Xenoestrogens are Everywhere!

So I've been doing a little research on fibroids (what else am I going to do with all this couch time) and in doing so I landed on a great website that provides a lot of information on fibroids and what causes them. A woman named Shola Oslo, a kinesiologist who works with women with a variety of conditions such as fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS and infertility created it.

She provides a lot of information and informative videos on different types of fibroids. I watched two videos on what causes them. SCARY! Most doctors agree that fibroids are estrogen-fed. She and many other researchers are now investigating the increasing role that xenoestrogens play in this. Xenoestrogens are synthetic compounds that mimic estrogens in the body. They are found in everything from plastic wrap to non-organic meat. Evidence suggests that making life changes that decrease the amount of xenoestrogen intake can halt fibroid growth. So...time to make some lifestyle changes--I'm convinced!

Yay!! On to Week Two...

Okay, your doctor will probably tell you during your recovery you should take it easy for awhile and not try and over-extend yourself physically. Let me tell you: Take that advice! Boy was I hurting last night from taking a walk that probably didn't add up to more than a quarter of a mile and it was a slow walk but it hurt. I didn't realize it until I was trying to position myself comfortably to get to sleep and it just wasn't happening. Both my back and my abdomen were hurting.


Enjoy the little things...
One thing I've been able to find solace is a nice cold Coca Cola--I know, I'm a bit of a brand snob but after having to settle for Shasta Cola in the hospital, that first sip of the real thing when I came home sure did taste goooood!

At the beginning of Recovery Week Two, here's where I am:

• I still have the steri strips on--I just can't bring myself to take them off just yet. I think my biggest fear is my gutts would come oozing out if I did so (which of course is highly likely)
• I'm able to more comfortably sleep in a bed and mostly sleep through the night (Yay!)
• I can walk to the end of my driveway and then some!
• I am able to do light tasks around the house (really light eg. today I unloaded the dishwasher)
• I'm easing up on the Ibuprofen. Today I took 3 200mg pills at once instead of the usual 4 (I take this dose 3 times a day)
• Unfortunately, my abdomen feels almost entirely numb which is unsettling. I'm hoping this will go away soon though, or at least lessen in its range.

Thanksgiving in March

Okay, since today is the last day of my first post-op week , I'm going to try and be thankful for the little strides. This week has been rough but I think overall I've made a lot of improvement. It seems with each cough I'm gaining a little more mmph, which means less pain and that's a good thing! I'm also beginning to sleep a little better. I've been sleeping on my couch because I can sleep against the arm at a less-reclined angle which makes it easier to stand up from. Also, my sleep has been rather erratic and I don't want to wake my boyfriend with my restlessness--my nurse needs to be well rested!

Speaking of sleeplessness, last night I was up at 4:30am so I turned on the t.v. I happened upon a documentary that gave me pause and allowed me to see my recovery in a different light. The film is called "A Walk to Beautiful." It's an award-winning Nova documentary following five Ethiopian women suffering from obstetric fistula.

It's estimated that millions of women in the world suffer from obstetric fistula, almost all of whom live in developing countries (primarily in Africa and south Asia). The condition develops when blood supply to the tissues of the vagina and the bladder (and/or rectum) is cut off during prolonged obstructed labor. The tissues die and a hole forms through which urine and/or feces pass uncontrollably.

Women who develop fistulas are often abandoned by their husbands, rejected by their communities, and forced to live an isolated existence (taken from The Fistula Foundation website). Seeing how these women live their lives while suffering not only from the physical condition but the psychological and emotional distress caused by it, led me to realize just how lucky I am. I highly recommend watching it but be prepared for the tears!

"It Is What It Is" (Paula Abdul)

Post-Op

Pre-Op

Like I needed to label those. Well ladies, there you have it. The first pic was taken on Day 6, post-surgery (and no, the dimensions aren't distorted, that's just my belly these days) and the bottom pic was taken the night before my surgery (note I wasn't able to wear the same elastic waistband post-op: OUCH!).

As you can see, I have some clear cosmetic "steri strips" are visible (those either dissolve or need help coming off a week after surgery) but the doc says there are also important internal stitches as well. Note also the post-op "bloating." The doc says this is the result of the abdominal muscles relaxing due to trauma. Yep, I wasn't really prepared for that or the nice little "muffin top" that appeared above the incision. Other bloggers note that the pooch above the incision dimishes with time so let's hope that's true.

I do feel lucky that my fibroids were all benign and I have friends and family that have battled much worse. In all honesty though, I'm bummed about the appearance of my belly and hope with time that it'll get better. Just sayin'...

Handy Things to Have Around After Surgery

The vapors, the vapors!

We can only aspire to be as peaceful as John White Alexander's muse during our recovery. A few things that may help:

• A couch. See above.
  
• Comfy pants. I suggest drawstring. I tried elastic waistbands but they were very uncomfortable.


• Comfy underwear. No need to elaborate really, just make sure they're big enough to go over the incision (and above it for me) and they're not tight--think "granny" here.


• Comfy food. I've been endulging in lots of my favorite feel-good delights. I figure my body needs it (as long as they're not too naughty) and I may as well enjoy my time sitting around.


• Good books. Ever wanted to read War and Peace but never had the time before? Yeah, me neither. I went to my favorite used book store and got some good mysteries. You may want a quick read and nothing too serious at first. On a related note...


• Mags. I loaded up on some gossip magazines--yeah, I know they're disgraceful, but they're entertaining!


• Ipod. I loaded up some episodes of This American Life (hey, it's a free download every week) and also some good tunes. I ain't the first to say it: Music is cathartic.


• Pillows. Now, it all depends on the individual and that individual's furniture but I found that I needed large square pillows to support my lower back while sitting (and you'll do a lot of that).


• A helping hand. I can't emphasize enough how much this helps with both physical and mental recovery. I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend home with me for four days after I was discharged from the hospital. It helps tremendously to have someone around to prepare meals and take care of domestic chores so you can focus on resting.

Post-Surgery Week One

So, I had the myomectomy and I'm now at Day 6 of recovery. I was surprised to find that contrary to what I was taught in biology class everything is attached to your abs! Many things are a challenge, walking upright being one of them! Hey, right now I'd settle for homo habilis posture.

A few other things that are still difficult

• Standing in one place for an extended period of time ie. washing dishes (Don't do it!)
  
• Walking a greater distance than to the end of your average neighborhood driveway
  
• Laughing (not saying "don't do it" though)


• Coughing (I love the flowers people sent but my allergies don't)


• Sneezing (ditto, above)
  
• Getting up from a reclining position

The Surgery

Okay, so I admit I'm a total wuss. I've never had major surgery that I can remember and the thought of my body being cut open and "messed with" was not appealing to me at all. I had to weigh the pro's and con's of having a myomectomy, make a decision and go with it.

• Was my quality of life being significantly affected by the monsters? YES



• Was I willing to wait to shrink the fibroids in order to undergo a less-invasive procedure? NO

My decision was to go ahead with the myomectomy and to hopefully retain my fertility in doing so. I'm in my mid-thirties and don't have kids but am in no hurry to get rid of my uterus just yet!

The procedure I underwent is called a laparotomy. The kindly doctor went in and slayed the four offending monsters and was luckily able to save my uterus. He did so via a "bikini-line" incision (which I'll discuss further in the future). It's basically the same procedure as a C-section, as far as the incision goes. I will emphasize here that it is "basically" the same but I think in a lot of ways the experience as a whole is quite different, which is one of the reasons I wanted to start my blog. For one thing, having a baby is a joyous occasion (ideally) and having a tumor removed is NOT.