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Carolyn Mealy
March 2006 ~~~ Tubal ligation 2005 Tubal reversal Mar 31, 2006 ~~~ Pregnancy #1 edd 02/29/08 ~~~ 5cm and 6cm
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July 2007 Expecting! We did it! After 15 months of trying, I got my positive pregnancy test on Father’s Day (6/8/07). I had my first ultrasound today and the little bean is right where it should be. I got to see the tiny little heartbeat-what a miracle! I am measuring at 5wks, 6days and my EDD is 02/29/08-a leap year baby! Carolyn Mealy April 2006 I am finally able to tell my story. I had my TR done on 3/31/06. My hubby and I flew in to McAllen around noon that day and met Marcos at the airport. He drove us across the border and into Mexico. What a different driving style they have over there! No real driving laws, you can cut people off and they don't get mad! He showed us around a little before dropping us off at the airport. Once we got there, he helped us with our paperwork, I can't speak enough Spanish to carry a conversation, so I was glad for this. The hospital seemed older and not so modern, but very clean. They took me to room 4 and there was a bed, a cot/bench thing for my hubby to sleep on, a sink, TV (I did not see a VCR), and then the bathroom. There wasn't much to watch on TV that wasn't in Spanish. There were some shows with Spanish sub-titles, so I learned how to say Oh My God, because everyone says it on TV. The nurses weren't very fluent in English, and thankfully, I understood enough to know what they meant. I had to take a shower when I got there and they gave me a little thing of soap and shampoo (Spanish labels!) and a gown to wear. I remember thinking, do they mean I need to take a shower now, or is do they mean later???? Anyway, my fears were put at ease when the IV was put in. I have yet to have ANY American doctor put an IV in correctly, without bruising the FIRST time. They put it on the side of my wrist without any trouble. I was very impressed. I waited for what seemed like an eternity, my stomach was growling since I didn't eat anything past 8am that day. Finally, about 7pm, a nurse comes in with a wheelchair. I remember during the time I was waiting, I was thinking: maybe we should just forget it and go home, I'm starving, and I'm scared! Anyway, they gave me these "booties" to wear and a shower cap thing and my hubby got his "scrubs" too. They wheeled me in the OR and told me to get on the table, there were these HUGE lights and of course, the cross right above the door. The doctors introduced themselves and someone put "sleepy" medicine in my IV and while I was rolled over, they put in my epidural. I did not even feel it. My legs went to sleep, it was a very weird feeling. I got a kick out of the music playing in the background. Kind of like pop with a Latin beat. They were joking, but yet very serious. I was in and out the whole time. I remember feeling like they were just ramming the crap out of me, but they weren't. I remember saying something about how my heart was burning (?) I don't know where that came from! It felt like I had something hot in my chest. Immediately, they checked my vitals and all my stuff to see if I needed anything. My hubby was there through the whole thing, holding my hand, stroking my hair. He said the only thing he couldn't watch was when they were cutting me open. By the way, stupid me had no idea they were going to cut me like a c-section! I was crazy to think it was going to be all laparoscopic like the TL! Surprise! And I thought I was going RIGHT back to work! NO way! Anyway, after surgery, which lasted about an hour, they took me back to my room and said I have 5cm on one side and 6cm on the other! Would you believe me if I told you it's only been less than a year since I had my TL? Call me crazy. They brought me some delicious tea (which they informed me was "caliente"-hot), jello and this delicious juice. I'm not sure if it was so good because I was starving or what. It had been more than 12 hours since I had anything to eat. My legs were still dead, the doctor told me to stop trying to move them. Through the night, all I had to do was say the word to my hubby: I'm in pain. And he was out the door, and the nurses were right there with a bunch of syringes! I remember one time they brought five! I'm not sure what they were, they were labeled in Spanish and I was too out of it to focus or care! Anyway, The next morning we had pancakes and some more delicious juice! MMMM! So, another shower and time to get ready to go. I felt very stiff and was in a lot of pain. Marcos came to get us and we left Mexico, when we got to Texas he took us, along with another nice couple to Taco Palenqua (?) in McAllen. It was delicious! He dropped us off at LaQuinta Inn in McAllen. I had a really hard time climbing the stairs to our room. I forgot to get my pain meds from the hospital so I took Advil every two hours. I was in A LOT of pain that night, I couldn't get comfortable. I had to send my hubby walking to find food and sanitary napkins and something to drink. What a guy! We had to get up early to catch a cab to take us to the airport for our very early flight Sunday morning. A wheelchair at the airport is very necessary, I wouldn't have made it without one. By the time I got home, I was in some excruciating pain from the whole day, getting on and off airplanes, turbulence, and the 2 hour drive home from the airport. I tried to go back to work for a couple of hours a week later, but wish I hadn't, the pain was so great, I was in tears. My incision got infected, but I was ok. I'm 18 days post op, and am still uncomfortable at times. I'm trying not to push it, though. And I'm very excited to start TTC! I wish it could happen today, but I know better. All in all it was a very interesting and good experience, I would recommend this to anyone thinking about a TR. Just don't make the mistakes I made, stay home and take it easy as long as possible after surgery, trust me. Laughing and coughing were very painful. I got bored staying home and laying around, but it's very important to take it easy. I will update when we can start TTC.
Carolyn Mealy |