Tomorrow, Tomorrow

Well, my surgery is scheduled for tomorrow at 9:00AM. Thankfully, it is going to be minor surgery. I need to have a hysteroscopy, and possibly a laparoscopy (you can webMD those procedures, if you are interested) to get the IUD removed safely. The CT scan revealed the problem and my doctor went over the results with me last week. Basically, my IUD is turned sideways and the top part is what is stuck in the uterine wall. The good news is it didn't go all the way through the wall and into the actual muscle of the uterus.

My doctor seems pretty confident that she can remove this safely and easily in the operating room. The surgery will only take about 30 minutes, they will send me to the recovery room for an hour, then I can go home and rest. She said I will only have a day or two of cramping and bleeding, then I will feel better.

She said that she is concerned about my anemia though. She warned me that if I bleed too much during the procedure, and if she can't get it to stop, then I would need to have a hysterectomy. Granted, that is the worst case scenario, but it still freaks me out. I am hoping to have another baby someday after this, so that would be absolutely devastating to me.

I am trying not to think about that possibility, stay positive, and hope that all goes according to plan. I am not even that nervous anymore. I found this information out three weeks ago, so I am so ready to have this thing removed, and get back to my normal activities. It will be so nice not to have this pain anymore.

Wish me luck, everyone. This will all be over soon. =)

All You Need is Surgery...

Well, my doctor got the results of my scan back, and it has been confirmed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my IUD is embedded in my uterine wall. This being the case, it must be surgically removed. No one would tell me much over the phone, so this is all I know.

I have a surgical consultation next Wednesday at 4:00, which makes me feel a bit better. If it was something really bad, they wouldn't want to wait to see me until next week. They would want me to go into surgery a.s.a.p., right? That's what I keep telling myself anyway.

I am still so upset and angry over this whole situation. Birth control should not cause this many problems. I have physical pain from this damn thing, I need to have surgery, and I might not be able to have anymore children after going through all of this. That is what I am most afraid of.

I do not understand why doctors say this is the most safe and convenient form of birth control. I have been doing some research, and there are literally hundreds of women that have gone through this very same thing. Some have been through worse. Thanks, Mirena IUD. You are a real gem.

More Waiting...

So... I had my CT scan done yesterday. It was really weird. The machine looked like a giant circle with a hole in it. I had to lie on a bed with my hands behind my head while they moved me back and forth through the machine. There were lasers, strange noises, and the machine would talk to me to tell me how to breathe during the scan.

The technician was saying that these scans are really detailed, so they will be able to tell if the IUD is actually embedded in my uterus, or just resting against.it. If it is just up against the uterine wall, they should be able to remove the IUD without surgery.

I am really hoping for good news on this, but of course I have to wait for my doctor to read the results of the scan and call me. Waiting is the worst part for me. I found this information out almost a week ago and I still don't know what to expect.

Keep your fingers crossed and send good vibes my way. I'm trying to stay positive. =)

IUD Update

I just got off of the phone with my doctors' office. The soonest they can get me in for my Pelvic CT Scan is Tuesday at 2:45. I was really hoping I could get in today, but I guess they couldn't make it work. I'm going to try to stay positive and not stress too much, but it's really hard. I want to get this damn IUD out as soon as possible. This whole situation is just scaring me really bad. I guess all I can do is wait and hope for the best.

Anxiously Waiting...

So... I went to my OB/GYN yesterday for my annual exam. Just a routine check up to make sure everything is okay, or so I thought. She did the pap smear and went to check the strings of my IUD and they were no where to be found. She said if I hadn't told her I had an IUD, she wouldn't have known I even had one.

She sent me to the ultrasound room right away to see if my IUD could be located. Well, she found it, but it is not where it should be; not even close. It migrated up to the front of my uterine wall and it is embedded there. It is actually about to puncture a hole through my uterus. I have been experiencing a lot of pelvic pain lately, and my doctor believes that is the cause.

I am supposed to receive a call this morning from the doctors office to schedule a Pelvic CT scan to find the exact placement of the IUD, since the ultrasound just gave a general idea of the area it is in. My OB/GYN says that if it is where she thinks it is, it will have to be surgically removed.

I'm freaking out waiting for this call and I need a hug. =(

Physical Therapist Appointment

I went to see the physical therapist my OB referred me to today and can I just tell you how much better I feel? My rib wasn't dislocated, but two of them were shifting and well on there way to being dislodged out of place according to the PT. She moved them back to where they are supposed to be, which hurt like hell, but not near as bad as it would have hurt if she had to pop a rib or two back into place.

She showed me some exercises to do that will help keep my ribs in place and help eliminate the pain as well. I did them in her office today and they made a world of difference. It's the first time I've had relief from the pain in over a week. She wants me to do the exercises twice a day for the next week and then she wants to see me one more time just to make sure that I'm not in pain and that my ribs are staying where they should.

My next appointment with her is on Friday, July 10th, then I go see my OB four days after that. This month is being filled with more appointments than I originally planned, but I don't mind at all. I can move without being in tears again. LOL! I'll keep you all updated as I get closer and closer to my due date. =)

Dislocated Rib!

I went to my doctor today for a routine check up and it didn't go the way I expected. Tristan is doing great. He is measuring at 31 weeks and he is very active and strong. So strong in fact that he dislocated one of my ribs.

I have been in excruciating pain for the last week. It started in my upper back and wrapped around to the front of my rib cage. I thought it was just normal back pain.

My OB examined me. At first I didn't feel any pain, then she pressed on the dislocated rib and I wanted to scream it hurt so bad.

She told me what happened and let me know it's very common in pregnancy. She referred me to a physical therapist that specializes in pregnant women. I have an appointment with her tomorrow to see if she can pop the rib back into place. The problem is there is nothing I can do for the pain till then.

So I'm just lying here in bed trying to keep the pressure off of the rib. Robbie is being so nice and cleaning the house right now. I have never felt pain like this. I can't wait till my appointment tomorrow.

So...I broke down...

...And had a cigarette. Going from 15 smokes a day to 0 is harder than I expected. I don't know if I should just start over and go cold turkey, or if I should ween myself off of the nicotine. Either way, I need to quit. Stupid addiction.

Quitting Smoking: Day 1

So...Today is my first day with no cigarettes in years. I'm getting a little cranky already, but I know that it's the right decision. I've been smoking on and off since I was 13 and I've been an avid chain smoker since I was 17. It's definitely time to quit.

Several people have tried to convince me to quit smoking. I used to get defensive when anyone brought it up, but I know that my family and friends just care about me and want me to stick around a bit longer.

Wish me luck everyone! The first few weeks are going to be hard, but I'm going to try not to think about it.


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