I See The Light!

I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. *squints* Yup....and it's in another OR.


As most of you know, I've been fighting yet another battle with my 'girl parts.' *rolls eyes* Everything has been getting worse with each cycle...so I finally had another ultrasound Tuesday (the 10th). It appears I am suffering with adenomyometritis (ad-a-no-my-oh-meh-try-tis). Yeah...it's as exciting as it sounds.


Basically, I have rogue endometrial tissue (the inner lining of the uterus) growing in the myometrium (the muscular wall of the uterus). This rogue tissue bleeds just like the 'regular' endometrial tissue...so let's just say things are getting heavier and heavier each month. There's also "pressure" they describe as similar to the last stage of labor, when you're trying to push the baby's head out. I think of it more as....uhhhhhh...piercing, intolerable pain and cramping. But that's just semantics, right? *I'd roll my eyes again, but I'm starting to fear they may get stuck up there, and you know what your Mama always told you about making faces.* Seriously...who wants THAT kind of 'pressure' every month??? I've been living with it for about 6 months now and am hard-pressed to find a reason to continue. And apparently, symptoms just keep getting worse. Oh, joy.


There are a couple options for controlling the bleeding...but there's only one way to alleviate the cramping: a hysterectomy. And since I've been quite the little trooper....we decided we're there. It is time for Lil Miss Uterus to pack her bags; she's outta here! Praise Jesus! (Seriously!! Sing with me now....)


And God bless 'em....I am scheduled for surgery just two weeks from today: 26May. I thought this was pretty quick, considering it's not life-threatening. (Well, not to me anyway; I can't speak for those who have to deal with me living through that excruciating pain every month. *giggle*)


I gotta tell ya....I was getting pretty depressed about the whole thing. About 6 weeks ago, I asked for prayer for healing at the prayer service at church. I did receive immediate relief from pain in one area (residual after my surgery last October, I guess)....but these other symptoms just continued to increase in magnitude. I trusted God was in control...but I certainly couldn't see what His plan was. And I definitely couldn't see any good coming from it. But as Psalm 62 (The Message) says:

God, the one and only - I'll wait as long as He says.
Everything I need comes from him, so why not?

As I waited for my appointment Tuesday, I prayed all morning that the doctor would be able to see something definitive so we could make a decision and fix this already! If God chose to not heal me 'on His own,' I was fine with Him using the good doctor to bring it about. But I'd just finished my cycle, so I had that gnawing I'll-go-to-the-doctor-today-and-he'll-say, "Well....I can't see anything today. Let's wait til it happens again next month." feeling. (I know you know that feeling!) A couple hours later...and two minutes after he started the sonogram...the doctor says, "Okay....see here?" Yes....I see! Wait.....what am I looking at? Oh, who cares. YOU see something...and that's my answer to prayer! *mental happy dance, since I was kinda attached to a machine at that point* And my doctor kills me with his analogies. This time it was, "The uterine wall should look like....uhhhhh...Velveeta; smooth and firm. See all these white dots - looks like a snow storm? (I nodded. Yes, I could see that.) That's like.....pimento loaf. Stuff stuck in the wall where it shouldn't be." (Apparently my doctor doesn't care for pimento loaf. Me? I can take it or leave it.) I didn't care, though. I just knew God had given us a clear picture...just like I'd asked! And when the doctor sat down and started drawing on the "You Can Have A Happy Hysterectomy" brochure (okay...I made that title up), it was another 'sign.' Speaking of...SIGN ME UP! SET A DATE! I'M READY!


So do I look (okay...sound) better today? 'Cuz I feel better. Not only have I passed (ahhhh...a pun if there ever was one...but we won't go there. Yuk.) the pain for this month...I don't have to go through another cycle like that!


Thank You, Jesus, for answered prayer and little 'God signs.' Thank You, Father God, for carrying me through this ordeal. Thank You, my Great Physician, for knowing when enough is enough and extending me hope of relief. You are so good....and Your timing is perfect (even though I still can't see how You're going to work good from all these months of like-a-clock-living-hell....but that's Your forte, not mine. *smile*) All I ask is that you use me and my pain to bring You glory. But, if it's alright with You, I'm ready to move on to the next phase of my life: one that is free of that particular pain. : ))  


And thank you, my family and friends, for all your prayers and support...and some of you, your commiserating. *LOL* God used each and every one of you to help get me through the past year or so. And I can't forget my handsome husband...who I'm sure is going to be very thankful to have me back to normal. (Although I'm not sure he really knows my normal after just two years - one of which has been pretty crappy for me, physically....but that's another blog.)


God so rocks, doesn't He? *happy dance back to work*