Sidebar: [Thank Gd, yesterday's event with my dear child resolved in a very satisfying way. In the end (with a little constructive help from good friends- (especially MZ! Thanks!)), it was Good. This kid needs to be listened to, and to know that whatever feelings need to be said, they can be said in a safe place. And I am still that safe place, thank Gd.
We will grow together, my kids and I.]
We will grow together, my kids and I.]
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The most current health issues that are coming up for appraisal are revolving around a procedure that my gynecologist (hate that word-- OK, I said it.) recommended for me. I won't go into details, they aren't important, but I have some thinking to do.
If I do this procedure (and I am pretty clear that it is the right thing to do), it'd be with general anesthesia.
Now, follow me here-- it gets a little involved, but I think it makes sense... after speaking at length with Robert about this all, I am still in the fact-gathering process.
Everyone here knows I have been wanting to do the reconstruction surgery. I have listed the reasons many times, and my thoughts haven't changed about this. The goal is a better quality of life. When the doctor who did my intake exam from Ichilov said to me that much of my nerve pain stems from having an exposed skin graft, and that closing it up by padding it with a layer of fat and bringing my own skin together, it confirmed for me what I had been reasoning, too.
SO... where is this going? Well,*if* I need this gyn procedure, and it'll be under general, how many times do I really want to risk general anesthesia? There have been 7 BIG surgeries in 4 years, *and* I am going to opt for the reconstruction, maybe do it all in one surgery??
I will make an appointment with my plastic surgeon to discuss this. The sooner I do the reconstruction, the easier it'll be. As time passes, adhesions form, and the surgery is more involved. They all told me to do it within the first year, but we all know that wasn't on the table. Just surviving filled my table that year.
I know that at first sight this seems scary. And yeah, it is. Really scary. It would mean more [temporary?] pain, and being set back physically for upwards of 6 months of recovery. But you know what? On Wednesday I'll be 42. I have a lot of life in front of me. I want this for me. My main question is: is it selfish taking into account the risks involved? So many things have happened to me these past few years. Now I want to repair. And since I need this gyn surgery anyway, and I want the reconstruction, why not limit the amount of times I am put under? Yeah, I'll be darn sore. But then it's OVER. Not dragging on anymore waiting for the next decisions. That'd be it.
Of course, this is all hypothetical. I don't even know if it would be possible to have a gyn step into a plastic surgery (where my lower belly is intrinsically involved, it would't be a stretch, with laproscopy, to do both, I *think*). A general surgeon would have to step in, also, at some point, to reinforce the big hernia of the stomach wall; what I intimately call "the shelf".
I love the idea of being DONE. I want to avoid many more general anesthesia situations, and to overcome many more surgeries spread out over more time.
Of course you think I'm nuts. I'll talk about it tomorrow with my doctor whom I go to set all my nuts straight again. She is always helpful.
If I do this procedure (and I am pretty clear that it is the right thing to do), it'd be with general anesthesia.
Now, follow me here-- it gets a little involved, but I think it makes sense... after speaking at length with Robert about this all, I am still in the fact-gathering process.
Everyone here knows I have been wanting to do the reconstruction surgery. I have listed the reasons many times, and my thoughts haven't changed about this. The goal is a better quality of life. When the doctor who did my intake exam from Ichilov said to me that much of my nerve pain stems from having an exposed skin graft, and that closing it up by padding it with a layer of fat and bringing my own skin together, it confirmed for me what I had been reasoning, too.
SO... where is this going? Well,*if* I need this gyn procedure, and it'll be under general, how many times do I really want to risk general anesthesia? There have been 7 BIG surgeries in 4 years, *and* I am going to opt for the reconstruction, maybe do it all in one surgery??
I will make an appointment with my plastic surgeon to discuss this. The sooner I do the reconstruction, the easier it'll be. As time passes, adhesions form, and the surgery is more involved. They all told me to do it within the first year, but we all know that wasn't on the table. Just surviving filled my table that year.
I know that at first sight this seems scary. And yeah, it is. Really scary. It would mean more [temporary?] pain, and being set back physically for upwards of 6 months of recovery. But you know what? On Wednesday I'll be 42. I have a lot of life in front of me. I want this for me. My main question is: is it selfish taking into account the risks involved? So many things have happened to me these past few years. Now I want to repair. And since I need this gyn surgery anyway, and I want the reconstruction, why not limit the amount of times I am put under? Yeah, I'll be darn sore. But then it's OVER. Not dragging on anymore waiting for the next decisions. That'd be it.
Of course, this is all hypothetical. I don't even know if it would be possible to have a gyn step into a plastic surgery (where my lower belly is intrinsically involved, it would't be a stretch, with laproscopy, to do both, I *think*). A general surgeon would have to step in, also, at some point, to reinforce the big hernia of the stomach wall; what I intimately call "the shelf".
I love the idea of being DONE. I want to avoid many more general anesthesia situations, and to overcome many more surgeries spread out over more time.
Of course you think I'm nuts. I'll talk about it tomorrow with my doctor whom I go to set all my nuts straight again. She is always helpful.
I don't think you're nuts at all. Makes perfect sense to me.
ReplyDeleteI think coordinating surgeries to reduce the number of trips into the OR is a very good idea. We try to do the same for M. I hope the surgeons think it's not too much too coordinate these for you.
ReplyDelete