Shelia

Australia

October 2003

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Tubal reversal  Oct 12, 2003

October 2003

Long Time Coming

I don't know for sure but believe I'm the oldest patient Dr. Perez has performed a TR for. Those of you who read this I hope you BELIEVE without a doubt that all things are possible through the loving grace of God. My TL was done over twenty years ago when I was twenty-one and far too young having such a permanent procedure done. My doctor talked to me about the permanency but didn't go into lengthy enough details what the repercussions of such a decision involved. I'd given birth to a set of twins and had an eighteen-month old at home and thought at the time, never again. Well as the saying goes, "Never say never."

For the past year I've been living off and on in Melbourne, Australia with my fiancée trying to establish residency requirements and was to fly back to Dallas, Texas where I'm from for six to eight weeks. My fiancée and I had been discussing since we met how wonderful it would be for us to have a child together. Even before meeting him I'd longed for years to have another baby but had given up hopes of ever meeting a man with same hopes. Because of my age, mid-forties, I thought it's now or not. So before leaving for the States, I started browsing the net in search of a doctor...hopefully one in Texas who could perform the surgery on such short notice. I found two but they had overly strict prerequisites that would take too long. Then like manna from heaven Dr. Perez's website fell into my hands.

In two days while still in Australia, I'd made contact with the site moderator, who by the way is a wonderful lady named Kathy. Without her initial e-mails back and forth to me, I'm not sure if I'd taken the initiative to go to Mexico and have such a delicate operation performed. After reading the testimonies and above all the Christian beliefs of Dr. Perez's facility, I was convinced this is where God wanted me to go.

Once I arrived in Dallas, I made contact with Dr. Perez. Our conversation went great and he gave me the name and phone number of his assistant, Dr. Levi, to called and give dates of my surgery and ask any other questions. Let me just say this...when God works in your life you really know it! I found Dr. Levi, Kathy and Dr. Perez to be GEMS!!! Could this all be true??!! They went over with me travel arrangements from the airport...if there was any shopping or restaurants I wanted to go to and etc. I informed Dr. Levi that I'd be traveling alone and probably would just get to the hospital and prepare for the big day. He said not to worry, if there was anything I needed he'd be there for me throughout. Wow!! I was blown away with so much genuine concern for my well being.

With much anticipation and excitement, I arrived at the McAllen airport around 4:30, Friday, October the 11th. The hospital uses the service of a husband/wife taxi team, Joe and Aimee Galvan. Waiting at the rental car booth, where I was told, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulders. "Hi, I'm Aimee," she said, with this big grin on her face. A bit startled I went to put out my hand to introduce myself but instead gave her a warm hug. It took us only about thirty minutes to cross the border and get to the hospital. Aimee is one down-to-earth talker. In route we laughed and talked all the way.

Pulling into the parking lot of the hospital a joyful peace came over me. The exterior was newly painted a mellow, soft baby pink and the emblem of the hospital was of a butterfly. The butterfly has always signified for me, new beginnings.

Inside I was taken to the check-in desk of a hospital so clean I literally could have eaten off the floor! Pristine is the word for what I saw. There are some tiny, well known hospitals in Dallas that could take a lesson or two from the small Hospital De Las Americas in Rio Bravos, Mexico.

I was taken to my room which was right across from the nurses station and again quite pleased with my private room. There was also an adjoining guest suite, fully furnished with a stylish settee and matching chairs, coffee table, magazines and a sleeping cot by my bed. Dr. Levi showed up a couple of hours after I settled in. We chatted for a long while. He filled me in on what would take place the next twenty-four hours and answered my endless questions. I'm sure he could understand this was quite an undertaking for me. Nurses came in and started my IV. I'm not one for receiving needles very well. My veins are tiny and usually they have to insert the needle two or three times trying to find a vein. Ugh!!!! Then there was a miracle. From GOD...another sign that all is well! They found a vein and the needle is in place on the first try.

By now it's around 8 o'clock and I'm starving. Already I hadn't eaten very much all day (too nervous). Dr. Levi instructs the nurses to bring me a light meal. My surgery is 6am and he wants me stomach to be completely empty. I'm thinking, surgery's almost ten hours away...sure hope they feed me well with this light meal. The nurse walked in with my dinner tray and that was the end of my elation for the day. On the tray before me is a bowl of hot vegetable broth, strawberry Jell-O and a small glass of apple juice. Oh well, I thought...as I tried to visualize chewing big chunks of tender vegetables from the broth, a generous dollop of Dream Whip covering the Jell-O and wedges of apple slices. Apple pie would have been too much torture to visualize. Tired from my long day I began to get sleepy around 9:30. In all my years I don't think I've ever gone to bed hungry. It's not too nice.

I was in deep sleep when the nurse came in at 5:30 am to prep me and wheel me to surgery. Approaching the surgery room I got to see Dr. Perez for the first time. He greets me with a big smile and a firm but gentle hand on my shoulder. I don't know if it's because I was still sleepy but it was almost surreal the golden glow I saw surrounding Dr. Perez. I wanted to say something to him but the vision left me in speechless awe. Once on the operating table Dr. Levi appeared. He wanted to know how I was feeling and squeezed my hand to assure me everything was going to be fine. I'd heard of spinals but had never had one so I was a bit tense. Whatever they dripped into my IV made everything okay though. I could have been hit with a Mack truck and not felt a thing. Once over on my side and told to form my body in fetal position, the needle was placed in my spine and that's all I remember. However, towards the end of my surgery, as I was being stitched back together I regained a bit of confused consciousness and tried to raise myself to see what was being done to me. More "put her away" medicine must have been dripped into my IV ... I came to in my room in bed with Dr. Levi standing over me. "Everything went very well", he said, patting my hands. "I'll talk to you in a couple of hours, so get some rest...okay!"

This is not suppose to be a novel so I'll try to wrap up by saying ~ God is so good. I was told that I have a very good chance of conceiving... 5cm on both ovaries. I was also informed that I have either grown or have always had a third ovary. The extra ovary has eggs also, so I have an even greater chance of conceiving despite my age. I'd never heard of anyone ever having a third ovary and now will do some research on cause and effects of such.

May everyone and all future recipients be blessed with their gift of love.

Shel