What A Difference A Week Makes
It was only a week ago that I had to be admitted into Tarzana Hospital. I had finally pushed it as far and long as I could and I had to have a hysterectomy due to fibroids in my uterus. I had struggled for the past two years and fought the thought of having the surgery and never being able to have another baby. Having the surgery meant that Shea would never have a sibling except for the two up in heaven from my previous miscarriages with Rob. It was tough and for a long time when Dr. Kimelman would even suggest the fact that it might be inevitable, I would cry. So, we tried with birth control pills, at times up to 6 a day to control the disgusting bleeding with out much success. Two months ago, I finally came to grips with the acceptance of having the surgery. It was something that I had to do for my health, Shea, and to continue leading the life that I love so much. Having the last year to go through what we did was a blessing and also gave Shea the time to realize I had been through enough. After all, she had seen what I had been through first hand. I was so sick when I went to Dr. K's office last Thursday that he just admitted me that day and scheduled the surgery for last Friday, August 3rd, 2007. I was very much at peace when I finally got into my room. As sick as I was, as soon as the nurses find out that I am a nurse, there is an unspoken bond. Angie had just had a tummy tuck and her boobs done and she proudly shared the beautiful results with me! Over my 5 day stay, I had 3 different roommates. As I got situated, I met Carole & Art. Carole is 74 years old, had a procedure on her spine and her and Art have been married for 53 years! They were both so comforting to me as I layed in that bed feeling so miserable. They were talking to each other about nothing imparticular but it was so soothing to me. I felt like they were part of my family. I love to hear older people who love each other just talk. My first night was horrible as even the IV hormones did not lighten up the bleeding and the morning could not get there fast enough! I was not scheduled until 5:30pm but Dr. K insisted that they bump me up to 12:30pm because I was losing so much blood. Because I had lost so much, I did have to have a blood transfusion and I was a bit upset by that. (My hemoglobin had gone down to 6- normal is 12- Dr. Felt used to say that patients were "running on half a tank" when their blood count was that low!) However, in situations like that, you do what you have to do. I was teasing with the nurse and said that I just hoped the blood was from a very handsome, african american man with a gorgeous smile! Carole and Art were leaving as I left for surgery. Carole mentioned that the one thing she missed doing was cooking. I did get their number and promised to take them dinner when I was up and running again. Off to the OR (operating room) with 2 cute, young OR staff and of course, I made them laugh the whole way down and was my normal, flirty self! As the anesthesiologist began my medicine, I asked Richard (one of the cuties) to pray with me...he did and I was off in dreamland! When I got out of recovery, morphine as well as dilotid awaited me for pain to which I "just said NO!" I stuck it out and took regular tylenol. I only had 2 really yuckys days after and I did take a total of one and one half Vicodin. I hate taking pain meds, I always have. My second roommate was a 19 year old girl, Paige, who had chronic pancreatitis. It is very painful with not many treatment options. Between her family and all of my family and visitors, even the 2 bad days were better because of them! From Sunday on, I slowly got better. I realized that I just might make it after all. The reason that I am writing all of this is not only to document it for me to read later but also for Shea to have as well. What happened on Sunday night still has me in awe of our great God. At 9pm Sunday night, a couple came in as my last roommate. Loretta & Robert were going through a miscarriage. My heart ached for them as I have been through it twice and as I gave as much comfort as I could, all I could say was that I know how much it sucked! They took her down for a DNC and an hour later she was back in our room to where she was very chatty and expressed that she believed that God knows what is best for us. As the night went on, we exchanged our beliefs, what churches that we went to, they have a 5 year old daughter, I told them about Shea. She reminded me of me so much in the way she felt about God's choices being what is best for us, even when we don't understand them. As we bonded and shared she spoke the words that I will never forget. They had Isaac a year ago and he died at 3 months. He had a severe form of Down's syndrome and had died in that very hospital. I always say that there are no coincidences- God works in ways that you & I will never comprehend or understand. Out of all the hospital rooms, all of the hundreds of patients and we were put together. Her words reinforced every doubt that I had ever had about having this surgery. I could not have gone through having another miscarriage and my heart could not have survived losing a child at 3 months. God knows how stubborn I can be. I know that this was His way of putting closure on ever having another doubt or question on the decision that I have made. The night that I got home and shared the story with Shea, we both just sobbed. She always tells me that even though she doesn't have siblings down here, she will someday meet them in heaven. I am recovering well and each day is better and better. I guess God figured He would give me one perfect child (trust me, she is as close to perfect as they come) and He did, Shea Elisa. Needless to say, I now will be sending out 503 cards at Christmas! (Carole, Paige & Loretta) Go ahead, poke all the fun you want to...people love me...what can I say?
The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning.
Ivy Baker Priest
It was only a week ago that I had to be admitted into Tarzana Hospital. I had finally pushed it as far and long as I could and I had to have a hysterectomy due to fibroids in my uterus. I had struggled for the past two years and fought the thought of having the surgery and never being able to have another baby. Having the surgery meant that Shea would never have a sibling except for the two up in heaven from my previous miscarriages with Rob. It was tough and for a long time when Dr. Kimelman would even suggest the fact that it might be inevitable, I would cry. So, we tried with birth control pills, at times up to 6 a day to control the disgusting bleeding with out much success. Two months ago, I finally came to grips with the acceptance of having the surgery. It was something that I had to do for my health, Shea, and to continue leading the life that I love so much. Having the last year to go through what we did was a blessing and also gave Shea the time to realize I had been through enough. After all, she had seen what I had been through first hand. I was so sick when I went to Dr. K's office last Thursday that he just admitted me that day and scheduled the surgery for last Friday, August 3rd, 2007. I was very much at peace when I finally got into my room. As sick as I was, as soon as the nurses find out that I am a nurse, there is an unspoken bond. Angie had just had a tummy tuck and her boobs done and she proudly shared the beautiful results with me! Over my 5 day stay, I had 3 different roommates. As I got situated, I met Carole & Art. Carole is 74 years old, had a procedure on her spine and her and Art have been married for 53 years! They were both so comforting to me as I layed in that bed feeling so miserable. They were talking to each other about nothing imparticular but it was so soothing to me. I felt like they were part of my family. I love to hear older people who love each other just talk. My first night was horrible as even the IV hormones did not lighten up the bleeding and the morning could not get there fast enough! I was not scheduled until 5:30pm but Dr. K insisted that they bump me up to 12:30pm because I was losing so much blood. Because I had lost so much, I did have to have a blood transfusion and I was a bit upset by that. (My hemoglobin had gone down to 6- normal is 12- Dr. Felt used to say that patients were "running on half a tank" when their blood count was that low!) However, in situations like that, you do what you have to do. I was teasing with the nurse and said that I just hoped the blood was from a very handsome, african american man with a gorgeous smile! Carole and Art were leaving as I left for surgery. Carole mentioned that the one thing she missed doing was cooking. I did get their number and promised to take them dinner when I was up and running again. Off to the OR (operating room) with 2 cute, young OR staff and of course, I made them laugh the whole way down and was my normal, flirty self! As the anesthesiologist began my medicine, I asked Richard (one of the cuties) to pray with me...he did and I was off in dreamland! When I got out of recovery, morphine as well as dilotid awaited me for pain to which I "just said NO!" I stuck it out and took regular tylenol. I only had 2 really yuckys days after and I did take a total of one and one half Vicodin. I hate taking pain meds, I always have. My second roommate was a 19 year old girl, Paige, who had chronic pancreatitis. It is very painful with not many treatment options. Between her family and all of my family and visitors, even the 2 bad days were better because of them! From Sunday on, I slowly got better. I realized that I just might make it after all. The reason that I am writing all of this is not only to document it for me to read later but also for Shea to have as well. What happened on Sunday night still has me in awe of our great God. At 9pm Sunday night, a couple came in as my last roommate. Loretta & Robert were going through a miscarriage. My heart ached for them as I have been through it twice and as I gave as much comfort as I could, all I could say was that I know how much it sucked! They took her down for a DNC and an hour later she was back in our room to where she was very chatty and expressed that she believed that God knows what is best for us. As the night went on, we exchanged our beliefs, what churches that we went to, they have a 5 year old daughter, I told them about Shea. She reminded me of me so much in the way she felt about God's choices being what is best for us, even when we don't understand them. As we bonded and shared she spoke the words that I will never forget. They had Isaac a year ago and he died at 3 months. He had a severe form of Down's syndrome and had died in that very hospital. I always say that there are no coincidences- God works in ways that you & I will never comprehend or understand. Out of all the hospital rooms, all of the hundreds of patients and we were put together. Her words reinforced every doubt that I had ever had about having this surgery. I could not have gone through having another miscarriage and my heart could not have survived losing a child at 3 months. God knows how stubborn I can be. I know that this was His way of putting closure on ever having another doubt or question on the decision that I have made. The night that I got home and shared the story with Shea, we both just sobbed. She always tells me that even though she doesn't have siblings down here, she will someday meet them in heaven. I am recovering well and each day is better and better. I guess God figured He would give me one perfect child (trust me, she is as close to perfect as they come) and He did, Shea Elisa. Needless to say, I now will be sending out 503 cards at Christmas! (Carole, Paige & Loretta) Go ahead, poke all the fun you want to...people love me...what can I say?
The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning.
Ivy Baker Priest
posted by AD @ 11:23 PM
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