The Surgery Is Done
Endometrial Ablation -- I was in the hospital for under 2 hours. Twenty years ago, I would have had to have a full hysterectomy; now they have an out-patient procedure that accomplishes the same goal: get the monthly bleeding under control.
I was told I probably wouldn't remember the procedure, but they were wrong.
Here is how it went:
Once in the OR, an IV needle was stuck into my left hand. That was the worst part of the whole procedure! Next, I was hooked up to a heart monitor. Then the Dr started the sedative.
I don't know what they were using, but it made the ceiling move. It looked as if the ceiling was moving from the far wall, over my head, and behind me. I decided it was a parallax effect -- it was actually my eyes that were moving, but being unaware that my eyes were moving, it looked like the ceiling was moving.
That's my scientific side showing through.
They put my feet into stirrups and brought the ablation machine over. GYN inserted the end of the machine into the vagina and up into the uterus. It felt very hot. Then I felt a sharp twinge inside like a cramp. That was about when I asked for more sedative. GYN was injecting a local anesthetic into the uterus wall -- 3 places.
I looked at the clock -- it was 12:10. Sometime around then, I closed my eyes. I don't remember doing it. I remember listening to people talking, but don't recall what was said. Then they told me it was over. I looked at the clock again, and it was 12:20.
Dr removed the IV and heart monitor and they had me move over from the operation table to my bed, and they wheeled me into recovery.
There was no clock in recovery, but I estimate it was only about 10 minutes before I was offered some water. I drank that with no side effects, so I was offered food. I hadn't eaten in14 hours... I was hungry! I got a bran muffin, a pat of margarine, raspberry jam, and some grape juice. There wasn't a single crumb left!
At 1:10, I got dressed and the nurse called FdM to come get me. I didn't expect him to be home, but she left a message. Turned out he hadn't left the hospital. Nurse soon saw him in the waiting area, and I left the hospital at 1:20.
And that's my surgery story.
Endometrial Ablation -- I was in the hospital for under 2 hours. Twenty years ago, I would have had to have a full hysterectomy; now they have an out-patient procedure that accomplishes the same goal: get the monthly bleeding under control.
I was told I probably wouldn't remember the procedure, but they were wrong.
Here is how it went:
Once in the OR, an IV needle was stuck into my left hand. That was the worst part of the whole procedure! Next, I was hooked up to a heart monitor. Then the Dr started the sedative.
I don't know what they were using, but it made the ceiling move. It looked as if the ceiling was moving from the far wall, over my head, and behind me. I decided it was a parallax effect -- it was actually my eyes that were moving, but being unaware that my eyes were moving, it looked like the ceiling was moving.
That's my scientific side showing through.
They put my feet into stirrups and brought the ablation machine over. GYN inserted the end of the machine into the vagina and up into the uterus. It felt very hot. Then I felt a sharp twinge inside like a cramp. That was about when I asked for more sedative. GYN was injecting a local anesthetic into the uterus wall -- 3 places.
I looked at the clock -- it was 12:10. Sometime around then, I closed my eyes. I don't remember doing it. I remember listening to people talking, but don't recall what was said. Then they told me it was over. I looked at the clock again, and it was 12:20.
Dr removed the IV and heart monitor and they had me move over from the operation table to my bed, and they wheeled me into recovery.
There was no clock in recovery, but I estimate it was only about 10 minutes before I was offered some water. I drank that with no side effects, so I was offered food. I hadn't eaten in14 hours... I was hungry! I got a bran muffin, a pat of margarine, raspberry jam, and some grape juice. There wasn't a single crumb left!
At 1:10, I got dressed and the nurse called FdM to come get me. I didn't expect him to be home, but she left a message. Turned out he hadn't left the hospital. Nurse soon saw him in the waiting area, and I left the hospital at 1:20.
And that's my surgery story.
posted by Tempeste at Friday, March 30, 2007
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