Surgery...again???

My progress report!!

Lap Band was the very first surgery of my life. Now, it looks like I'll be having ANOTHER surgery.



I will begin at the beginning....in 2000 I got hurt on a jet ski. It was back pain like I had never felt in my life. I was diagnosed with pulled muscles, given some meds and sent on my way. Over the years this pain has reoccurred and in 2005 it sent me to the Emergency Room. Again, same pulled muscles...more meds...yadda yadda yadda.

Well, last Sunday I was feeling bad because I had come down with the "crud" that had been going around. I had already called in sick to work so I could go to my family doctor on Monday and get a shot to take care of it.

About 6:30 that old familiar back pain resurfaced. There was no way of easing the pain. I even took some prescription strength pain meds. By 10 o'clock the pain had moved to my abdomen and I started throwing up. This is the first time I've actually thrown up - retching and all - since my surgery. This scared me because I was afraid it was my appendix. (I do watch Grey's Anatomy, ya know!!) So my DH loaded me up and took me the the local ER - or the band-aide station.

It didn't take long for them to see me.  I guess a grown woman slumped over and puking in a bowl will get them moving a little faster. Once the doctor saw me he decided that blood work and a CT Scan would help diagnose my issues. He then gave me a shot of Demerol. (Which didn't even touch the pain.) After finally drinking the "Scan juice" and 2 more shots of Demerol I was scanned. While waiting for the scan to be read I was still in extreme pain. The doctor finally came in and told me all my blood work was normal but there was an abnormality on my scan. He very nonchalantly told me that I had a cyst on my right ovary and I needed to follow up with my OB/GYN. I was given another shot of Demerol, a prescription for Lorcets and sent on my way.

Well...about my OB/GYN...I had been to two in the past because we have never used birth control and have never been successful at getting pregnant. I was diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome in 2006 after a very painful test - I can't remember the name. But I was told that people have babies all the time with only one working ovary/fallopian tube. I was always told that if I lose weight we should be able to conceive. After numerous doctor visits we got disgruntled and stopped going to the OB/GYN. My doctor has been gone for over a year, so now I had to find a new OB/GYN.
After calling all over our area the nearest appointment we could find was in the middle of December so I decided to go my family doctor on Wednesday. The pain had subsided some but I was unable to lay down, stretch out, stand up straight, or even sleep in the bed. My family doctor was able to get me in to a OB/GYN the very next day.

On Thursday my mom took me to the doctor...it was excruciatingly painful. The car ride, walking to the office, sitting in the waiting room. Once the doctor looked at my scan results the very first thing he did was reassure us that in no way was this cyst CANCER. That was such a relief. He then told me something that completely shocked both of us. The cyst is the size of a BASKETBALL. A basketball??? In my abdomen??? How could the doc in the ER NOT tell me how big it is???

Well, because of it's size he can not operate laproscopically (sp??). He's going to have to CUT ME OPEN. But he is going to try to save as much of the right ovary as possible.

As of right now, the pain is bearable. He said I would get some relief after my "cycle" was over and it would be possible that I could function and hold off on having the surgery until Christmas break - that way I don't have to miss as much work. Of course, with it being real, live surgery there will be a six week recovery period.

I don't care about the recovery I just want this THING out of my BELLY!!! He also said that I shouldn't expect to lose any weight between now and then because of the amount of fluid in there. And buh-leev me....I am so bloated I think I'm going to have to break out my fat pants - which is depressing. I should be losing because I haven't had much of an appetite since last weekend!!!

SO, there's my story. Don't let anyone tell you that ovarian cysts aren't painful. It's the WORST pain I've ever felt!!

After all this is over I am anxious to get back to my surgeon because I am worried all of my heaving and hurling might have hurt my band....not to mention all the swelling going on inside of me....

The last football game I was able to attend this year.