What a difference a week can make!

It's been a little over a week since my surgery. Let's say, a week and a half. Over the holiday weekend, I started experiencing some pain on my right side, similar to a "side stitch" cramp. I was also **skip this sentence if you are not a fan of TMI** passing a lot of blood clots, which started to worry me. The pain + the bleeding was worrisome enough that we decided to call the doctor and get in to be seen first thing Monday.

Went through the full gambit of testing... Urine sample, blood work, ultrasound.

Kind of a funny side note: I made a semi-dark joke to the husband about how I love this one particular nurse at my OB's office because she is so good at drawing blood. "You know you're in a doctor's office too much when...."

My "real" post-op appointment isn't until July 13, because my doctor wanted to see me two weeks out. But with the pain, bleeding, and the fact that husband is about to go out of town for 5 days, I wanted to be seen just in case. Better safe than sorry is a mantra I've adopted since becoming a Mom, and it definitely applied here.

So after the tests and whatnot were complete, I had the chance to talk to my doctor. There are about a million reasons why I love my OB, but first and foremost, she just makes me more comfortable and at ease than any other doctor I've had. That's a huge deal for someone like me who avoids doctors at all cost because visits to the doctor make me squeamish in general. She came in and delivered us some pretty great news. The best we could hear after this kind of procedure.

First, everything is progressing and healing normally and as to be expected. I am really sensitive to pain meds, so I usually stick to Ibuprofen, regardless of what I've just had done (after I gave birth and was only taking Motrin, I was pretty sure the nurses at the hospital thought I was insane). I'm just not a huge fan of how I feel on pain meds either, so I try to avoid the really intense ones. Anyway - this is why I am feeling pain. Most people take Codeine, which I have here at home, just haven't taken yet. So a heating pad and a bit more rest than I have been giving myself, and I should be totally fine.

Second, my right fallopian tube looks completely healthy and normal, as do both of my ovaries. YAY!! This is the best part. Because this means that, even though it may take a bit longer than before this go around, we can still get pregnant on our own!! WOO HOO!! I was imagining every worst case scenario possible, and probably spending way too much time Googling post-ectopic info... So this was really uplifting to hear. Dr. Bomb.com told me several stories of truly amazing things she has seen in women who have had ectopic pregnancies. And (as my husband said) to quote Jurassic Park, "Life will always find a way!"

Third, we found out that we don't have to wait as long as I thought we would to start TTC (trying to conceive) again! Again, good news. Since this pregnancy was very much planned and wanted, I am ready to get this show on the road and start trying again. To which Dr. Bomb.com gave Matt a little high five, because, yay for him... ;)

Another thing that she did, which I really appreciated in a weird way, was bring in and show me the pictures of my ectopic. It was insane. Really, truly, the craziest and scariest thing I've ever seen. Made me appreciate modern medicine and my ability to access it SO MUCH more. Imagine a cocktail straw with a blueberry stuck in the end... That's what it looked like. She told me that there was 50 cc's of blood in my stomach/uterus (that's about a cup 1/2). Not good - that's not good! I appreciated this, because it made me realize that this pregnancy was not viable no matter what... And that in that moment, the focus was on keeping me safe. Knowing all of this really helps me to move past it and look towards the future.

Next week I am supposed to have my two week post-op appointment, and then will have another in 4-weeks just to see how things are going. I am anxious to see how my healing is progressing. I know that I may be feeling better on the outside, and that the inside still has a ways to go. But I am looking forward with positivity, with faith, and with the utmost trust in God that he's got this. He knows the desires of my heart, and knowing that is what's keeping a smile on my face.

I am hugging Little P and the husband pretty tight these days. Feeling so beyond thankful for my many blessings.


Proverbs 31:25