Tuesday, October 27, 2015

So, Shaylee needs surgery...(slightly graphic!)

Its been 32 days since the pain first started. I feel like a Star Trek character saying that (you know, "star date..."). 
So,yesterday I had an ultrasound.
It's hard to see, and I can't even tell you what for sure we're looking at. (I grabbed a quick pic of the screen while I was changing) But the ultrasound showed that I have endometrial polyps in my uterus.

 They are causing my pain & other symptoms! It's usually my polycystic ovaries causing problems, but not this time. 
Anyway, it means surgery, a hysteroscopy / D&C to remove them. The following images depict what I'm in for. 
My surgery is scheduled for Nov. 25th. I've had these procedures done before, but not at the same time. Would it be horrible to make a paper chain to count down to surgery?? (It is the day before Thanksgiving) 
I can't wait to have it all done, recover and to FINALLY feel better. The pain is intense and unrelenting, and no medication was adequately helping with pain relief. So it's easy to understand, I haven't really been myself lately. I have a new pain killer that helps tremendously, so that's a blessing. 
Scheduling the surgery was miraculous: somehow the pre-op, pre-registration/admission, surgery & post-op all ended up being scheduled in a way so that I won't have to miss any piano lessons! No make up lessons! Hallelujah!  
Now I just need to be tough for the next 29 days. :)

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Untitled

 Life has been busy lately. Well, not so much in the summer, that was hot & boring (in the best way). Now it's back to life as usual: me {Shaylee} working full-time between preschool & piano, and Joseph handling things at home, our sweet home Mecham Manor.
But we've had a complication recently, not Joseph, he's doing great. {we see his neurologist in 3 weeks} it's me. My body and I aren't getting along lately, I'd even go so far as to say that my body hates me. TMI WARNING: if you're a guy, I would stop reading right now. Lots of yucky details coming up. Okay, you've been warned.
In September my period was 11 days late, I thought I was pregnant. I had 2 negative pee tests, and 1 negative blood test before my period finally arrived. And oh boy did it, bad CRAMPS and heavy heavy bleeding for 8 straight days. Then a week before my next period my body was overcome with severe cramps, back aches and pains shooting down into my legs. Tested for a UTI, negative.  Somehow, my period came, and relatively on time {weird though, 3 days spotting and 2 days borderline hemmoraging} it's over now, and I'm still in pain. See, I said my body hates me.
Today marks day 18 of continuos, unrelenting pain. Although now it's like a 5-6/10 on the pain scale, before my period it was a consistent 8/10.
The theory is that I may have endometriosis. Endometriosis is when the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. I've done research, and I have most of the symptoms. Endometriosis has never been ruled out, with all the doctors I've seen, and procedures I've have in the past. Unfortunately, endometriosis can only be diagnosed and treated with surgery.
I am currently working on obtaining short term health insurance to help cover my future medical expenses. I'll have health insurance through Obamacare, but it won't start until January, I won't wait that long. My goal is to {possibly} have surgery near the holidays, when I have time off work. Right now it's about pain management, and taking things one day at a time. I'm hoping that if I have surgery that we will have more answers about what has been causing our 9 year long battle with infertility. Is it endometriosis? Do I have  PCOS and endo? I want answers.
President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God. … The Lord will not forsake us.”
It will all work out, eventually.