Monday, September 6, 2010

Post Op Appointment with Dr J...

Finally, over a month later, we got to have our post op appointment with Dr J.

I went in so hopeful that we would be able to try at least 2/3 cycles of AI. Alas, that was not to be and Dr J said that our only option really was IVF and that we shouldn't wait to long to do it. We didn't really have time on our side.

This time DH and I left there in silence. We went about our business like any other day and didn't speak about what we had just been told. I felt completely drained and every time I wanted to bring it up I couldn't get the words out. Every time I was alone I just cried and cried and cried...

The next day I couldn't wait to get home. I had spent all day thinking about what I was going to say to my DH to convince him that we needed to do this, and soon. We need to at least be able to say that we tried and have no regrets later on in life. We need to do whatever it takes to make this happen. This was our lives and our future.

That afternoon when I got home Dh looked super relaxed. That immediately put me at ease and gave me the courage to speak up. The conversation that followed was everything I hoped it would be and at the end of it all, we both agreed that IVF was our next step and the next big thing that we would go through before the end of the year...

The Weeks to Follow...

Were as stressful as they come...

My Laparoscopy was on Tuesday, 27th July.

My mum had flown up from PMB the Sat before so that she could help me through the recovery. I was told that I might experience some pain. The morning of the op we made our way to Linkwood hospital. We arrived only to be told that my name was not on the list. I called Vitalab in a panic and they assured me that I was on Dr G's list that he had with him. I handed the phone to the hospital receptionist so they could chat and she then pointed me in the direction that I needed to go. I was happy that it got resolved so quickly cos they was no way I was leaving that hospital with having my Lap done.

I walked into the ward and almost immediately I was assigned a bed and hospital gown and asked to change. Seems I got there just in time, before the rush.

I said my goodbyes to DH and my mum and I was wheeled into theatre just after 10am.

I was met by Dr G and the anesthetist. Dr G was awesome. He immediately made me feel so comfortable and even held my hand while the anesthetist did his thing.

The last thing I heard was "think happy thoughts", and then it was off to lala land :-)

When I woke up the first thing I asked the nurse to do was phone my husband and ask him to come get me.

Little did I realise it would be at least a few hours before I left the hospital and not until I managed to make a wee...hehe

Post Op...

The week that followed was very uncomfortable. I was in a lot of pain and if anything it was just getting worse. All I can say is thank goodness for mummy's. They are like angels. DH was also amazing and having them both by my side 24/7 made it a little more bearable.





Post Post Op...(the abbreviated version)

When the stitches from the Lap were removed a haemotoma followed and caused me extreme pain and discomfort. After 2 weeks, 2 visits back to vitalab, and still receiving no treatment the result was a 4am emergency room visit. I suffered extreme cramping and vomitting and a CT Scan revealed a bowel obstruction. I was immediately admitted and thrown into Trauma ICU were I spent the next 2 days. After drinking 2 litres of dye another CT Scan revealed that surgery would not be necessary and that the obstruction was now partially unblocked. I was then moved to a regular ward where I spent the remainder of the 3rd day and on the 4th day I was told I could go home...HALLELUJAH!!!!

I was told to have only medium liquids (like soup) for the next 2 weeks....Yuk!


All I wanted was a hotdog ...



The Results are in....

It's funny, growing up you always just assume your life will follow a certain path. Study, find a job, meet someone and fall in love, get married, and as easy as pie, you will have 2.5 kids and live happily ever after.



So, when you are 30yrs old, sitting in the office of a fertility specialist and being told that your chances of conceiving a child naturally are about zero to nothing, you suddenly have a lot of questions. The first one being, what did I ever do in my life that was so bad that I deserve this???

Ok, let me back up...

The first thing we were told was that I had Stage 3 Endometriosis. With Stage 1 being the least and Stage 4 being the worst, mine was apparently very bad and I was immediately given a date for my Laparoscopy (27 July).

We were then given instructions to go for a few tests, namely bloods, sperm analysis (DH) and HSG Xray (me) over the next 2 weeks.

After all the tests were done and dusted, we went back to see Dr J and that was when we were given the devastating news. A combination of my low ovarian reserve and high FSH levels and DH's sperm clumping together, was making it virtually impossible to fall pregnant naturally. Our options were Artificial Imsemination (this would only work if the volume of my ovaries were found to be acceptable at my Lap) or IVF.

IVF ...(everytime he said the letters I cringed). I sat there fighting back tears. I could see Dr J's lips move but suddenly it felt like the world around me was on mute. The ringing in my ears got louder and louder and all I could think about was getting out of there so that I could maintain what was left of my dignity.