Our Journey... Part Three

Wow!  I have had such an amazing response from so many of you readers!  

It truly makes my heart happy!  I feel that I need to find something in this journey 

that has meaning, and I am starting to believe that my meaning is to help spread

awareness and hope for many other women going through similar situations.

You aren't crazy.  I tell people everyday in my office that you know 

your body better than anyone else could ever expect to... trust it. 

I know that some of you have been hanging on the edge of your seats for part 3, so here goes! lol!

Ok, so where was I?   Oh yeah... I knew... 

I walked out of the appointment and my head was spinning.  I was sad, distraught, confused, and most of all angry.  I told myself when I did this blog that I wasn't going to sugarcoat any of it.  So I should say that I was seriously PISSED.   I wasn't angry with Dr. Hanson at all, for the first time I had found a doctor that was honest and real, as well as more caring than any other I had ever met.  I was angry because I knew.  I knew that I had endometriosis.  I had known it for years and just took the doctors words for it.  I had almost all of the symptoms.

Now remember, most of these symptoms fall under a category that we all call PMS.  I would like to say that I truly believe that PMS is NOT NORMAL!  I believe that it is a symptom of underyling issues, most often hormone imbalances.  Also remember that most of these symptoms are occurring constantly during a woman's month, but they are exacerbated when they get their period.  Let me tell you, YOU AREN'T CRAZY.  The cramps are real and they are severe, the headaches are there, the mood swings, the extremely heavy flow, the food cravings, the skin rashes... all of it is real.  I remember wanting to crawl into a hole and never come out.  A cold, dark, quiet hole that served Excedrin as needed.  I believe you, I feel sorry for you, and I hope that you can have enough strength to not take "it's normal" as your answer anymore.  You deserve better.

So what exactly is Endometriosis anyway?  Why should we care?  Never heard of it?  

That is why we should care!  

This IS a big deal!  10 years on average for a diagnosis?!  This shouldn't be happening!

Sorry guys, don't want to sound "sexist" but if this was happening to men, we would be all over it!

Why is this not a big deal?  Why are we, as women, continually told to repress our bodies?  That our bodies will continually let us down and cause us pain, and that is just normal?

I don't relieve it and I refuse to take that as an answer any longer!

NO CURE... That is so incredibly scary.

But, we do have options and that brings us to now...

So here we are.  Waiting.  6 months I thought would be forever, but it has gone so quickly.  During that time, we continued to chart and to meet with Kari to go over what we were finding.  Also during this time we were talking with Pope Paul VI in Omaha regarding preparing for surgery.  They were extremely helpful and thorough, making sure we understood what to expect as per the surgery as well as the costs.  They let us know what things are likely not going to be covered by insurance and why (I could write a whole post on how our insurance industry is letting women down in this country, but I will save that for sometime when I have nothing else to write about! ha!)  

We also got a name for our doctor,  Dr. Pakiz.  I have heard wonderful things about her from other women who have worked with her.  As much as I loved Dr. Hanson, I am so happy to have a woman to doctor with.  Personally it makes me more comfortable.  After signing our lives away for surgery we also had to do our Complete Hormone Panel lab draws, he had to do his thing (you all know what that is) again, and at this very moment we are awaiting the start of my new cycle to begin our trips to Omaha for our Ovulation Daily Ultrasound Series.  We are hoping that it will fall during the time we are in Omaha for Surgery.   OH!  I just realized, I never told you all the date of the surgery!  OCTOBER 6!  It feels surreal!  I has come so quickly, but yet also at the perfect time for me to wrap my head around what is happening and to prepare our lives for some time away from work.  Both of us owning our own businesses makes it very difficult to be away at the same time, but John just keeps telling me not to worry, he has it all figured out.  Ok, I trust you ;)  

So like I said before, NO CURE. Here is where our surgery comes in. NaPro Technology's website states that "surgical removal of endometriosis carries with it the best chance for success, both in terms of pain relief and in subsequent pregnancies. However, if the surgeon is not adequately trained to be able to provide a good surgical approach which will remove the endometriosis while preventing subsequent adhesions, the chances for success are quite limited." NaPro Technology gives us that trained surgeon. They use what is known as Near Contact Laparoscopy. This allows them to see the most minute Endo that regular laparoscopy would very likely miss. They also use an excision technique that not only removes the surface lesions, but removes the lesions deep into the tissue while reducing the risk of adhesions and recurrence. 

 I will be having a laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and hysterosalpingogram performed on the 6th. They can not tell me the severity of my Endo until after the surgery is complete. It is not able to be seen on ultrasound, films, or even pelvic exams. This surgery will determine if there is need for further surgery (if the endo is extensive...) and also if there is anything else to be concerned about relating to my uterus and fallopian tubes. Oh and did I forget to mention that they take a video of the entire surgery? During our follow-up with Dr. Pakiz, she will walk us through the surgery and explain everything that they see and do!

THIS IS WHY WE HAVE WAITED 6 MONTHS!

Is there still risk of it returning? Yes.

Am I afraid of not knowing what they are going to find? Oh lord yes.

Do I have faith that no matter what, we are in the right place? yes, YeS, and more YES.

So now we do just a little bit more waiting. 

My husband says I need to learn patience, so maybe there is something else to learn from all of this...

To be continued... yet again!