We Are Parents to a Living Child.

    In middle January our little blessing arrived. Our beautiful rainbow baby came. He came by vaginal delivery with the doctor that my husband and I love delivering him. It was the most amazing moment of our lives. The moment I saw first saw him I was simply filled with awe. How could someone that beautiful have been living inside me for nine months? My husband fell in love immediately. The joy and wonder that those first moments brought were overwhelming.
    We got to room in with him. That means he stayed in our hospital room with us, only leaving to be assessed by the nurses and when seen by the doctor. A lot of people send the baby to the nursery that first night so they can rest. We definitely would have done that except he slept for his two hour stretches well and I wasn't sleeping much anyway. I had to have IV antibiotics every few hours and had to get up to go pee frequently so he stayed with us the whole night. I did call the nurse because I felt he wasn't breathing well. He was fine, he needed a little saline and to have his nose suctioned.
     He had a very difficult time the next night. He wasn't the best little breast feeder ever, and during a session, he passed out or as I thought, seized. We rushed to the ER where they tried for hours to get blood and start an IV, only to be told that we would have to go to our are children's hospital. We are members of Air Evac, so our baby was flown there. Driving away from that hospital without our baby was the hardest thing either of us have ever done. We were terrified and heartbroken. After seven days in Neonatal Intensive Care, he came home. He is now 13 weeks old and healthy and happy. There have been a lot of things that didn't go the way I planned and I will discuss those in different posts. I won't be returning to work for the foreseeable future and will be having some time to dedicate to blogging again. I look forward to discussing our experiences and to hopefully helping some people through parts of their journey. As always if you have a comment, they are welcome.



                                                                          -Her-

About Eight More Weeks

     In around eight more weeks our little guy is due. I am mostly excited but have to spend some time in prayer every day. As a nurse and someone who has dealt with infertility, I know that things don't always go the way we want them too. I panic about all the medications I have needed throughout this pregnancy, I panic because I know about a hundred things that could go wrong. Even if they don't end in the loss of my child, I fear that in some way my child will be harmed during birth.
    Today, I choose to turn it to our Father. I may have to turn it to him three times a day but that is my choice. I pray for my child and I pray for peace. I will share the joy of his kicks with my husband. I will discuss getting a car seat and hope that our stash of diapers arrives today. I will not fear filling his room with the things he needs because today, I choose to enjoy every moment of his life that God allows me to experience with him. Infertility and loss steals so much innocence, so much peace, and can take so much joy away. Tonight, I will snuggle with my hubby and thank God for what I have been given not what has been taken.


                                                             -her-

Dilation and Curettage or D&C

     I promised this post a long time ago. This is a difficult procedure to discuss as I had it only because my twins didn't survive. I want the information from a patient side to be out there however, so I am going to get through this. I will do the procedure and recovery in two separate posts as it would be quite lengthy otherwise.
     I had this procedure completed the day we found out our babies had no heart beats. We were given an option, I could do it then or I could wait until my assigned physician was on call. As I have mentioned in a previous post, I didn't like that physician so waiting all weekend for a procedure, while carrying babies I knew were gone just wasn't really an option for me. My husband and I chose to meet the doctor on call and ask him to perform the procedure that day. We loved him and haven't looked back since I switched to him.
    After it was decided that I would have the procedure that day, I had to have something inserted in my cervix called Laminaria. This is a sea weed based "stick" that is inserted into the cervix to ripen and dilate it. Then gauze moistened with sterile saline was packed into my vagina to allow the Laminaria to grow and do what it was designed to. This procedure was painful for me. To place it in the cervix a speculum is inserted. I was already tender from two transvaginal ultrasounds and Pap smear that day. Then a tool was used to "grab" my cervix and make it "pop" so that the physician had access. I do need to mention that the words in quotes come from the original physician whom I didn't like. She performed this to prepare me as the other physician had to see a patient. She let the tool attached to my cervix dangle while she turned around and walked to a counter to get something. Most physicians would not have done that, especially with an assisting nurse behind them. I don't feel the procedure needed to be that painful and had it been with a different physician I feel it would have been a better experience.
     After the Laminaria was inserted, I was told to not have anything to eat or drink and go home for a few hours while I waited on my 4:30 pm check in time to same day surgery. So I went home and layed on the couch. I was numb, I am not sure if I cried the whole time or even at all. My husband was just trying to be there for me and deal with the grief and realization that in a few short hours this pregnancy would be over and we would have nothing to show for it.The Laminaria felt like a two by four had been placed in my vagina. If I moved wrong it was painful. I had to sit at specific angles to keep the pain away. Finally, the time to go back to the hospital came.
     We checked in, I was weighed, asked a million questions that I somehow had the presence of mind to answer, and an IV was started. I had a horrible migraine by this point so the nurse called anesthesia and asked for something to help. I was given some IV morphine, which promptly caused the nausea to worsen and I began vomiting. I was given IV Zofran while my wonderful husband just rubbed my back and let me know he was there. I was miserable. I just wanted to close my eyes and know it was all a dream.
     When the time came to go to holding, a friend was there to greet me. I have known her for 17 years and she was to be my nurse in the OR. She prayed with us, and we went to the OR. The only problem I have with that process is that my husband didn't get to kiss me on my way back. I had a terrible fear at this time that I was going to die. I prayed, " God, please don't let my husband lose his wife and babies on the same day." I was given medication to help me relax, moved onto the OR table. The eyes of my friend and the anesthesiologist are all I remember before falling asleep.
     I awoke very restlessly while my gurney was being rolled into recovery. I was moving around a lot and hearing my friend tell me to be still, I had lost a lot of blood. The compassion and firmness in the familiar voice was a gift to me I can't describe. I am so thankful God allowed this friend to be the person on call for the after hours procedures on that day. I stayed in recovery for a while, I needed some pain control and there was concern about my blood loss.I also could not get warm. My core temperature had dropped and I had a Baer Hugger on. This is a device that fills a balloon like body blanket with warm air.  I had required two doses of a medication called Cytotec to help contract my uterus and make the bleeding slow to an appropriate flow. The nurses in recovery were very compassionate, quick to respond to my pain, and worked very hard to warm me up and stop the rigors from anesthesia. I did have some pain and nausea problems initially. I was also very cold for a long time.
      I was taken to the women and children's floor for a few hours. I had to have and H&H drawn. This was to confirm I hadn't lost so much blood as to be dangerous to go home. I had to get up a few times and urinate and be coherent. Once all of those things were accomplished, I was told I would have some bleeding, if soaking more than one pad an hour for two consecutive hours to call my doctor immediately or come back in. I was also told not to lift over 5 lbs for a week, to drink a lot of fluid, and to make position changes slowly as I would be prone to passing out for a few days. The doctor came in for one final check of me, determined I was safe to go home and my husband could take me.
     The day was one of the longest of my life, my husband can write from his side, because he was the one alone in a waiting room. I will write about the recovery period a bit later.

                                                                           -Her-

    

So, we have a little one coming.

  How long it has been since I posted!!!  My dear husband (DH) posted about having two positive home pregnancy tests, (hpt). I have avoided posts. Partly due to some superstitious fear that to post it here will end in some sort of tragedy. Unfounded? Yes. Ungodly? Yes. Easily shakeable? Nope. If everything keeps rocking on, we will have a beautiful little boy in about 12 weeks. I am doing better with the anxiety, at times even believing that this little guy will get to come home to our arms. There are still moments that I can't quite comprehend it. I feel him move and wonder, will I really get to meet you? Will I get to see your smile? Will I get to put your picture up next to your Dad's and see how much you look like him? Pregnancy after a loss has been trying at times, made me feel very lonely and frustrated at other times.

We are anxiously awaiting this little person, with hopes and prayers that he will be the healthy, happy little boy we have prayed for for so long!!

                                                                          - Her -

2x +hpt

Scheduling appointments today...


-- Him :)

Sometimes Life Bites You in the Backside

     I teach at a nursing school. I love being a nurse educator. It is very time consuming, hence the slow start on the blog. Today, I do not love it. I got assigned a 12 hour shift watching students in OB clinicals. I can't do anything in these clinicals because I am not an OB nurse. However, I am here. I am listening to babies cry, mom's console, and dads wonder if the baby is hungry. I am helping students field questions about why babies won't latch on to a breast, when should we feed him, or how long until my baby arrives. I am helping students care for laboring moms, teaching them to swaddle babies, and generally act like I am enjoying my day. This is how they know me, I love being a nurse.
     I am doing all these things, knowing that God may be saying no to me. That I will never have one of my own. I may never swaddle my own baby, I may never hold a child to my breast and pray we can figure this eating thing out. I may never see the tears that come to my husband's eyes because he is finally a father. My father may never hold a baby of mine with pride, my mother never have the joy of a third grandchild. I may never shop with my family for my own baby furniture. I may never hear the contented sigh of a baby when I snuggle him close. This rotation sucks!! My estimated due date with the twins was less than a month ago, I should be on maternity leave. I shouldn't be here, trying to make nurses happy and like me when I want so much to be anywhere else!!!
     I keep thinking about something I read, "When life is hard and you can't hear God, remember, the teacher is always silent during the test." Somehow, in this moment that isn't all really comforting. Three years of trying to conceive and all I have to show is possible scar tissue from my miscarriage.
     So while everyone complains about the cold weather and the rain moving in and the chances of snow in May, I say bring it on. It matches my mood.


                                                                                         -her-

Be Still and Know.....

I suck at the waiting. I want a plan, a next step. I want to know if I am having babies or not. Are we going to adopt? What are we doing?   I jumped the gun, started contacting adoption agencies and embryo adoption places. I became very stressed and scared.As we started to pray, God spoke to me and my heart in so many ways. The bible study I am completing, the things my mentor says to me, the messages at our church. So, apparently we are to "Be still and know the I am God." Psalm 46:10.

We have been very disheartened. My sister is expecting. That is a difficult situation for so many reasons. She is having a boy, the thing I have always wished for. It was a huge blow to my husband and I. So I began thinking of adoption. The problem is that I didn't wait for God to say yes. He has had to teach me this slowly. There was a deep bitterness and anger creeping up. I am finally feeling like seeking him again. This road if infertility is so long and so hard! Prayers are appreciated, I will be praying for all of us walking this path.

I also hope to be posting more here. I will be seeing a doctor Monday about a referral to a reproductive Endocrinologist. It is a scary thought, but time to take that step.

Just venting on a rough few days.

     UGH. Infertility sucks!! Some times it comes right up and slaps you in the face and then refuses to get out of your face for quite a while. This has been one of those weeks. My sister is pregnant, I have known for quite a while. A girl in my community group is pregnant, again I have known quite a while. But another person in my community group announced their pregnancy. My pregnancy test was negative just a few hours later. ( I took it at 3 am, what else is an infertile girl to do when the insomnia kicks in?)  I was an emotional mess, crying at work, lying to my adult students about having a cold. Started my Femara day three as scheduled, which of course wreaks havoc on my emotions. Today, I got to schedule a place to have my sister's baby shower. All the while, thinking, I may very likely never get a turn. The only babies I may ever get to carry died in the womb and I never got to see them, hear a laugh, a cry, or see a smile. Today, I am sad. Tomorrow will be a different day, and with that hopefully a day with more stable emotions. But today, infertility sucks!!

Hysterosalpingogram

   I would like to describe my experience having an HSG. This is a retro - post as I had the HSG many months ago. I had this procedure because I had been unable to get pregnant for over a year. I had no diagnosed medical conditions at that time other than dysmenorrhea.a
   The decision was an easy one to make. I wanted answers. This might provide them and might lead to pregnancy.
   An appointment was made at the hospitals radiology department. It was an early morning appointment because that best allowed my husband to be present. I was very thankful he was there. I was quite nervous and his presence was very helpful. I checked in and was taken back to the room very quickly. Once in the room, I was asked to change into a hospital gown and given a blanket to cover up with. It was quite chilly and the blanket was not quite enough. The nurse present saw me shivering and gave me a blanket from the warmer. The table was a bit hard but not terrible for the short amount of time I was on it. There was a bit of a problem with insertion of the speculum. This is a problem pretty unusual, my husband and I have believed that I have a condition called vaginismus for a long time. This condition makes penetration very difficult as the muscles tighten involuntarily. When a long narrow speculum is used I normally have fewer issues but the only speculum the radiology department had was the standard one. My doctor tried for a long time to insert this speculum before conceding that it wasn't going to work. It was very painful and he could not see what he needed to. He asked the nurse to get the correct speculum from the OR.So I waited, the correct speculum arrived and we continued with the test. After the speculum was in place, my cervix was washed with a betadine solution and then a long slender catheter was placed through the vagina, through the cervix, and into the uterus. Fluoroscopy was used to visualize the structures. The catheter caused some cramping, but the next step was injection of the dye. this caused some pretty painful cramps. My fallopian tubes were flushed and my deemed clear. The catheter was removed, the speculum was removed. I was sent home very soon after with only some discharge and cramping in the afternoon. It was not terrible, not too painful, and worth the information it provided.

We Were Going to Have Twins

I have been off this blog for a few months. I took a break when I found out I was pregnant. I conceived on my second cycle of Femara following the Diagnostic Laparoscopy. I was feeling excited but extremely anxious. We were told at six weeks we would have twins and were able to hear the heart beats at this time. Statistically, when you hear the heartbeat, your miscarriage risk drops. Statistics were not on our side as they haven't been since we decided we wanted children. On our ten week appointment, when we should have listened to the heart beat and then announced to the world that we were expecting two little babies, our MD callously informed us there was no heartbeat. The issue with this MD is for another post. We had another ultrasound in the hospital, were sent back to the office to be told definitively that our babies were gone. I scheduled a D&C for later that day. With broken confused hearts we went home to wait for the time to come back for the procedure. I will later post more specifics on the procedure and recovery for any who are looking for information.  I am simply ready to start blogging again. For a while, I couldn't even process the anger, grief, and shattering of our dreams. It is time to dive back into every day life and use these experiences to help others if possible. We are still very sad and at times very confused about where we go from here and why our Heavenly Father brought us down this road. But we are choosing faith and growing over bitterness and misery. We have a long road ahead but the journey to healing and our next steps starts with just a few little steps.

                                                           -Her-

I was going to be a daddy

Today was the wifey's 10 week ob appointment. It was supposed to be routine just to get all of the paperwork sorted out.

Oh, by the way we were pregnant with twins.

When we got to the doctor's office this morning they could find a heartbeat for either of the twins. Oh yeah, they were identical. When they sent us to the hospital to get a second ultrasound there was still no heartbeat that could be found and the measurements the tech took showed the twins to be only nine weeks, not ten.

So, now we're sitting at the hospital again waiting to go back for her to have a D&C. I don't know how to spell it but you can google it if you've never heard the term.

I'm very upset. I feel really bad for my wife. We've been trying for so long to have babies and we had two, but now they're gone.

At this point, I need to know where to go from here. Sometimes God's plan is completely different from what we think it's going to be and that's ok. It's just really hard to change gears when you get to cruising.

I know God has the answers, I just have to wait on Him to let me in on them.

-Him

Sticky Note #2

People Are Stupid

Do not fret, you will understand when people start telling you that "you'll get pregnant when you just stop thinking about it". Or "you'll probably get pregnant as soon as you adopt."
Do not let these stupid people get you down. They are unteachable.

Adoption is Not God's back up plan!

     I will write a post dealing with this subject in much greater detail later. I simply wanted to make a statement today. Adoption is a wonderful thing. As Christians we are told multiple times in the Bible to care for the orphan. However, we are commanded to do this at all times. We are never told to care for the orphan only if you cannot have biological children.
     Well meaning friends and family have very often told us to "get on a list" somewhere, start the adoption process while we try to have children, then interrupt it if I become pregnant. I am often also told that if we will adopt, I will get pregnant afterward. That may be very true. I may adopt and then become pregnant. But the insinuation behind these well meaning comments is that I should adopt as a way to get pregnant with my own child. Again, I realize that people say things as a way to have a conversation because infertility is an awkward subject and many don't know how to respond. So for family and friends of those facing infertility please do not make suggestions to get on a list, or remind the couple that they can always just adopt. Asking tactfully if the couple has thought about adoption is not taboo in my opinion. Simply the suggestion that they move to adoption as a means to increase their fertility or to erase the pain of infertility.
     Adoption is not God's back up plan for those who cannot have children. Adoption is a calling, a desire to take a child into the home and love and care for the child as your own for the rest of your life. This is not something to be done to replace a biological child.
     My husband and I often talk of adopting. When we have these conversations;it is an independent topic. It is not tied to our own fertility. I fully believe that at some point we will bring a child into our home by means of adoption. We do not feel that this is the moment God has for that. We are waiting as patiently for God to give us the go ahead into adoption as we are for him to grant us a biological child. However these children come into our home, they will be ours, wholeheartedly. Neither child will be a consolation prize.



                                                                 -her-

Crooked Covers and a Full Sized Bed

     Previously I made a post about the difference in side effects of Clomid and Femara. I mentioned that the Femara makes me a tad bit more irritable.Well, maybe more than a tad at times.
     When taking Femara, I am constantly hot. I never really cool down. It isn't hot flashes, it is a constant melting point temperature for six to seven days. We were sleeping one night while taking the Femara. My husband sleeping quietly next to me. I have insomnia, so sleeping is always an issue for me. His being able to sleep sometimes irritates me. On this particular night it irritated me so much that I was ready to bash him with a pillow until he couldn't sleep anymore. He turned over and the covers became crooked. At this point I just snapped. I got up, got a drink of water trying to calm down and cool down. It didn't work. I marched right into the bedroom, yanked on the covers to straighten them. This woke my husband, and he says, "Don't tuck in my covers." This prompted me to yank the covers harder, tuck them in tighter and give him a terrible look. I told him I couldn't sleep because they were crooked and that was unacceptable." He then gave me permission to tuck them in and either fell asleep or pretended to sleep. Either way, it was safer for him.
     I would say that it is definite. The Femara makes my irritable. I am so thankful I have a husband who is so very understanding of this!

Sticky Notes

   I am a huge fan of sticky notes. I don't keep a notebook or steno pad to write things down throughout the day at work or keep a running list on some extensive todo list online or on my computer. I use Sticky Notes. I stick 'em to the refrigerator. I stick 'em to my desk and monitor at work. They're on the wall in my office at home. They're everywhere and that's part of the reason that I love them. To sum them up in one word: Versatile.


   Today, I'm giving you an introduction to a new type of post from me which I will be calling, wait for it..., Sticky Notes. These will be little tidbits of wisdom (from a guy's perspective) or what to or not to do while in a situation such as ours.
To start things off right, here is Sticky Note #1.

Don't get overwhelmed!

   At any point in our lives we have the ability to over think and dwell on any given subject and overwhelm ourselves to no avail. Don't do this. Focus on the big picture and always think about the next step, NOT the next seven steps. Seek God to know what the next step is and let him be your guide.

- Him

Waiting Again!

     So, I didn't decide to miss the boat and stay in Belize for a year. I came home. I came home to a less crazy time than I thought I would. My sister did not announce a pregnancy. I had a couple of days to settle in. I kept the hope alive for a while. When the spotting began, I convinced myself that it was implantation bleeding. It was day 28, which was early for me as I normally don't start until day 31. It became clear with in a few hours that I was not pregnant. Now here we are again. We have one more "scheduled night" and then begins the two week wait. I don't know if this cycle will be successful. I have had a few very hopeful feelings, have spent some time looking up diapers, high chairs, and cribs. I have very hopefully gone to a baby boutique with my friend. I am very hopeful for this cycle. I am also afraid of the disappointment if this is unsuccessful.The last few months I have tried very hard to protect my feelings. Maybe I won't have to go through the pain, through the disappointment, through telling my husband that once again my body has failed.
     Yet, I know that even if I do have to go through the above listed things, my husband and I will come through. As the Bible says, who knows if we are here for such time as this. We are being prepared for something, some work, some plan, in which the Lord can work. So as we pray for our child, we pray that our hearts also submit to God's will, not our own. We pray that our hearts can be molded and pliable to God's will. We pray that we can help someone else walking this path.
   So my plan through out my two week wait this time, I will go shopping with my sister, I will eat lunch with my friend, I will swim in my pool, and I will exercise and eat right and take my vitamins. I will stay busy and positive. I will thank the Lord for my many blessings and I will pray that if this is the right time in our lives, I will be pregnant.

                                       -her-

2nd cycle of Femara. Slightly less crazy than Clomid

    I began my 2nd cycle of Femara this week. I have had a much easier time with the Femara than I did the Clomid for the three cycles I took it. With Femara I do get a bit more irritable but it is for the most part manageable. My husband even agreed last month that Femara was easier to deal with than Clomid. I get hot and stay hot during the cycle with Femara. However I have only had a couple of significant hot flashes, occurring at night with much sweating involved. On Clomid I had many more hot flashes all throughout the day. I do have a low level headache constantly with Femara. I still find this much more manageable than the splitting migraines I got a few times while taking Clomid.
     I have found that I have a lower level of energy than normal while taking the Femara. This, again compared to Clomid is negligible. I have not noticed any more aches or pains than aside from the persistent headache. I manage this by taking two naproxen (Aleve) when I take the Femara. This seems to help. I then take acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) during the day if needed.I have also not noticed and gastrointestinal upset with this medication. 
     I am more irritable than normal while taking the Femara, I am not however, as emotionally unstable as I was on Clomid. I have not been more tearful or had my feelings hurt any more than normal. I have simply found that my tolerance for any rudeness, thoughtlessness, or out right stupidity is severely lowered. I did have to remind my husband that I was on this medication and these five days might not be the best time be aggravating. (He enjoys picking at me at different times.)
     All in all Femara has been a much easier experience. I sincerely hope there will not be a post about a third cycle of Femara. Each cycle past my laparoscopy makes it more likely my endometriosis is returning. I hope and pray that soon there is a little person growing in my uterus.

                                                                     -her-
 

Side Effects

Anyone that has taken medicine knows that with every medication comes a long list of possible side effects. Tylenol alone has about a million (of course I'm exaggerating).

Well, since the wifey is/has been taking those fertility drugs (clomid, femara, etc.), I thought I'd go over a few of the things that have affected her. I'm not one for being too long winded so I figured I'd just make a list and maybe I'll update it if other drugs are used in the future (let it be known that I'd love for that to be completely unnecessary).

By all means, know that the following list and the descriptions within it are not meant to harm or disrespect anyone, but to inform others (I love you honey).

• Clomid




• Mood Swings:
  

  The clomid mood swings can only be compared to a roller coaster. She's up... then down... then kinda sideways with a side of loop-de-loop. We could both tell when it was happening. I tried to be as supportive as possible and she tried to control it the best she could. I think I can say that we made the best of it when it happened.
  

  
  


• Hot Flashes:
  

  I remember exactly when the first one happened. We were at McCalister's having lunch and before my eyes her whole face turned beet red and she started taking off as many articles of clothing as she could without being indecent. I laughed. She laughed. The ones to follow weren't as memorable, but she definitely had a lot of them.
  

  
  


• Emotional Crises:
  

  I don't think these really need much explanation. There were a lot of hugs and a lot of tears, but she got through them.
  

  
  




• Femara




• Increased Body Temperature:

  On a regular day that wife of mine is very cold natured. She can't sleep without being covered up. It could be 75 degrees in the house and she'll have a blanket spread over her while she's watching tv. BUT, while she's taking the Femara it's completely opposite. I do not look forward to wearing a snow suit year round when she goes through menopause.
  

  
  


• Irritability:
  

  Of course, I can't blame it all on the meds, but I can definitely tell that there is a difference in my lovely lady's "me tolerance" during the week she takes the Femara.
  

  
  

I'm very proud of her for the way she's been able to deal with the changes that have been taking place within her due to the prescriptions that she's had to take. I can't imagine going through any of this with any other woman.

Him

I choose God.

   The first cycle after surgery and with Femara has proven unsuccessful. I am feeling all the emotions that come with an unsuccessful cycle. I also declared today a taking care of me day. I have watched my favorite episodes of Dawson's Creek, enjoyed a caffeine free diet Coke, and will shortly be taking a long hot bath. I have cried. I have prayed. I have wished we were still on vacation. I have also read and re-read Proverbs 31:25. God led me to this verse last night before my period started. I am hurting and I am sad but I am striving to be the woman clothed in strength and dignity and I am striving to be the woman who can laugh at the future with out fear. Whether or not my dreams for a child of my own will ever be fulfilled does not change the life that God has blessed me with. I have a wonderful husband to share this future with. I have family and friends and home to call my own. My husband and I have groceries on our table and clean water to drink. We have a multitude of blessings and I continue to choose faith in God over despondency. I took my "mental health" day and tomorrow I wake up to a new day in a new cycle. This could be the one.......


                              -her-

TIps for Laparoscopy

1. Get a small snack and a drink of water at eleven if you are to have nothing by mouth after midnight.
2. Arrive to the hospital or surgery center 15 minutes earlier than they tell you too. This gives you time to deal with missing forms or parking issues without feeling rushed and stressed.
3. Wear loose comfortable clothing that will not aggravate the incision sites. Wear slip on shoes or have some one with you that will put your shoes on you and tie them for you.
4. Do not urinate when you arrive until given a specimen cup. They will want a urine pregnancy test. (I know that is why some of us are having the procedure but they have to make sure anyway.)
5. Be prepared to get an IV, they will start one, they will not be able to do after sedation, this is how you get sedated.
6. Set up a phone chain or agree to a face book post. This will minimize the work load on the person caring for you. It is hard to take care of someone when you are on the phone with loved ones and friends all day.
7. Take Colace day one and continue for a week or so. Your stomach will not be normal and constipation after surgery is miserable!
8. Eat when you feel like it. Don't eat too much. Small amounts of lean proteins and veggies are a good choice.
9. Walk around as much as you can without overdoing it. Being as active as possible is very important to prevent blood clot and constipation as well as other problems.
10. Ask for help. If you can't reach it, don't jump for it! Don't lean against the sink to wash a dish either. It hurts.
11. Sleep when you need to. It's ok. Your body needs the rest.
12. Make sure that you have plenty of soft clothes clean and ready for the week. Cotton dresses worked well for me. You don't want anything that will irritate your incision sites.
13. Take showers and blot dry, baths aren't allowed and rubbing will irritate the incisions.
14. Have someone stay with you the first two days at least most of the day. You may be wobbly due to meds and it helps to have someone there.