Day 32- just stitchin'

No news is good news around these parts.

I had some fun phone conversations and my kind bishop came to visit.  He left me his iPod and some new headphones he bought, so I could listen to his favorite playlist.  (sweet huh?). 

I'm a bit weird-social after spending 6 months fairly isolated.  Sometimes I hear myself repeating the same thing too many times or talking too much to avoid that awkward silence.  Ha!  I'm going to have to readjust into society slowly.

Still stitching!!

Still laying here.

One episode of Doc Marten showed a man with a blood clot in his leg after being on bed rest for ten days.  In the middle of the show I put on my electric leg things... I would end up with a blood clot.

My surgeon talked to me for a long time yesterday.  I felt the same strategy and anticipation from her as I have heard listening to my neighbor talk about the peewee football games he coaches.  It almost sounds like a video game strategy.  They both obviously spend a lot of time thinking about strategy, they both know to expect the unexpected, and they both seem to enjoy what they do.

Please pray for my surgeon, Dr. Munro.  I told her we'd be praying for her.

Do you want they play by play?

At about 6:30am on Thursday morning, I will get a c-section epidural in a labor and delivery room on the 12th floor.  

They will bring me to the 10th floor where they will insert balloon catheters into the main arteries on either side of my groin.  The balloons will remain deflated until they are ready to cut off blood flow to my abdomen.  Once those are in, I will be transported on a board because I can't bend my legs at all.

They will move me to the main OR on the 6th floor where anesthesia will remove my central line and insert a bigger line into my neck.  I think it's called an EJ- external jugular, or IJ internal jugular.  Anything in my jugular sounds freaky.  I think this will be one of the hardest parts, because I'll be awake and my epidural will only be from my waist down.  Blah.

They will open me up from my belly button down and cut the top of my uterus to try and remove the baby without waking my placenta.  I had a prior intestinal surgery, a volvulous when I was 12.  So, they think I'll have some scar tissue adhesions attaching my intestine to my uterus.  It may be a little complicated getting that baby out.

Dr Munro said the baby will be tiny and young so he will have to go straight to the pediatrician, but she will try to let me see him as they whisk him over.  If things are still calm, they'll bring him to see me after the initial check up.  But, they might have to put me under general anesthesia quickly.

She plans on stitching the uterus closed to help minimize blood loss.  In the past, most surgeons start with the bladder and work up.  She feels like that doesn't work well because you are dealing with the biggest mess first.  She wants to start with the baby and then work from the top down.  Clamping off blood vessels and detaching placenta.  She wants to end with the bladder and cervix area.

Although she is used to working with cancer patients and almost always takes out their cervix, she doesn't see any reason to take mine out.  Unless she gets in there and things look pretty involved.  She is going to try and keep my cervix and other attaching tendons and ligaments to retain the muscular support.  Good news to me!! I did tell her that I trusted her judgement either way- and I really do.  She feels like a good, wise doctor.

And, that's all folks.  

My recovery will depend on how much blood I've lost and what complications arise.  All of my doctors seem positive and excited.  The nurses have taken trips around the hospital to map out my exact route.  I've been here so long that everyone is pretty aware and supportive.

I might not be able to recover on this floor.  They aren't used to extensive surgery in the mother-baby unit.  My nurses are feeling a bit protective of me.  They insist that no other floor can care for my c-section scar as well as they can.  They have plans to find me and help me start pumping.  They keep telling the doctors that they can handle heart monitors if I need one.  It makes me smile.  I'm so grateful for people who care about me and my baby.

5 days!!

It feels unreal.  I'm glad I freaked out a bit last week because I'm not freaking out now.  I'm sure it will come back in the next few days.

I've found that if I let myself talk about my fears, they dissipate or at least diffuse.

I asked my surgeon if she has ever had surgery.  She said no.  I told her it was pretty freaky knowing someone was cutting into your body.  Because, it is.  Even when you know they are saving your life and the life of your baby.

I kinda want to fast forward to Thursday. But, I'm actually grateful for the next few days.

(Today is Drew's 13th birthday.  Sure love that boy.  I think my pregnancy has been hardest on him.  Can't wait to see him tomorrow!)

Life is good!

(I woke up to the most beautiful sunrise this morning!  My iPhone just doesn't do it justice...)