Well...I lived.

The procedure went something like this... Went in and got admitted and went to pre-op and got prepared to go in. They took me into a room that was as cold as a freezer and then put me on a skinny table and strapped me down with velcro. Then they got most of my torso all bare and painted me red with betadine. (I think they thought it was a party.)Then they shot me full of demoral and did the procedure. I was sedated but aware and not comfortable. They then punched their hole in my artery on the right side where my leg connects to my torso and then snaked this wire all through me to get to the place where they were going to place these coils that release this stuff, whatever it is. My eyes closed about half way through it but I wasn't quite asleep. I could still hear what was going on. The last twenty minutes or so I was getting very uncomfortable but couldn't open my eyes or voice my pain because it felt like I was paralyzed. Finally, I got myself together enough to find my voice and then they spent a few minutes finishing up while I began to panic on them and then shot me full of meds on my way out. The rest was a blur of elevators and my room and Mr. Monkey rubbing my head and sleeping and people taking my temperature and blood pressure and phone calls. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and my liquid diet tray was there. Even though it was well after lunch. I was wide awake from then on. I felt pretty good all evening. My biggest complaint was not wanting that catheter in anymore. It was completely uncomfortable.

Dr. Z came in late in the evening to tell me that they found out that the very rare condition that I have has a name. He also said that they think they fixed the problem by cutting off the blood supply to the area of the uterus that was left and now swelling and developing more malformation. He said that the whole source of the bleeding and cause of all my problems was the part that was left in there and that no one had any way of knowing that. This problem only shows up on the type of procedure I had yesterday. It couldn't be seen on ultrasounds. He also said that the uterine artery and the veins there have the same condition. It is a blood vessel malformation and it has a big name I can't spell or pronounce offhand. I was born with this condition. It is so rare that they are now using my case and all of the surgery procedures and information that they have gathered from me to use in teaching. So, my fifteen minutes of fame is pretty low profile. That is cool with me I guess. He also told me that he is very thankful that we didn't go ahead and go through with the cervix removal today because he is certain we would have had a huge bloody mess and that I may very well have not made it through it, at the very least I would have probably would have had a repeat of the first scare and had to have another blood transfusion.

I did so well that they fed me regular food for dinner. Dr. Blandon came to visit and was disappointed that Dr. Z had been there first to tell me all the details instead of him. He checked me out and told me I could come home today. I haven't taken any pain medication since getting out of post op. I am sore in the entry area. I am just glad to be home and pretty mobile. I hope I am fixed. Dr. Blanden said that there is a chance that other organs can have the same malformation but if I don't have any other symptoms or problems not to worry.

Posted by gwendolyn on August 01, 2002 at 11:51 AM