Mirena Update!

Good evening everyone... Since my last post I have been getting ready for the start of school, shooting weddings (photography of course..), editing those photos (THOUSANDS) and getting ready for my surgery... A quick recap.. (For the whole scare, read the post marked Mirena scare, beware!) Let's go back to last week.. Monday to be precise...

With the Mirena IUD making it feel like I'm being pinched and stung in my abdomen, I was more than ready to receive that phone call from my doctor saying my surgery was approved. Sure enough, within a few hours, I received a call... It was the surgery scheduler telling me that I was on the docket for Wednesday.. As in, two days later. I started freaking out a little and asked if my doctor had received the approval from my insurance, she said she didn't know but would find out. Friday came and I hadn't heard anything else since I had called my doctor Tuesday afternoon. The weekend came and went and Monday was here. I got the phone call that my surgery was approved and though my nerves were kicking in at the thought of it being real, I was also thankful because I was tired of the annoying, pinching pain! I had to go in Tuesday for my pre-op assessment and work. The first thing I see was a bill for almost $5,000 that I had to sign. My heart stopped for a second because, DAMN! Thankfully it was just what was being billed to my insurance! The doctor checked me out and went over the overall procedure - the time estimate, possible (though improbable) risks, pain management, restrictions... and so on. Then it was off to the actual surgery center for blood work and a round of fifty questions. After everything was said and I was given a stack of  knowledgeable (and boring) paperwork and some clinical soap to use for two showers, I went home. That night I got a shower with this red liquid soap the nurse had given me. It smelled like a bad clearance potpourri.. But I had to use IT and nothing else.. Instead of falling asleep soundly and quickly, I did the one thing that you SHOULDN'T do the day before surgery... Think of the BAD things that could happen... During my sit down with the doctor earlier, she was telling me that though it was highly unlikely, there were ALWAYS risks when it comes to surgery. In my case, the small possibilities were then slicing my bowels or scraping my uterus... and so on. So while I lay in my bed NOT sleeping, I couldn't help but think of three possibilities... One.. I wake up with a giant scar because the small incision I was told about wasn't big enough for them to use... Two.. I wake up in the ER because I'm bleeding internally because of a slip or misjudgment with a tool... and three.. I go under.. and I DON'T wake up. All insane and probably irrational fears but, there they were! I kept waking up through the night. Once for my stirring little baby and the rest for crazy dreams.. By the time it was 6:18am, I decided to just get up and take my second shower with the nasty soap. I was still nervous... When I finished with the shower I got dressed in comfy clothes like the doctor told me I should do and attempted to straighten my hair with no product. The thing I don't like about surgery... You can't wear ANYTHING product wise... Nothing in your hair... no makeup.. no perfume.. not even deodorant! :/ There's also the whole "don't eat or drink anything after midnight..." GREAT! So I smell like bad potpourri, I have no makeup whatsoever, I'm starving and I have three hours until my surgery... Wonderful start to a Wednesday... After dealing with the baby, getting the girls up and ready to go and waking my husband up to get ready and go.. It was time. They never told me that my husband had to be inside with me so instead of bringing the whole mob into the hospital, I had him drop me at the door. Of course I make my way upstairs, sign in and then am told that he DOES need to be there... Ahh.. I get in my little prep and recovery room, call him, meet a nurse who takes my vitals, meet the anesthesiologist who gives me papers to sign, listen to his speech, see my husband, get undressed, slip on a gown, take out my piercings (ALL OF THEM!), throw on a hair net, climb into the bed, meet a new nurse who offers a blanket, take the blanket, get my IV and then grab my husbands hand... I had a little prep team come in and give me a little something to calm my nerves and within five minutes of that I was being wheeled through a maze of halls and doors. I even said to the nurse I don't think I could make it back to my room without asking for directions. She smiled and said that they would be taking me back and I didn't need to worry about it. Before long I was in the operating room under bright dome lights and the masked faces of about six different people. They placed a mask over my mouth and nose and told me to take deep breaths... I think I did two deep breaths and I was OUT...
                   About 50 minutes later (or so I was told anyway) I was trying like hell to open my eyes and keep them open through the grogginess I was still feeling. A nurse was there trying to ask me questions like who I was.. what did I get done.. that kind of thing. I spent 15 minutes with her and her inquiries before I was rolled back to my room. I was under a sheet and a blanket my initial nurse had given me and was wishing I had taken her up on her offer for a second one.. A few minutes of being alone and then my husband was in there with me. I asked for my purse so I could replace all of my piercings and then attempted to stand so I could get myself dressed. I managed to make it into the bathroom, a little wobbly at first but was able to get in, close the door and pull on my comfy clothes. I was told that everything had gone as planned. They were able to get to the IUD with only making two small incisions and also put in a new Mirena while the camera was still in to ensure proper placement. I had some pain as to be expected but it wasn't the kind I was having thankfully. We made it to the car, stopped by the pharmacy to grab my pain meds and finally headed home. Under orders to take it easy.. I tried to do just that. I wasn't allowed to shower for 24 hours so I figured the next best thing should be done...  SLEEP. And I did.. A nice, somewhat long, nap of dreamless sleep. I was very thankful that my husband could take the day from work to help me out (or watch over me says the doctor..) and let me just relax a little.. I'll admit that getting comfortable was a bit of a challenge at first.. It reminded me of being pregnant where I could only achieve comfort on one side with pillows wedged everywhere propping me up every which way. There was also a time that came later that night where the gas they had put in me to help inflate everything made its way up into my shoulders and neck region.. Oh my LORD that hurt more than the cuts! It was a constant pressure that felt like someone was standing on my shoulders grinding their shoes into the sides of my neck or something. Anyway... The rogue IUD is now out, pain is gone, new IUD is in (and working hopefully....) and I go in for a checkup this week. It was a pain in the ass but I'm glad it's all good now! Hopefully you other Mirena users out there never experience the same crap I did! It's a scary situation! Thanks for reading the update! -Super Mom


PS... I had my surgery from this story almost 2 weeks ago... I have been writing this little blurb here and there since then... an 8 month old, school, house crap, 3 weddings and editing over 6,000 (yes THOUSAND) photos..... My writing has definitely been lacking... However... That's about to change!!!! Stay tuned!!! ;)