Post-Op

I'm finally feeling better today.  I feel more like myself and my version of "normal."  The recovery process for my last surgery was slow and drawn out and I'm just so happy to finally put it all behind me. 

I got my stent out a couple days ago and let me just say that the procedure was most unpleasant and something nightmares are made of.  I'll spare you the details this time.  A couple hrs after it was out, I started having horrific back pain, which I now attribute to my ureter screaming obscenities at me for having a foreign object being so rudely ripped out of it.  And when I say ripped out, I mean ripped out.  Try not to picture it. 

The back pain right after the surgery was minimal.  Thank you Lord! It was my bladder that was having issues due to the stent rubbing it the wrong way.  Literally.  I would either have bladder spasms or have the urge to pee 1000 times during the day with pain radiating from my kidney (the start of my stent) to my bladder (where the stent stopped).  Think UTI on steroids, for a week. 

It's funny that I haven't really even cared so much about TTC.  I was given the all clear to start the FET process again but we're not sure when that'll happen.  I'll start meds in two weeks or six...who knows. 

The first pic is of my arms and the brutal attempt at starting an IV.  My left arm, with the NASTY bruise and the final resting place of my IV, was try number three.  I'm STILL bruised by the way...

This is the insane amount of meds they had me on and yes, I felt like I needed every one of them for the week with the stent.  DH made me a handy little chart for remembering when to take what. 

All I can say is drink WATER until it hurts because YOU DO NOT WANT KIDNEY STONES.  Thanks again to all who prayed for me.  It was felt! 

Stones suck, Skittle is 20 months

I've thought about writing my blog quite a bit lately but all I can think to write about is negative/venting/whiny type posts.  I'm going to try to keep this as factual as possible without my normal hormonal attitude getting in the way...if I can.

I'm annoyed by my kidneys and the fact that my body won't reproduce children like most normal humans.  I have to have surgery in a couple weeks to remove three kidney stones from my left side thus preventing us from trying another FET in the near future.  My stone sizes are 1mm, 3mm and the monster of monsters-9.1mm.  Really, the concern is about the 9mm stone blocking me up but I haven't had any pain issues whatsoever.  I'd be a great candidate for Lithotripsy but due to military horse poo, I can't do it.  That means that I'll be getting a Ureteroscopy instead.  It's an invasive surgical procedure but SHOULDN'T require me to stay the night in the hospital.  Although, I had to the last time I did it.  I was in so much pain after that surgery, I wanted to die and they had only removed ONE stone.  Once the spinal wore off (this time I'll be put completely under since I won't be pregnant) I was in agony.  This time I'll be getting all three stones removed, with the 9mm one first being blasted by a laser then removed piece by piece.  I'll also have to have a stent for 1-3 weeks.  I don't understand why I have to have one-since I've never had one before.

Ok, maybe I do need to vent.  Sorry...please don't read if you can't stand to hear me complain...again.

You're probably thinking, "Aren't kidney stones preventable?"  Yes, MOST stones are but I swear I'm doing everything right.  I don't drink coffee. I don't drink sweet/unsweet tea and I drink very little soda.  I gave up drinking milk the last time I went on the endo diet.  I very rarely drink anything BUT water (and a lot of it) and yet, here I am again with stones.

 I was told that I need to be on a stone diet. 

-Limit red meat to 8-10 oz a week (CHECK)
-Don't put extra salt on food (CHECK)
-Drink 2 liters of water a day (CHECK)

I'm doing ALL those things already and I still get these freaking HORRIBLE kidney stones! I have had some pretty painful things happen to me-burning over a square foot of my leg with boiling oil/water, having a natural miscarriage at 11 weeks preg, passing a 7mm kidney stone without pain meds, dealing with nerve damage in my mouth, oh and I can't forget childbirth and the aftermath of my pelvic separation.  BUT the one pain that tops them all is having a ureteroscopy all while being 35 weeks pregnant.  And...I get to do that surgery again. This will be my 8th surgery in 4 years.  That is disturbing. 

OK, I think I'm done.  Onto another topic...

SKITTLE!  She's 20 months old now!  I guess at some point I should stop counting her age in months but I think until she turns two, I won't. 

She's such a ham.  She sings her ABC's all the way until letter G.  I swear she's on pitch and everything!  She'll sing, "Now I know my ABC's" too...She counts to 11 and says, "I love _____ (fill in the blank---mama, daddy, Elmo, Lexi, Lovie, etc.).  She's saying a LOT of phrases too.  It's so nice now that I can ask her a question and she'll answer with a yes or no.  She got pretty sick a couple weeks ago and lost more than 10% of her body weight.   She's since gained it all back plus more due to a fierce eating frenzy!  It's nice to have my child WANT to eat for once!

Favorite show: Elmo's World
Favorite book: a Cookie Monster book
Favorite toy: Elmo stuffed animal or a ball
Favorite (most used) phrases: Hold On, Hold Me, Yeah OK!
Favorite song: ABC's
Favorite Food: Bagels with cream cheese

One of these days I'm going to post more about our cloth diapers.  But for now...here are some 20 month pictures! (In the last one, she's eating bread from Outback.)