we had a very successful egg retrieval that left us with 9 frozen embabies (WOW!) and we were so thankful to be moving on to our next step(s)... which would be the surgery I had to have. if I were to say I wasn't nervous I would be lying, but I remained calm and confident in the journey The Lord had brought us into and was taking us through. for my surgery I needed to have a laparoscopy, hysteroscopy & bilateral salpingectomy all performed in one morning.

post-egg retrieval + pre-surgery ⋆

our egg retrieval process was completed the first week of may 2018 and we had our 2nd anniversary coming up later that month with a cruise planned to celebrate. this was a much needed break and stress-reliever before going into surgery. it was also time that allowed my body to get back to "normal" after the many various injections/pills that were needed for the previous step. we did have a pre-op consultation with our doctor later in the month, but prior to our cruise since we would get back from our cruise on a sunday and then my surgery would follow 2 days later on tuesday.

during our cruise we were able to relax, read, enjoy some time in the various spas on board and experience some of the excursions at our stops. we also managed to get our picture taken a few nights, which I know Beaux just went along with to appease me, but it was fun having some pictures for us to commemorate our trip and 2nd wedding anniversary. ❤

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surgery day ⋆

we got back from our cruise on sunday, june 3 and then prepared for my surgery on june 5, only 2 short days later, and the post-surgery/recovery. the anesthesiologist that would be with me during surgery called monday night beforehand to ensure I was prepared for the next morning, he reminded me not to eat after midnight and said he would see me in the morning. I was definitely nervous about going into surgery, but I knew it had to be done.

we got up very early on the day of the surgery, I was in comfortable clothes that would be fairly easy to slide on later and Beaux drove us to the medical facility where I would have the operation. we went inside, checked in and waited. then I was called over to confirm details about myself, about the surgery being performed and review the post-surgery care. fortunately, I was given the notes so I wouldn't have to remember the details after waking from anesthesia. then I went back to the waiting area with Beaux until we were called over to the billing area. we paid the amount in full for use of the facility, not including the doctor & anesthesia costs. immediately from there, I was handed thigh-high compression stockings with a gown and cap to change in to.

on the way back to change, I was told I needed to leave a urine sample to verify that I wasn't pregnant before this surgery. HA - that was the WHOLE point of me having this surgery.... was because we were trying to get pregnant. oh well, I did what I had to do and then I went back to the changing area to put on my new outfit and put the rest of my clothes in a little locker.

then I wondered out into the hallway not knowing where I was supposed to go next and luckily a nurse walked by that was able to take me to my "holding area" which was a large room separated into little individual spaces with curtains. my vitals were checked and my heart rate was pretty low (at least the nurse said so based on the fact I was about to go into surgery) which was all good. then she asked me if I would like any family members to come back to wait with me. of course I said yes and to bring Beaux back there.

in the meantime, my anesthesiologist came by to introduce himself and get my iv hooked up. those needles always freak me out and make me feel light-headed, but it wasn't too bad. then he said he was going to place a nausea patch behind my ear because this specific surgery would often cause women to feel nauseous afterward. I wasn't opposed to anything that would possibly help my recovery. once he got me set up, he headed off.

Beaux arrived shortly after the anesthesiologist left, and then my doctor arrived in a very nice suit. he was so great and reassuring for me in the short moments he came by and then he said he would head back to get changed and would meet me in the operating room. it seems like it was a whirlwind from there, one of the nurses that would be with me the whole time came to gather me and the iv attached, etc. and I had a brief second to say "see you in a minute & I love you" to Beaux before heading back to the operating room.

I probably only remember the events in the operating room for less than a minute, but I was set up on the table, legs positioned in the right place (oh yeah, those thigh-high compression stockings were meant to help circulation in my legs positioned in odd ways) my arms were laid open for iv and/or to be out of the way and then I was out.

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post-surgery ⋆

I woke up in a small area sectioned off with curtains, Beaux sitting nearby and a nurse asking me if I wanted to take a pain pill. at this point, I was just trying to get my bearings and I agreed to taking the pill (which Beaux had already mentioned we don't usually like to take medication that strong, but the nurse was pretty insistent). I kept falling back to sleep and I was encouraged to wake up/get changed/get out essentially. all of my limbs felt so heavy and I felt so fuzzy-headed, but Beaux eventually helped me get back into my clothes. then the nurse said she would wheel me out if Beaux wanted to bring the car around to the awning. 

in the time that the nurse was trying to get me onto the wheelchair, I told her I was going to be sick and sure enough she got a bag for me to get sick in just in time. I believe it was my body rejecting the pain pill (most likely because I still had an empty stomach) but I was relieved afterward. she wheeled me out and she and Beaux got me into the car. the ride home was unpleasant, but I knew that if I could lie down and sleep that it would all be ok.

we got home and I got set-up in bed, compression stockings still on and all, and I went back to sleep. I am pretty sure I slept for almost the rest of that day and into the next morning. my body needed that rest and I think it was the best thing for me. we ended up not even filling my prescription for pain meds, I took some tylenol later on and really felt pretty good.

over the next few days I continued to take things very easy, a lot of resting and some moving around the house. the next week I would have my post-op consultation with my doctor to check and see how everything was going. besides moving a little slower, the only change(s) I noticed were my new scars. I had grown up with my appendix scar and the small scar from the drainage tube in my belly, but now I had 4 new ones: one in my belly button, one on either side (one just above the old appendix scar and one lower) and then the last one in the center directly below my belly button.

my post-op consultation went very well, our doctor was thrilled with how well I was moving already and said I seemed to be doing great. he showed us the various photos from the surgery, which I wasn't totally sure what I was looking at, but basically the adhesions throughout my pelvis were extreme and it was a good thing we had the surgery and he was able to get my body ready to carry a baby without issues. my tubes were covered with adhesions and had to be removed along with the other adhesions present, aside from that everything else was healthy including my uterus and ovaries. YᗩY!

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on to the next step... ⋆

we are fortunate that my surgery went so well, to remove the pelvic adhesions and my damaged tubes, and we were on our way through recovery. the time to wait was 6 weeks before we could move on to our next step with the embryo transfer.