My Hysterectomy : Yes, I Had a Hysterectomy...

I’m not into blogging or anything like that, but after going through a major surgery, I felt in my heart to tell you a little bit about it. Many women live with menstrual disorders and don’t talk about it. They feel alone and at times, they ignore that there is help out there. I hope to be of support to anyone who is struggling with endometriosis. Don’t worry. Until I was correctly diagnosed, I had no idea what endometriosis was. I hope my story helps you understand what you are going through.

I was blessed to find a doctor who put a name to a condition that I had no idea I had. It just felt like very bad periods, especially after having my children. My periods were terribly painful before, during and after each cycle. The doctor explained that the uterine lining thickens when we menstruate, but mine was triple the size of what it was supposed to be. Get ready for some TMI now lol. I would go without having a bowel movement for months. The doctor said my uterus was so large and everything was so swollen inside, that my bowels would get stuck preventing them from normal function. He diagnosed me with endometriosis and adenomyosis, which causes the tissue that normally lines the uterus (endometrial tissue) to grow into the muscular wall of the uterus.

A little bit about endometriosis according to Mayo Clinic:

Endometriosis (en-doe-me-tree-O-sis) is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, Fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis. Rarely, endometrial tissue may spread beyond pelvic organs.

With endometriosis, displaced endometrial tissue continues to act as it normally would — it thickens, breaks down and bleeds with each menstrual cycle. Because this displaced tissue has no way to exit your body, it becomes trapped. When endometriosis involves the ovaries, cysts called endometriomas may form. Surrounding tissue can become irritated, eventually developing scar tissue and adhesions — abnormal bands of fibrous tissue that can cause pelvic tissues and organs to stick to each other.

After two surgeries in which the doctor shaved off the lining of my uterus to lessen the excruciating pain, he finally suggested that I needed to have a hysterectomy in which he would remove my uterus, Fallopian tubes and cervix, but would leave my ovaries to avoid early menopause. I would have to be bed confined for weeks, which, if you know me, was the most difficult thing for me to do. After two years of carefully reflecting on this decision, I finally felt peace. The kids were old enough to be without my care for an unknown time.

I went into surgery on July 16, 2018. Below, I share some pics of my journey. Believe me, each picture has a story. I was out of work until mid-September. Until today, March 5th, I was under strict doctor’s orders to avoid strenuous activities. I was not allowed to lift anything over 5 pounds for weeks, then over 30 pounds until now. God was with my every second of this difficult recovery time. Every side effect a hysterectomy may present was indeed present lol. From night sweats due to my ovaries being inactive, hormonal outburst, unbelievable pain, grieving over the loss of my uterus (my babies’ first home) to being finally able to have a normal bowel movement (lol), I had them all!

It was an emotional, confusing, exciting, but above all, successful journey. I’m happy to say that I just got a clean bill of health and I healed well. Usually this condition causes infertility; thank God I had my children before it got worse. I profoundly thank God, my family and friends. Without their support, I’m not sure I would have made it. You are not alone.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.