Ready for After

Friday is Surgery Day! Also? My Granddaughter is Earthside!

Photo by Bonnie Kittle on Unsplash

If you read my last post, which was written on January 27th, you may remember that my daughter was pregnant, and one of the reasons I was so upset about my delayed hysterectomy was that it was lengthening the window of time I wouldn’t be able to travel. Get this: my granddaughter was born while I was writing that post! Mom and baby are healthy and doing well. Dad and big brother are totally in love (and maybe in a bit of shock for the latter)!

The very next day, January 28th, my insurance company finally approved authorization for my hysterectomy. So that is happening this Friday, Febraury 6, at 7:30AM. The one good thing about the long wait due to this red tape fever dream is that most of my anxiety has been replaced with readiness and certainty. I had my (last ever) period this week, and it was so awful that a couple of times I questioned whether or not I should go to the E.R. I used to be a midwife, and I’m still fairly confident of my abilities to gauge blood loss, and I was right on the edge, in that gray area where it is probably okay to stay home, but also, they’re probably not going to think you’re overreacting if you go in. Anyway. I stayed home, and my period ended yesterday, and I am okay, but depleted and somewhat couch-locked, and I know for certain that this can’t continue, and surgery is 100% the right decision.

Back to the important stuff - The baby and her mother (my baby) - I can’t wait to meet her! My doctor said by two weeks post surgery I’d be okay to travel as long as I listened to my body and rested when I need it, but I wouldn’t be able to lift my own bags or anything until at least 6 weeks, which means I probably couldn’t travel alone. I am not at all certain my wife and I can both be away from home for several days right now (actually, I am fairly certain we can’t)… so when I’ll actually get to meet her is up in the air. But I’ll tell you what, I will be getting on a plane the minute it is safe and feasible to do so.

I feel so confident that I have the absolute best doctor I could have for this procedure, and I get affirmation of that at every turn. Speaking with the scheduler about his advocacy and commitment to getting my authorization approved, at one point she said, “Honestly, he is the best doctor I have ever worked for… just the best!” and when I went for pre-surgical bloodwork the last time it was scheduled, my phlebotomist looked at the orders and said, “Oh! Dr. K is your doctor? Well, you’re in good hands. The best, really. Way back in the day, he delivered both of my babies, helped me navigate infertility, all of it. He is so wonderful.” I’m sure my nerves will probably ramp up some between now and surgery and I am choosing to trust that all will be well.

Trach gut vet zein gut! - Rebbe Menachem Mendel

Yours In the Rebellion,

M.J.