Prolapse Repair Day 7

It's Christmas. My tummy hasn't felt good in a couple of days. It's like building up poop in there and just waiting to explode. I put off drinking the miralax until presents were unwrapped and then I started having horrible cramps. Thankfully all the fun morning stuff was over and I disappeared into the master bathroom.

The first few were small and hard. Not pebbles, good size, round, hard pieces. It was VERY hard not to push or bear down or do the things I normally do. I had 3 hours of this. Then after some hard ones, it turned to mush -- must have been when the miralax kicked in -- and that was just as hard to push out.

For me, my body doesn't know how to poop properly. Stupid right? I have dyssynergia. This is a condition when "external anal sphincter and the puborectalis muscle contracts rather than relaxes during an attempted bowel movement. There is the sensation of incomplete emptying of the rectum. Normal bowel movements involves relaxation of both of these muscles."

So basically I never learned how to poop. My mom laughed at this. She asked how is this something that is taught, you just do it. I don't know. I never taught my kids to poop. I just said when you feel the urge to go, sit down and go. 

So this mushy poop was sitting there, giving me cramps. It wasn't diarrhea or loose like I had expected the Miralax would do. More of a forceful evacuation. But there was no normal, formed poop siting on my anal sphincter telling it to open up and let it out. So it was a very hard, difficult day and it sucked because it was Christmas. I spent hours in the bathroom. Hours! Some of it in tears wishing I could be normal. Some of it in pain because of the surgery. Some of it wondering if the increase in bleeding was from a ripped stitch? a failure of the surgery, or my menstrual period. My period was due days ago and I'm not sure if it's here or what. It doesn't seem as heavy as usual, but it's heavier than what the bleeding had been. 

I don't see the doctor for another week for my follow up. Unless it gets worse, I'll keep doing what I'm doing and hope it gets better. 

My shoulder has really been bothering me too. Slept in in wrong? Something happened in surgery and was just in a bad position? Also the IV spot hurts. I mean really hurts. If it touch it in the wrong place, it's like pins and needles and weird feelings. I told them that day it hurt and something was wrong. It was like upside down in my hand. I hadn't had an IV like that...ever. I didn't like it. The anesthesiologist said they'd change it in surgery, but once they found out I was going home, they left it alone. 

Tonight I'm taking a Klonopin. I think I'm done with the Tramadol. Too strong. Can't mix the two. Haven't had the Tramadol today, so I think I'm okay. That and laying with my new weighted blanket. I hope it helps. 

Prolapse Repair Day 6

When I got up this morning, I didn't feel as good. I did use both pain meds overnight. But I also slept on my tummy and I think that was a bad idea. I got up in the middle of the night and my back hurt. Oh did it hurt. So I slept some other way for the rest of the night.

I noticed more blood this morning. I actually put on real underwear last night because I hadn't had any blood drips and found them stained with blood this morning. Sigh. Then I remembered that my regular period was due and maybe this was that. However, the blood loss has been minimal throughout the day. So maybe not. I don't know. I'm sure my uterus is confused.

I've had more perineum pain today. Not bad pain. Aches. It aches.

No BM. Double sigh. I mean really? 2 stool softeners everyday and now 1 dose of Miralax a day and still nothing. I drank my 2nd dose this morning at 10am. It's been hours and nothing but stomach cramps now and then...period related? BM related? I don't know. I'm scared of what this poop will be like. I hope I don't have a big problem and I hope it doesn't hit me tomorrow morning - Christmas morning.

It's a little itchy down there too. Trying to be good and not itch. Sometimes I'll use hot water and just spray it. Other times I have to distract myself.

Prolapse Repair Day 5

Day 5? Day 4? Whatever it is. I took both pain meds overnight. I felt "okay" this morning, but still no BM. I drank a dose of Miralax at 11am. It's been 3 hours, nothing yet. I know it says it can take days, but I was hoping to blow some poop out already. I guess I'm scared my poop will be really big and hard and it will hurt the repair. Ugh. This sucks.

I am having some bloating? Gas pains? An unsettled tummy? I don't know. Something. 

I spent most of the day "up" and by up, I mean watching TV or watching one of the kids play a video game. I didn't nap. I walked around inside the house a little. 

I don't know what else to report. I'm bored, but glad to be doing nothing if that makes sense.

Prolapse Repair Day 4

I slept fitfully last night. My shoulder bothered me from sleeping weirdly. My ears too. I was hot and cold. Just didn't rest nicely. Being in bed too much is not a good thing.

Today though has been better. I did get dizzy and a bit nauseous this morning after getting out of the shower and I decided to try not to take the Tramadol. I made it until 5pm without any pain meds and then I was achy down there, so I took the Ibuprofen and put an ice pack in my undies. 

I think the Tramadol is definitely the culprit for the dizziness and sleepiness. Not that I'm wide awake and ready to run, but maybe if I can stay off of it during the day, I'll have more energy to walk around and that will help. 

I haven't had a BM. That's the bad news. I'm taking 2 stool softeners every day, but nothing has dared to come out of that hole but some gas. I think I might have to drink some Miralax. Blech!! I'm not sure when...tonight? Does it work overnight or will it hit me at 3am? First thing in the morning? What if it takes days? What if it hits on Christmas? UGH! If it's explosive poop, will it hurt? How do I keep it gentle? I can't believe I'm blogging about my poop. 

I got a cool present today. One of those hospital bed tables. LOL! It's neat. I can eat, use my laptop, whatever. Slides under my bed. It's very adjustable so I might end up using it often. 

Prolapse Repair Day 3

It's day 3, if we're counting the day of surgery as day 1. Technically it's been about 48 hours. I set alarms on my phone for every time I need to take medication. Tramadol every 6 hours, Ibuprofen 600mg every 6 hours. I alternate them. I'll do the Tramadol at 12, Ibuprofen at 3, and so on. I did add an extra 200mg to the Ibuprofen pill. After giving birth, I always got 800mg of Ibuprofen. That helped. I also let 2 Arnica "pills" dissolve under my tongue. Coupled with the ice packs, I'm handling my pain okay.

I haven't had a BM yet. Lots of gas. No BM. I'm not looking forward to it.

The kids are loud. Our master bedroom is right next to the living room, and when the kids are playing video games, it gets ridiculously loud.

My husband and mom have been a great help. Helping with mealtimes, keeping kids busy, handling things.

The pain seems less so that's good, but I'm still feeling dizzy and weak, so that's not good. Blood has slowed to just spotting.

Prolapse Repair Day Two

I have to stay on top of my meds. If I don't, the pain is bad! The pain is pretty bad as it is, but I don't want to know what it's like without the meds. I have Tramadol and Ibuprofen 600mg. I'm sure it's helping, but it doesn't feel like it's touching the pain. Right now, it kind of feels like when you have a baby and tear, and they stitch you up TIMES 100!!!!!!!! Pain. Pressure. Ouch!

Besides the meds, I'm using perineum ice packs. I found some on Amazon. They don't stay cold as long as I'd like, but they are put in a warm place so that's to be expected. They really help. I'm very, very sleepy. Not sure if that's the surgery, after effects of the anesthesia, or the pain pills. I keep dozing off. My mouth is dry and I got dizzy once today - think those are both side effects of Tramadol. I use the peri bottle to help me pee when I don't get a lot out the normal way.

I do laps around the inside of the house. 4-5 of them. Then back to bed. I try to get up to do my own stuff. Get an ice pack, or drink. Something that keeps me up and walking.

Oh! I noticed they shaved me down there, like half of it. Weird. I trimmed the other half because it just looked strange. Still does, but whatever.

I had a sandwich for lunch and a small piece of chicken parm and spaghetti for dinner.

I ventured a peek down there... bruising, no redness, no signs of infection. Not ugly. I didn't look long.

I took a couple Arnica pills, hoping they'll help. Got a new ice pack and heading to sleepy land now.

Cystocele and Rectocele Repair

Ten years ago, after baby number four, I found myself seeing a Urogynecologist who suggested repairing my prolapses. The way they explained it, they would use mesh to hold things in place and I would have a bunch of restrictions for the rest of my life. No carrying laundry baskets, no carrying children - and at that point not only did I have older children, I had a toddler and newborn. They also said I wouldn't be able to go up and downstairs. Oh and no more kids.

That was crazy to me! Being in my early 30s and never being able to do any of that?? So, I put it off. And put it off. And put it off some more.

This past year, I decided to look into it again. Our family is now complete, our deductible had been met, so why not? I found a urogynecologist I really liked, she suggested some pelvic floor therapy first. I did that. She had some other suggestions, but nothing really impressed me. I needed to have the surgery. I hoped that it would help my frequent urination, painful sex, and most of all my stupid, horrible bowel movements.

The best thing was the surgery had changed...no more mesh, she'd use my own tissue. Restrictions were only for 6 weeks. I would be able to do my laundry, go up and downstairs, etc.

I scheduled the surgery for the week before Christmas. Not sure why I thought that'd be a good idea. So much to do. Too much holiday stress. Throw in a surgery. Sure, no biggie. But my mom was going to be here to help and that's one reason I decided for that time.

Pre-op appointment with the doctor about 3 weeks before, pre-op with the hospital the week before.

Two nights before surgery, I took a magnesium 500mg pill. I pooped the next morning for hours. I kept my meals light. Half a sandwich for lunch, soup for dinner. I took two enemas that night.

We left for the hospital at 7:30am Tuesday morning, got there about 8:15am. We waited in a waiting area for a bit until I was called back to get ready. The pre-op room was "nice." It was private, had my own bathroom and a TV with a fireplace on. I had to give a urine sample. I changed into bear robe which they then hooked up to some warm air vent. Got all my vital stats taken. Then came the IV lady. Oh that mother hurt! Worst IV I've had in a long time. I couldn't move my fingers.

They brought my husband in and he stayed with me until it was time for me to go (about 11:30am). Of course, the doctor and anesthesiologist came to talk to me first. They sedated me first. I don't remember too much else. Don't even remember waking up. I DO remember them filling up my bladder with water, taking out the catheter, and made sure I could pee. And I did. I was SO happy. I didn't want to go home with a catheter. I hated that idea. I am surprised they let me go home while I was so loopy.

So...day 1...I don't remember much, just that I hurt. I had pain meds and ice packs and slept on and off throughout the rest of the day. Had Panera chicken noodle soup and bread for dinner.