I'm Bacccckkkkkk!!!!

Boy, I haven't blogged in months!!! I had a major health scare, and had to pull some irons out of the fire.

Now, I'm going to give you entirely too much information.....but I do have a point to make at the end......so bear with me, especially if you're a woman. It's important.

In May, I started having twingy funny little pelvic pains, and my period was heavier than normal. I didn't think much about it.....I skipped a period in April and just figured it was getting back at me for missing one. It went away in about a week, as normal. Then only 2 weeks later it started up again, but it was different -- severe bleeding, clotting, flooding. It was just awful! I waited it out, saying I'd go to the dr when it was over. Two weeks later it stopped. And, did I go to the doctor -- no. Then a week later, it starts up again, and I bleed non-stop until August 3rd.

By the time I went into the OB-Gyn to get checked, I was nearly bleeding air. They did an ultrasound, poked, prodded and pushed, etc. Polyps. Then they did a biopsy.

It came back abnormal. Referral to an oncologist for possible cancer.

EEEEEEEEKKKK!!!!

The oncologist scheduled me for an immediate total hysterectomy, and told me to prepare for cancer treatment since he also saw some spots/cysts/legions on at least one of my ovaries.

I had a week to stew about the C word before I went into the hospital for surgery. The surgery went fine....Davinci robotic laproscopy. I highly recommend it. I was home in 1 day, and only six small incisions across the top of my belly. Recovery has been SO much simpler and less painful than my c-section 3 years ago.

And, they had lab results by the time I woke up from the anesthetic in the recovery room. Everything was BENIGN. It was precancerous -- they caught it before it turned into anything major.

BUT, if I had waited a few more months, perhaps the ending wouldn't have been so happy.

SO PLEASE -- if you notice any sort of health changes GO SEE YOUR DOCTOR. Don't wait!!! Have things checked out!!!!

I was busy. I didn't want to have to go into the OB's office bleeding all over. I was afraid of what they might tell me, etc. I had every excuse in the book for not making a dr's appointment.

I won't ever do that again!!!

And, although a hysterectomy is kinda a scary thing, I have to admit that I feel 100% better. I didn't realize how much pain I was actually in until it was totally gone. I haven't had any menopause symptoms yet, but I'm watching for them and we'll deal with that as it comes along. I'm still recovering from the surgery -- it hurts when I laugh, cough, sneeze, etc...lol -- and I get tired easily still from anemia and from my body working to heal itself. I just take one day at a time, and do the best I can. :)

I got lucky. Once I heal up, I can go back to my life where I left off. Some aren't so lucky.

If you've been putting off a trip to the doctor, please don't put it off any longer. It really can be a matter of life or death. Take care of your bod -- we only get issued one. :)

Hugs! Juli