Week 5/Day 30 (Sunday) - Period Pains!

Wooow. My period arrived today, with a vengeance.

I'm only posting on this because I'm a full two days earlier than usual—it technically came last night, but without the pain—and it's super crampy. Both of these are incredibly unusual for me since the birth control pill I'm on regulates the hell out of my system (fantastic for someone who thrives on consistency).

Even post-surgery, when I was due for my period just several after (great timing, right?), it came precisely on schedule. And contrary to my doctor's warning that it would likely be heavier than usual, it was completely the opposite, with minimal additional cramping to my existing discomfort.

Well, no such luck this time around! One of the worst periods I can remember.

My period is either:

1. in the process adjusting to my new and improved uterus, in the final stages of healing;
2. teaching me a lesson for dancing/overdoing it the other day; or
3. getting me back for an easy first post-surgery period.

I'm thinking it might be a combo of 1 & 2. 

In any case, it's good to feel..."alive"? 

Week 5/Day 29 (Saturday) - Oh so close...

I am officially into week five, and only a couple days away from my one-month mark. This past week has been inching along in terms of noticeable progress, but I can taste full recovery.

Monday was the start of my daily subway commute into Boston/working in the office. A colleague applauded my decision to work from home during week 3; he had abdominal surgery years ago and returned after week 2, and said it was so hard on his body.

Monday though Wednesday were trying on my core from sitting at my desk. I now realize how ergonomically lacking my chair is. (And I work in occupational safety and health! Go figure.) But by Thursday, quite a dramatic change actually, I felt fine. So I should be in great shape for next week.

Even the subway was doable, though tough, the one day I had to stand in a sardine-packed car during rush hour.

Other positives for the past week:

• I'm back to my regular walking pace, without feeling winded.
• There's barely any tenderness when I rub my incision spots (which expands my wardrobe options tremendously).
• [to tune of 'The Safety Dance'] I can dance if I want to!

Me and Richard at Dance Spot #1

I really tested myself yesterday, but passed with flying colors:

My sister held the 'Last Dance' of her public art piece, Dance Spot Boston. Since I couldn't participate earlier due to my surgery, I had to join the congo line for this.

I tried to be cautious, and took several breaks from the action. But dancing inevitably involves quick movements and bouncing. And I was fine! I think the tiredness I felt was more due to my lack of exercise than my body still healing. No cramping, no soreness.

They really have this 6-week recovery timeline down to a science. In another week, it's going to feel like my surgery never happened. Except for feeling even better than I did pre-surgery.

Week 4/Day 23 (Sunday) - Take It Easy!

I'm to the point where my body feels normal much of the time. This both good (great, even) and bad.

The great side is obvious: It's nice to feel like my old self. I've even started to view some of my previous posts about discomfort/pain as whiny, even though I know they are 100% legit; so that shows how removed from surgery I'm beginning to feel.

The bad side is that even though I feel back to normal, my body still has another couple of weeks to go before it is.

I physically have the strength and mobility back to do active things, like walk briskly or carry heavier groceries, but doing these things strains the parts of me that are still healing. And because I feel better and want to be active again, it's hard to remember (and accept) that I'm only halfway through my recovery and still need to take it easy.

Good thing my body has natural reminders built in!

The steps I jogged down this morning.

Reminder 1: On Friday, feeling really good and energetic, I dropped my car keys under the driver's seat and had to dig them out. Not very active, but a lot of bending and twisting. I was completely winded after the 45 seconds it took to get them out.

Still not OK to make awkward movements.

Reminder 2: I quickly hopped down our front steps today when I went out to get the paper. Didn't think twice about it because I, again, felt so good, and my pre-surgery pace up or down our steps was a jog. After I went inside, I started to feel cramp-y in my uterine area, and almost a little queasy.

Still not OK to bounce.

Both good reminders for my first day back in the office tomorrow. I'd better get some sleep before the big day.

Sayonara.

Day 20 (Thursday) - Milestones

Several updates and milestones to report on, this morning! Today marks the end of my third week post surgery.

• Milestone #1: I slept on my stomach last night for the first time since my surgery. This is a major 'normal' activity for me that's been impossible because of both how it stretches my core (similar to standing up straight) and the pressure it puts on my incisions. It's especially exciting/surprising that this happened last night because I slept horribly the previous night; my incision spots were really acting up and I could not get comfortable. Now, it's really just my belly button and lower right incisions now that still hurt at times when pressure is applied.


• Milestone #2: On a similar note, I can officially stand up beyond upright (shoulders completely back, back arched), and for more than just a minute. I have been moving pretty well, anyway—no more waddling, I can twist—but this is going to make such a difference in my daily activities in terms of fatigue because of the stress it takes off of my back.


• Update: And speaking of movement, I have continued with my 1.25 mile walk at least every other day, and my pace has picked up tremendously. I've gone from a 35-minute-mile to about a 22-minute-mile, which is only 5 minutes off my personal normal. Still very winded from it, but all the more reason for me to be doing it often and picking up speed as best I can.
  
  I am officially a human animal again:

I'm passed the zombie stage, but thought this was appropriate post-Halloween.

I was saying to Richard just last night that it's been really bugging me out to feel winded after such low-key movements, like walking or sitting upright for long periods of time. So I'm really pleased to be able to report on these milestones.

Off for my walk and coffee, and then work.

Day 17 (Monday) - Part 2: Scarring

One of my scabs came off today while I was pulling up my pants (yes, I can button my pants again!), the one over my smallest incision.

Looks pretty good, but as expected, there's a small, visible scar.

Upper left, scab still over healing incision;
Lower right, scar left from incision.

I have other scars, but from external injuries, not full incisions, so they are much less dense and barely noticeable to the touch. They're also on firmer parts of the body (leg, hand, etc.).

It's strange to run my fingers over this one and feel such a hard, tiny lump in the middle of such a soft area of the body.

I assume the one in my belly button won't be visible, but no doubt I'll be unveiling three more of these surgery reminders in the days to come....perhaps by Halloween!

Day 14 (Friday) - Part 2: Post-Op

Looks like I am going to spend one more week at home.

I will still be working, but remotely. My mind is ready, but Doc says my insides need a little extra strengthening time before exposing my core to the daily office posture. I'm inclined to agree after my commute trial run.

I was completely winded after the 1/2 milk walk and subway ride into Boston. I wasn't expecting this since I've walked over a mile on each of the past three days. I was wiped by the time I got home.

Still, I am healing well. My incisions look great (her words not mine), though she cleaned two of them out with peroxide which was uncomfortable (both of them) and made me really squeamish (belly button one).

Blurry (i.e. less gross) photo of my healing incisions

Got some info on some of my questions:

• First, not that they weren't anticipating it, but my fibroid/tumor was confirmed to be benign. It was also 10cm (4 inch) ball all around; now I have dimensions. 
• Because of placement, they didn't have to cut all the way through my uterus to remove it--very good *, but unusual for a fibroid at this stage. They did still have to cut away at layers to get to and detach the fibroid: it was growing off the outside my uterus, but smooth muscle had grown all around it, sandwiching it in. The backside of my uterus is in the process of strengthening and re-growing smooth muscle.
• Forgot to ask about weight gain, but that was just curiosity. 
• A lot of the gas pains I'm still having (not to mention hypersensitivity to my bladder) is because there's suddenly extra room in there. My pieces are all slowly moving back into place as they re-learn where they belong. In the meantime, any trapped gas has to find a creative path out. 
• Finally, the small pains I've been having in my lower sides are likely some of the ligaments that hold my uterus in place; they, too, are healing.

So many working parts!

Bodies sure can be gross, but they're also amazing.

Sayonara.

* Because they did not have to cut open and stitch back together any part of the uterus, if I were ever pregnant I could likely labor no problem, vs. automatic cesarean.

Day 14 (Friday) - Week 3!

Today is both the end of my second week post-surgery and the day of my (first? only?) post-operative  appointment with my surgeon.

Yesterday was very busy--ended up having two overnight guests! So I didn't have time to post. But despite the busy day, staying up very late and getting only 6 hours of sleep, I woke up feeling quite strong in my core--like my old self at moments.

I'm hoping to get positive feedback on my recovery so far at today's appointment. I will also ask about what my body is going through at this point in the healing process, so I can be in tune to that--especially if I decide to start work back in the office on Monday.

Questions for today:

• How much was my uterus cut open to get the fibroid out, and how was it stitched back together?
• What about the surgery/post-surgery caused me to add so much initial weight? 
• I'm still having some piercing pangs from trapped gas. Normal?
• What are the occasional internal pains in the lower right and left of my pelvis?

I'm sure there will be more, but these are currently on my mind.

My surgeon is also a regular practicing Ob/Gyn, so I may ask if she is accepting new patients. I've loved her since day one, and after going through something so...intimate, it might be nice to build on that doctor/patient relationship if it's an option. We will see.

Wish me luck!

Day 12 (Wednesday) - Highlights

It's been a long and busy but good day.

I'm tired, so quickly, here are the highlights:

• Good: I have upgraded from a sloth to a turtle! I did my Dunkin' Donuts walk again at a comfortably faster pace than yesterday. 
• Good: I did a couple loads of laundry--sheets and things--and prepared our guest room for a potential overnight visitor tomorrow (!). 
• Great: I sneezed four times today, and it wasn't agony. I can also laugh again, reasonably hard, without it hurting.
• Good/Gross: I removed the steri-strips from my over five incisions, which was gross enough that I'm not posting a photo of them yet. This was on schedule, and will hopefully air them out more. Don't get me wrong, I think they're healing the way they should. They just don't look all that appealing as the blood continues to scab and harden to the point of falling off (you didn't think you'd get away with no gross-out factor whatsoever, did you?).

My body is definitely getting and feeling stronger, but I'm wiped and looking forward to a good night's sleep.

Sayonara.

Day 11 (Tues) - Part 2: Anatomy Lesson

Well, I've just spent the past hour re-learning female pelvic anatomy.

My last true reproductive anatomy lesson was probably in 8th grade (mind you, through my Unitarian church's Sunday School About Your Sexuality course--middle school was useless for sex ed).

By Fabiform, Wikimedia Commons: License Info

More specifically, I have been reviewing the precise location of everything surrounding my uterus so I can try to make sense of the pains I still have.

NOTE: There are far more graphic drawings than this out there; I'm trying to keep things as G-rated as possible.

To give you a sense of my ex-fibroid in context of this drawing, imagine a large, round mass drawn in at the middle-backside of the uterus. That's where my fibroid was. And it was even larger than my uterus.

(I hope to get a copy of one of my pre-surgery ultrasounds. Another woman, whose fibroid recovery blog I came across, managed to get one.)

Unfortunately, my anatomy review hasn't been helpful. There's nothing I can find located where I still have pains: very lower right and left, about level with the pubic bone (not shown here), which falls in front of the bladder.

I have to assume these pains are my incisions still healing internally. The area on my right hurts the most, which is also my largest incision, and maybe the spot through which they removed the fibroid, piece by piece. Ick.

Day 11 (Tuesday) - Achievements

I've reached a good place on a number of goals today, and all before 1pm!

My accomplishments so far today:

• I cleaned out my system (finally!).
• I completed my 1.25 milk walk to Dunkin' Donuts and back (pretty tiring towards the end, but still felt really good).
• I can stand up nearly straight without it pulling or hurting.
• I have lost nearly all of my post-surgery weight.

"Post-surgery weight? What's that?" you ask. 

I, too, was unfamiliar with this concept until the evening I arrived home after my operation and stepped on the scale, hoping to have lost a couple pounds from the weight of the fibroid. 

Imagine my surprise (and dismay) to see that I had instead managed to gain 8 pounds in less than 12 hours!

A lot of it must have been the fluid they pumped into me immediately post-surgery when they were trying to get me to pee on my own. Maybe my swollen internal organs were also filled with extra fluid?

In any case, after 11 long days, the weight is nearly gone. Not bad considering I have been devouring all sorts of forbidden foods in quantities much greater than I typically eat.

Clearly, in light of these achievements, I treated myself to a pumpkin donut in addition to the delicious, large coffee I had been longing for.

Day 10 (Monday) - Part 2 :-)

Center : Cards from my nieces.

In regard to my last post, still working on progress there....

But on a delightful note, a great boost of get well energy arrived in today's mail: hand drawn get well cards from two of my lovely nieces (ages five and three).

I also got a card from work on Saturday that was really sweet and encouraging.

I'm building quite the collection!

Day 10 (Monday) - Warning: Poo talk.

Is it really only 11am? Yup, that's how today is going so far.

Let me preface this post by saying (sorry in advance) this is my second day in a row of being constipated.

I was told moving around would help with this in addition to the Colace prescribed. So, so far today (got up around 9:30) I have:

• had a cup of tea and a little cereal; 
• loaded and run the dishwasher;
• wiped down the kitchen counters and stove;
• loaded one small wash, and folded another small wash (my clothes for today);
• brought the folded wash upstairs;
• tried to poo thinking that's what my body was telling me it really wanted to do, only to find out my body was lying to me.

My body wants to go, yet my body won't let me go. My muscles aren't strong enough.

In addition to the pains this is causing, I'm annoyed because the single goal I set for myself today was to (very slowly) walk to Dunkin' Donuts, about 1.25 mile walk roundtrip. A nice rest and coffee reward after the first half, and I can always take a cab back if I'm too tired. Yesterday's walk just felt so good. 

Right now I am far too uncomfortable to walk to DDs. Funny, a cup of coffee would probably help! If I drink a cup at home then I won't want another which ruins the motivation for going.

How chicken & egg: Need the coffee in order to go; Unless I go, I can't get the coffee. 

There's probably a song in there, somewhere....

I'm onto cup of tea #2 and still need to shower and dress, which may help move things around in there. But even if I manage to get one out, I'm thinking DDs is off at this point. I've been so active already that it will probably be too much.

There's always tomorrow.