Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, swelling, constipation, fatigue, ruptured tendons, metallic taste, take with food, and my favorite, gas with oily discharge.
It is important to note that I have not experienced all of these symptoms, but a few of these have darkened my door, and I will leave it to your imagination which ones have visited.
I have had a bit of a relapse and am experiencing an infection. According to the CT scan that I got in the emergency room last Tuesday, my left ovary is obviously offended that it's "womb with a view" has been taken so it has decided to swell up in protest. The dead end created by my doctor is having some sort of a bacteria rave in my gut and it has started to cause problems.
I am reminded particularly of those commercials that ask whether or not you have a problem starting or stopping urination. Before this lovely adventure, the sound of a dripping faucet made me feel as though I needed to pee.... now I've started to take a book to the bathroom EVERY time! How maddening is that?
I have spent most of the last week hopped up on pain pills... the good ones. Ibuprofen is not doing anything for the pain. This is just the first round of pills for the day. This repeats itself about 4 times!
Well, fast forward a couple of days and things are finally starting to look up. It has been a long road, but I think I'm finally feeling like things are starting to get better.
After a week of infection and misery, I went to the hospital and had a drain installed. It's actually more like a spigot in conjunction with a hand grenade. I pray to all that's holy that I never have to have a colostomy bag because this blood pouch thingy that I'm carrying around is disgusting enough. It goes in through my butt (as in cheek) and goes through all skin and muscles and everything. I tell you what, you'll never realize how much you use those muscles until you're using them with a tube stuck in them.
The pathology report said they drained 90 mL of fluid out and that it was about 15 cm in circumference.... so softball size. No wonder I couldn't go to the bathroom. That sucker was bigger than even Erin's head. Over the week, I drained probably 110 mL of fluid out. All I can say is that I hope no one in my neighborhood gets murdered because if they use a black light to look for blood in the drain, I'm going to be their number one suspect.
Another thing about this last week.... I have been virtually helpless, and Matt has been gone. He had the conference of his career this week and he couldn't miss it. I couldn't drive, or do housework, or do much with Will. I am so grateful for family. My mom and dad kept Will and Jack at their house every night and ran Jack to and from school. Mom helped run kids to lessons, go to the grocery store, take stuff to school for the kids and generally tried hard to keep my spirits up. She cleaned my house, vacuumed my floors, dusted my blinds and did my dishes. The woman even scrubbed my toilets. To top it all off, she was here, twice a day, to flush out my catheter. Although not complicated, it weirded her out and I'm sure she wasn't thrilled to have to do it. But, I couldn't reach it and the kids couldn't do it for me so, she was the one. When I was growing up, my best friend Corrie used to call my mom the "Woman of the Year" and once again, the help that she has given me this last week proves it. Thanks Mom!
My kids have been really good through this whole thing. Working hard at finishing their homework, bringing me the things I need, sitting and snuggling when all I want to do is lay in bed, and forgoing their burgeoning social lives to help with kids and home.
I feel compelled in this post to thank some folks. This is not an exhaustive list, but it's a start. I have had so many friends and neighbors who have brought in meals for my family, made phone calls on my behalf, sent words of encouragement my way, helped to care for my children and brought me movies and treats and goodies to cheer me up. Every day someone has called to check on me, and I have had well wishes from many. I feel so undeserving. It truly does take a village to raise a child, or take care of a family, for that matter, and I am so happy to live where I do and associate with those around me. If you happen to read this blog, please know how much I love you and how thankful I am for your concern.
Here's to the future, without a uterus, or a hematoma. Let's hope that it can only go up from here.
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