TGIF

Baby Steps....

I was feeling pretty good today so I decided to take a spin in the car (shhh....Don't tell anyone at work). I drove a couple of miles and came back. Okay, I drove to a nearby Coke machine and came back. Anyway, it was surprisingly painless!

Since I've got a lot of time on my hands these days, I started watching Lonesome Dove. It's a commitment I've never been able to make before. It's god knows how long so I figured it would keep me entertained. A couple of things I'm perplexed about...

Is that really Diane Lane--aren't her eyes a different color now?

Why did they cast a white dude in the role of Blue Duck?

How come Tommy Lee Jones looks older in this movie than he did in The Fugitive, four years later?

Spring, Sprang, Sprung?

Really?! It's supposed to snow tomorrow??
I live in Virginia and for the past several days we've enjoyed unseasonably warm temps. I think it's made a world of difference in my recovery as I've been able to go outside, sit on the porch and chase away the cabin fever. Rumor has it, we'll see some flakes tomorrow morning. Just when I thought spring had sprung! Now, don't get me wrong--I love to play and ski in the snow, but if I can't get out in it, I'd rather not have it around. It's all about me, right??

On a happy note, I slept through the night for the first time!! I can't believe it: I stayed up long enough to take my last meds (midnight) and the next thing I knew, it was 7am! Boy, did I need the rest. I was concerned about soreness from all the activity yesterday so it was a big relief to wake up feeling okay. I know there will be good days and bad days for the next few months so today feels like a giant leap forward and I'm so psyched about it! (okay, I'm also hopped up on my morning coffee right now)

Who Knew that March 9 was National Fibroid Awareness Day in Jamaica?

I travel a lot to Jamaica for work and I keep up with the local news there via The Gleaner newspaper online. National Fibroid Awareness Day was mentioned in this article outlining recent changes in the demographic of women that are affected by fibroids. Apparently physicians are noticing that younger women are more frequently having fibroid problems than in past years. Fibroids are more prevalent among women of African descent and they affect 7 in 10 women in Jamaica.

Visitors are Good!

Today was a good day overall, though I think I may have overdone it again. I did some light vacuuming in preparation for some visitors and my back is already barkin at me. I brought all the flowers (from well wishers) I had put outside because they were making me cough and sneeze, back inside. Boy did they light the place up! A friend brought a yummy meal over for dinner and hung out awhile. Just as she left and I had time to gulp down my afternoon meds, the door rang and a couple people from work came to visit. They brought a baby so it cheered me right up.

I was also able to catch up with two good friends on the phone today. It's amazing how cathartic a chat with an old friend is!
My advice to women at this stage in recovery is don't become a hermit! Accept visitors and the help they may offer! It will make the days go a little faster and a little easier. It also makes it a tad easier to accept things like the fact that your favorite tv show is playing a rerun tonight....aaaaargh!!!!

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'...