Nerves Riding High As The Day Nears – Kelly’s Journey

This story is one part of an ongoing series where NJ101.5 news reporter and anchorwoman Kelly Waldron chronicles her experiences after being diagnosed with Endometriosis. Follow “Kelly’s Journey.”

So, I’m officially nervous.  I met with the surgeon this morning to go over the details of surgery day.  The day before, I have to drink a bottle of magnesium citrate to “prep the bowel.”  I have to be at the hospital at 6:00 in the morning for my 7:30 procedure.

Basically, the doctor says the incisions will be slightly different than they were when I had the surgery three years ago to remove the “baseball-sized” cyst.  One will be above the belly button and will be an inch or two long. The two others will be on the right and left sides near the ovary area.  The idea is to go in with the robot, remove the right ovary and fallopian tube (which already is missing a section from the surgery three years ago), and the uterus.  She’s also going to check out the left ovary and the cyst there to see how it looks and do whatever may be necessary there.

Of course, with any surgery, there are risks.  It’s not exactly comforting to hear, “I’m not anticipating any problems, but in the event there is any damage done to the intestines or surrounding organs or in the event that you need a blood transfusion, the necessary people will be called in.”  I realize it’s necessary to say because it is surgery and anything can happen.  But, of course, being the “Irish Catholic guilt-ridden-worry-wart-who-often-thinks-the-worst” that I’ve always been, it makes my mind wander a bit.

PREVIOUSLY IN KELLY'S JOURNEY:

• Surgery Date Set, Everything's Falling Into Place
• Continuing My Quest For Information
  
• Pondering My Diagnosis
• Diagnosis Received, Now What?

She also said, there is a slight chance that she has to make an incision in the abdomen to get everything out, but she said that will only be if I’m a complete mess inside and it’s the safest way to get done what she needs to do. If that’s the case, I will stay in the hospital for a couple days.

Now, I just have to go to the hospital for my pre-op blood work which I’m doing in the next day or so.  I just have to keep thinking positively and not let the fear get the best of me.