i had surgery on the 24th July to remove an 8x6cm (roughly) cyst from my right ovary. i got to the hospital at 8:30am, and then had to do some tests and get changed into a gown and then taken to a waiting room with about 20 other people who were having surgery that day. Gavin had to leave me there and go and wait somewhere else, and as it was my first time having surgery i was so nervous and scared! i finally got taken in at about 12:30, which was originally the time that they told Gavin that i would be done by. Gavin was keeping mum updated with what was happening with everything.
i was able to meet the doctor that was assisting the surgeon, and also everyone else who was involved in the surgery before hand. they assured me that i would be fine and that i wouldn't wake up half way through the surgery (which was my biggest fear!). they were all so nice! i drifted off to sleep and didn't feel a thing (thank goodness!).
the next thing i knew was that i was waking up in recovery. i woke up to a nurse holding my arms down. i was so confused, and she told me that she was holding my arms as i was throwing them around and it was pulling my canula out. i remember as i was waking up that i was dreaming that i was flying across the clouds, and i must have been using my arms to help myself fly! haha. i was pretty out of it still for a few hours, and as i was leaving recovery i told the nurse 'you are a really nice lady' haha.
mum, Morgan and Gavin came to visit when i was taken to my room, but i don't really remember much from it!
i had hardly any sleep on the first night, as i had a canula, a catheter, and these leg things (which got tight then loose alternatively). the leg things were quite uncomfortable, but were necessary as i was out for over an hour and a half and they are to prevent blood clots.
cute little nephew visiting me. all the ladies in the room were oohing and aahing over him. ^^
my nurses were so nice! i felt so yuck when i was trying to go to sleep, and i wasn't able to get up at all, so my nurse brought me my toothbrush and a warm flannel so i could brush my teeth and wash my face in bed. it definitely made me feel a little better!
Gavin came by the next morning with this cute teddy inside a balloon. it made me laugh as they had no 'get well soon' ones, so he grabbed a 'happy birthday' one. he cracks me up!
i probably only had about 2 hours sleep the first night as they kept checking blood pressure etc all night. the next morning they got me up and about and i went to the toilet and had a shower, which made me feel heaps better. moving around was very sore!!
just before i went to hospital i bought Jory & Asha some minecraft pjs, and mum sent me this photo of Asha waving to me at the hospital wearing his new pjs. ^^
i couldn't really eat anything at all for the first day or so. i felt really sick for a while! i felt super nauseous while i had a shower, and when i came back out lunch had been delivered. it was a curry, and it totally set me off! once i had vomited i felt a lot better and was able to eat a little dinner that night.
the second night i slept so well! they only woke me up once to check some things. i think having the canula etc removed was a lot more comfortable. i was able to eat a lot of breakfast and feel heaps better!
i had to wait a little while for the doctors to do their rounds, and then go away and check some things then come back and check me again, and then they said that i was ok to go home. i was glad to be going home, but it was also harder as i didn't have the nurses right there to help me constantly.
i came home to a balloon filled bedroom, which Morgan, Alex & Gavin had done. it was a nice surprise and it cheered me up.
i also came home to a clean house including fresh sheets on the bed, thanks to my nana and papa who had cleaned everything with Gavin while i was in the hospital. it was so nice to come home to.
i also came home to this 'little box of sunshine' on my doorstep from my friend Louise. it was so nice to come home to.
the first week was definitely the worst. it was hard to move around without being in a lot of pain. it was also hard to get in and out of bed as it hurt so much! i had to just sit in bed or on the couch and make myself rest and heal. luckily i had some cute visitors and good books!
my resting buddy ^^
Gavin was amazing. he had some paid leave built up from work, so he took a week of that, and it was so helpful to have him home where he could help me. he looked after me so well, making dinner, getting me drinks, helping me up and down from bed, and even giving me a foot massage! ^^
at the start of this week i was still in so much pain, and it didn't seem normal. everytime i moved a certain way i would have shooting pains across my stomach. they were so bad that this night i didn't sleep until 5:30am! i had to get Gavin to help me out of bed and i burst into tears it hurt so much. ^^
i went to the doctor and discovered that one of the small cuts was infected and he gave me some anti biotics and the pain has almost gone, thank goodness!
in the end they had to cut me open in the same place as when you have a caesarean. they looked inside me first with two cameras (and took photos for me!), and decided that they needed to do the big cut. they discovered that instead of the cyst growing on the outside of my ovary (like they thought) it was actually growing inside the ovarian sack, and had stretched my ovary out about 8-10cm! no wonder that i was in pain.
in the end they had to cut open the ovarian sack and remove the cyst, luckily it was just sitting there (which is a crazy thing to happen) as if it was attached to the actual ovary, they would have had to remove my whole ovary. luckily, they just removed the cyst and then cut a little of the ovarian sack away, then stitched it back up.
i am very lucky that they didn't have to take the whole ovary as well.
we threw the balloons into the office for a week, and then popped them all. (i say 'we' but it was actually Gavin haha) ^^
i am still in a bit of pain, and am trying not to lift anything heavy as i don't want to pop my stitches open! i have two more weeks off work, and i hope to feel even better by then. i am slowly feeling better and better each day. i am not meant to drive for 6 weeks, which has gotten incredibly boring already!
but, i am slowly getting there! i just hope that these antibiotics clear up the infection as that is what is hurting the most at the moment.
during the first week i had a lot of internal pain, which is slowly easing up. i have to remind myself that i just had major surgery and not to expect to feel amazing straight away.
thank you to everyone who has made us a meal, visited, sent messages & phone calls and gave gifts. it was nice to be so loved and thought about.
i am so glad that all the waiting is over and the surgery is finally done! it feels like it is time for a new chapter of our lives to start :)
