Yup, still here.

Wow, its been ages... again. Not much going on which is why I haven't posted in months. Life is pretty quiet (thankfully) on the Endo front... this Mirena thing is absolutely fabulous. I really can't say enough good things about it. I'm almost 18 months out from my last lap and I'm doing GREAT! I won't lie and say I am 100% pain free, but really I can't complain. Other than some cramping about 2-3 days out of the month and the random twinge here and there (usually on my right side, as always) I'm doing exceptionally well. I am very blessed that I am one of the lucky ones whom the Mirena seems to be working out for.

A few months ago I had to see my doc though about some bladder issues that I've been having. Me thinks interstitial cystitis... my doc seems to agree. I haven't gone to a urologist just yet as the symptoms haven't become bothersome enough to go through all that testing and discomfort. I was given a list of things to avoid (diet and drink-wise) and I have found that as long as I'm good this keeps the discomfort at bay pretty well.  The Flomax didn't do much for me though. Oh well, we'll see how things go.

So... that's it, I guess. Ho hum, life is boring, yes, but for once I'm thankful for that!

Got Spit?

If you do, would you mind sharing it with the good people over at Juneau Biosciences? They are currently researching the genes that play a roll in predisposing women to Endometriosis. I heard about their research and got really excited to do my part, especially since all it takes is a little spit! I've put up a banner/link to their website on my sidebar, but here it is again for easier access if anyone is interested! End To Endo!

Here is the package they sent me with the collection material, and paper work.

Spit, spit, spit! It looks like a whole lot but actually you just fill to the line and the rest is a preservative. Took me about 3-4 spits to hit the line.

All done! No postage required even! :)

Here is a video about this research and your part in it, should you choose to participate.

1 year post Lap (#2)

Ok, so the year mark for my 2nd Lap isn't until Tuesday, June 1st, but as I'll be working one of my 12 hr shifts @ the hospital, I doubt I'll get on and blog afterward. Plus, the blog was in serious need of updating, so I thought I'd kill 2 birds with one stone tonight.

Here I am, one year out from my last surgery and I have to say, I feel pretty dang good! The verdict on this whole Mirena thing is that while the first few months were a bit onerous, I do not regret it one bit. This lovely contraption has pretty much stopped my periods all together (with the exception of a few days of spotting every once in a blue moon) and I haven't been in any considerable amount of pain in so long that I can hardly remember. Have I been 100% pain free? No, obviously not, BUT have I had to take anything stronger than some Advil every once in a while? NOPE and that's a miracle, considering how I was dependent on Percocet and Zofran to even be able to function this time last year... phew, I'm glad that's in the past.

How long will this blessed break from h*ll last? Who knows, but for now I will certainly take it! I know its just a temporary fix, but for me it has worked a whole lot better than all the gazillion other things/pills I've tried in the past. I'm also aware that it probably doesn't work for everyone, but I'm glad it's done what it's done for me. Hopefully things will continue this way until we are ready for IVF and can get this little sucker yanked!

It's working!

While I still have zits like a 13 year old, I have to say that as time goes by I am loving my Mirena more and more! AF came this month and lasted 2 days. TWO days! Not only has it been the shortest AF in recorded Alex history, but it was barely heavy enough to warrant much more than liners! Perhaps I will get to the point where I no longer have them at all! I didn't believe this when my doc said it happens frequently but I am starting to hope now!

Pain wise I am doing great! I still get the occasional cramp and/or pain in the right side but nothing a little bit of Tylenol/Motrin can't fix. I am about 7 months out and I have to say I am really happy with our decision to try the Mirena for a while until we can start IVF. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but so far for me it's been SO worth it! (Yes, even the zits!)

The Sad Tale of a Stubborn Stich Named Stan

There was once a stitch by the name of Stan. Stan was born with two missions in life: 1) Hold his assigned incision closed tightly until it had healed and 2) Once finished with his first mission, quietly and quickly dissolve and return to that great big pile of dissolvable stitches in the sky... But no, this stitch was special. You see, Stan was a particularly stubborn stitch. His goal was to be the strongest stitch out there, and do the very best job he could at keeping his assigned home (incision) safely closed up. So zealous was Stan about his first duty, that he began forgetting about (or ignoring, in my opinion) his second duty.

One by one, Stan's stitchy buddies began saying farewell as the weeks went by and Stan's home healed and closed tightly. Yet Stan stood steadfast and immovable. Each day Stan's home would check to see if Stan was still there, and sure enough, he was. After a few weeks, something long and metallic began pulling on him every few days, but Stan did his best to hold on... and hold on he did. "Why is my home trying to pull me out?" wondered Stan. Resolved to make his home proud, he held on even tighter, and did his best to be visible and poke his home several times a day to remind it the he, Stan the Stubborn Stitch, was still there... doing his duty.

Today however, was a sad day for Stan the stitch. Countless times, that long metal instrument had failed to pluck him from his home. Today his home tried again, but with a much less formidable enemy... fingers. "Ha!" laughed Stan... "You shall never overcome me, Stan the Stubborn Stitch! I shall stand my ground forev-""Yes!" cried Stan's home as all of a sudden Stan found himself trapped between two fingers. "Finally!" the home screamed. And with that, Stan was chucked unceremoniously into a nearby trashcan.

The End :)

Gas pains = no sleepy :(

So here I am, awake and hurting at 4:30am. Just like last time, I cannot lay down because the gas pains are excruciating in that position. Sleeping sitting up is just not very comfortable, and this is my 5th time waking up due to this dilemma. Grrr...
I figured I might as well do something to distract myself and maybe sleep will come... eventually! So here's my Lap experience:

Bowel prep- So glad that's over! Not fun, but then again could I have expected anything more? lol

We arrived at the hospital at 5AM sharp. They got me all prep-ed and then the torture began... waiting... waiting... and waiting some more. About 1 1/2 hours later my Anesthesiologist came in to talk with us and promised me a sedative b/c I was pretty anxious at that point. Then my doc came in and we chitchatted for another little while. Then my nurse arrived with that blessed little syringe full of the good stuff. I kissed Ben, they doped me up and off we went. I saw a little too much of the OR this time, which freaked me out, but then they put on my gas mask and bam, I was out!

I woke up to a nurse putting my abdominal binder on (aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh, LOVE that thing!)asking me if I was in pain. YES! She gave me something, brought more warm blankies and then off we went to phase 2 recovery. I had to transfer myself to a recliner (ouch!) and after my vitals were taken, Ben was allowed to come in. Forty-five minutes later I was just one big mess of tears... sooooooo much pain! They had already given me 2 Percocets and an 800mg Ibuprofen, but to no avail. My chest was hurting so bad and the crying wasn't helping so my doc ordered I'd be given some Morphine. Oddly enough that just barely took the edge off. I was still shaking and bawling and the nurse felt awful because I wasn't getting any relief/ Paged my doc again and this time they gave me 1/2 a dose of Demerol. THAT did the trick! Once the pain was under control, they got me some apple juice and saltine crackers, yuuuuum! It felt really good to eat and sip, that totally helped! Right before they discharged me (early afternoon) they gave me the other 1/2 dose of Demerol for the ride home. We received instructions on how to care for and remove my catheter at home, Ben was given all my post-op in instructions and Rx's and that was it! I don't really remember much about the ride home due to the Demerol, but at least it wasn't super painful, right? :)

So this is what they found: Endo was back (duh) though not nearly as bad as last time in 2007. Lots of adhesions and endometriomas. My right ovary (the one that gives me the most grief) was stuck to my abdominal wall, so he freed that and wrapped it in that filmy stuff. I had a fibroid on the outside of my uterus removed, as well as a polyp on the inside. He cleared out my tubes, did a D&C and then inserted the Mirena. The surgery itself took about 1 1/2 hours, so not too bad. I got some pictures to take home with me, thats always fun!

The pain has been manageable with the Percocet and Ibuprofen, though I take them right on time b/c if I wait too long that pain gets insane and then I'm stuck writhing around for 45 minutes while the pills kick in. This time I have 3 incisions instead of 4. Doc said the incisions are closed with sutures but I have yet to see them since they put big bandages over them. I can take them off in the shower today if I want and then replace them with fresh/clean/dry ones. The catheter comes out today was well which should also improve my comfort level.

I go back in 6 weeks for my post-op and to check the Mirena. This time around seems to be a bit easier than last, so I'm hoping the recovery will go smoother. Ben is taking excellent care of me, I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful hubby!

Ok, pain is creeping back up... I better go and get some rest. More updates to come!

WOOHOO!!!

FEVER IS G-O-N-E!!!! Woooooooooooohooooooooooooooooooo!!! :) Thanks everyone for all the support! Boy am I relieved!!! Surgery here I come!!! (Now onto the yucky bowel prep... *sigh* heehee) I'll have Ben come on here tomorrow and update if I'm not feeling up to it. Thanks again!!! :)

T minus 40...

...Days that is. My Lap has been scheduled for June 1st @ 7AM. Not so much looking forward to it, especially since I've been in the ER twice in the past 2 weeks (for completely non Endo related incidents) and I'm sick of the hospital. Oh wells... c'est la vie!

Thank goodness for perspective...

Well, here I am back at square one, as AF decided to show her ugly face today once more... Fortunately/Unfortunately something happened to us last week that has cushioned yet another blow by putting things into perspective for me. I almost lost my hubby last week... His appendicitis was misdiagnosed as "food poisoning" and by the time we realized it was something much more serious and rushed him to the ER, things had already taken a turn for the worst and his appendix oozed all over his insides... He spent almost a week in the hospital recovering. Thankfully everything turned out just fine and he is making an astoundingly quick recovery!

Yes, I'm bummed yet another month has gone by and still no BFP. I'm sad, but that's normal and to be expected... how else are you supposed to feel after 3 years of constant failure? However, despite the pain (emotional & physical, as the cramps are a killer this month) I am doing surprisingly well and haven't thrown my ususal "woe is me, life is so unfair, my life is over!" pity-party... why? Well, again, perspective... A LOT worse things than a BFN could have (and almost did) happened to me this month.

So up I get... yes, this sucks... I hurt and I feel like poo on a stick, BUT I have much to be gratefull for... my precious hubby! :)

Success!

I went in for my folliescan today and did not get to see any folicles... but never fear, this time it was a good thing! There were none there because.... I already ovulated! I got that + OPK on Wed and sure enough my temps spiked up very high today, so I went in today thinking that I probably ovulated yesterday. The ultrasound confirmed my suspicion and we were able to see my corpus luteum, what's left of a follicle that has recently burst, and what is responsible for producing progesterone to keep a pregnancy viable in the first few weeks until the placenta takes over. My endometrial stripe (or lining) was at 9.3mm which is good depth for implantation. No cysts were found (which is a huge relief!) so all around, a great visit with fantastic news!

Now begins the long 2 week wait (2ww). On Sunday (3dpo or days past ovulation) I start taking my Prometrium and continue on that for 12 days. At that point I will be 15dpo and ready to test if my temps are still high and AF has not arrived. This is the hardest part of every cycle... the never-ending wait... wish me luck!