoscope on my chest, bordering on the side of my breast. I was wearing a very padded bra that day (hello, a girl can at least pretend she's got something, thankyouverymuch) and I guess he couldn't hear anything because he frowned again, switched to the same sort of position on the other side and looked down right perplexed. After another second it once again dawned on him, that yes I was breathing and maybe it was the stethoscope position, so red faced he moved it and carried on. I had to bite my tongue to not burst out laughing. The poor guy.

Anyways, last Friday, I checked into the hospital, drank a really nasty liquid to dry out my throat (dude it tasted like sucking on a sour candy and then chasing it with the water from an algae ridden fish tank) put on my sexy gown and waited. Corey held my hand and kept me company for 1.5 hours as we waited and then patiently waited for me as they took me in.

I woke up with a very, very painful abdomen, a little loopy and ready to puke. After a few hours of in and out, some good medicine for both the pain and the pukes, I was transferred back to day care ready to go home. They checked my bandages, gave me some info and sent us on our way. No time to waste, while they were very nice it was very clear they wanted the space. Good thing for them I wanted to leave too! I'd been fasting since the night before and I was 5pm, I wanted something in my gut! All I know is that according to the recovery room nurse, they "severed scar tissue". Basically, I am assuming that what they found when they got in there is what my doctor suspected from the start, that I was full of scar tissue and it had attached itself to my insides and bowel.

While I am so very grateful that it's over and that they finally have some kind of an answer for me. I also feel at a loss. I don't really know what happened, and I am so very much more sore than I expected. The doctor had said a day or two and I'd be back to normal. We're 4 days out and I still feel horrible. I'm getting better but I still can't pick up Audrey and caring for the girls on my own isn't an option. My belly hurts and has some ugly bruising, I feel sort of blind sided. I'm the kind of girl who emotionally prepares for things, I'm a planner and I like to know what's going to happen and when. Now, I understand that life and God don't work on my schedule but that doesn't mean I don't want them too.

I'm also not exactly patient so waiting to heal, isn't really something I'm thrilled about. I just want to get back to life as we know it, for me and for my family. But as per usual, things aren't going my way and I have to suck it up. And once again, we are so very grateful for my Mom and Dad. They've been a huge help with the kids, while I've been recovering and I don't know what we'd do without them.

So, if there are a few less posts here for another day or two please forgive me. It's taken more out of me than I expected, but rest assured I'll be back soon, I've got another article being published this weekend and when I return I might just bring a wicked awesome contest with me :)

But in the meantime, if you're still around and you've made it to the end of this post, please leave a comment starved girl a message or two. Tell me how life is where you are, or if you've had an "interesting" medical experience feel free to share, heck you can even tell me what you're having for dinner, just please, let me know you're here!