Yesterday I had my cervical dilation surgery and I have to say it went pretty well. The absolute worst part was not being able to have anything to eat or drink at all after midnight the evening before. And my procedure wasn’t until 12:15pm! The not eating was ok, but I was so thirsty! It’s amazing how much you crave water when you aren’t allowed to have it.
Anyway, my mother-in-law and I arrived at the clinic (my RE sees patients in his Toledo office but any procedures that require an OR must be done at their Bloomfield Hills, Michigan location) and it was so beautiful and clean! We were both very impressed with the facility. They were very quick getting me back to a “private” (a small room divided by curtains) room and changed into a lovely backless gown, has and slippers. The nurse hooked me up to an IV, gave me some antibiotics and antacids and I just sat around for a while.
When it was finally my turn a nurse came to assist me with walking my IV pole (not sure of the technical name for it) to the restroom so that I could “empty my bladder” before the procedure. This isn’t as easy as it sounds when you have an IV and pole attached to one hand and you are trying to hold up the gown in another. Needless to say I dropped the bottom of my gown into the pee water. Oops. I didn’t tell anyone though!!
After the quick restroom break the nurse walked me into the operating room, which was set up similarly to an OBGYN patient room, just with a lot more lighting and equipment. I sat down in the chair and put my feet into the stirrups like the expert I am, and then they started securing down my legs and feet, and talking my arms under blankets. I felt like I was in a mental hospital for a minute. Then the anesthesiologist put oxygen in my nose and asked me to take 4 deep breaths….I remember taking 2 and then BAM I woke up back in my private room to my RE telling me what a champ I was. The dilation was a success even though I had a very “tough” cervix. I was a little loopy from the anesthesia and Vicodin but was able to head out about a half an hour later.
All in all the procedure was pretty easy. I had some bleeding and pretty severe cramps throughout the afternoon/evening, but the pain killers worked wonders on that. Today I am back at work, still a little crampy with waves of nausea and some spotting, but I feel good. It is nice to cross another obstacle off my list. Monday it’s back to the RE’s office for my baseline ultrasound and blood work and then we really get this party started!
I also received all of my injections in the mail this week, so look forward to a riveting post on medicine organization. I can’t wait to categorize those bad boys by day!
The Patient Mom 