My D&C

I'm finally adding the story of my D&C on Friday. Here goes.

I stayed up really late (like 1:30 a.m.) Thursday night so I could get as much snacking and water drinking as possible in since I wasn't allowed to have anything to eat or drink after midnight for my surgery. I also thought the later I stayed up, the later I would sleep. Again, less hours to be hungry and thirsty. Friday morning I slept in until about 11:00 a.m. My appointment was scheduled for 4:15 p.m., but they told me to be at the hospital at 2:15 p.m. So after getting up and showering I settled in to play some games on the computer. Honestly, I didn't even really think about what was going on until we got in the car and were on our way. Eric took the afternoon off, so he came home a little after noon. Came home with take out from McDonald's I might add, wasn't really helpful for my no food rule. We left the house at about 1:50 p.m.

I cried a little in the car, but Eric held my hand and it was o.k. When we went in to register I was again a little weepy. It may sound stupid, but one of my major concerns about the surgery was that when I went in, people at the hospital would think I "wanted" the procedure, i.e. that I was having an abortion. Later, my Mom and another friend confirmed that they don't even do elective abortions at hospitals, so no one would asume that anyway. Anyway, when they gave me the paperwork to register, I noticed that the diagnosis listed on my chart was a D&C for a Missed Abortion. Abortion is just the word the doctor's use for a miscarriage. Usually it's called a Spontaneous Abortion. A "Missed" Abortion is when the embryo or fetus dies, but is not expelled from the body for at least 2 weeks. That pretty much describes it for me. Anyway the diagnosis was on my chart, so while seeing it in print made me cry, I did feel better. We sat in the waiting room for a few minutes before they came to get me to go up to the pre-op area.

Eric was allowed to go with me. They put me in a room and gave me a bag for my belongings and a robe to wear. I was to take everything off and put the robe on. I was a little concerned because I'd been having some light bleeding and didn't really want to be "completely" naked. They gave me some hospital panties (kind of like gauze with 3 holes in it and a huge hospital size maxi pad. So I got into the hospital gear and onto the bed and waited for my nurse. She was very cheerful, but a little weird. She was quite chatty and was the one to put in my IV. She knew what was going on though, because at one point she mentioned that she wished I didn't have to be there. On an upside, I forgot to take off my wedding ring, so they let me keep it on and just wrapped it with surgical tape. Eric and I watched some trashy people find lost loves on the Montel Williams show and waited. At one point my doctor popped in to see me. I really like her. She is all business and to the point, but at the same time makes me think that she cares about me. She asked how we were doing and if we were ready to get this over with and start to move on. Of course, while crying we said yes. She said she had one other case before me, but thought she'd probably get me in a little early. My anesthesiolgist. (I need to check the spelling on that), stopped by to explain how they would put me out. I got a little concerned, because he said they weren't doing general anesthesia. Instead they did something called "Twighlight" something. I was still completely unaware of what was going on, but I wasn't as deeply under, so I woke up easier and didn't need a breathing tube down my throat.

So finally they came to take me to surgery. That's when Eric had to go down to the waiting room. Right before I went into the room, a nurse came out and asked me what Dr. DeAngelo was doing for me. That was the only time I had to say why I was there. Of course, that made me cry again. So I went in and they had me switch from the bed to the table. While I was moving over, people started untying my gown and getting everything situated. I started to mention the little panty things, but they just said that's fine and put the arm rests on the table. There were probably about 5 people in the room and there was some music playing. I reconized my doctor and a nurse that had came to see me earlier. Once I was kind of situated they knocked me out. I didn't even have to count backwards. I didn't have to put my legs up or help them get the panty things off or anything.

When I woke up I was really emotional and crying. I was in the post-op recovery area. I remember trying to talk to the nurse that was with me and told her how much I wanted my baby. I don't remember what she said, but I'm sure it was comforting. Then I had a different younger nurse and I talked to her a little. She told me that she was pregnant and due in May and I remember how sad I thought it would be working there and seeing people like me so often. I woke up pretty quickly. The nurse checked to see how much I was bleeding and then sent me over to the discharge area.

The nurses brought me my clothes and let me get dressed while they went to get Eric. I managed to get dressed and then Eric showed up. They sat us down and went over the discharge instructions. I got 2 prescriptions, one for Percocet for pain and 1 for bleeding to take for 2 days. I was allowed to go back to normal activities after 24 hours, except a limitation of no baths for 7 days. Eric went to get the car and the nurse got me a Coke and some graham crackers and wheeled me in the wheelchair down to the car. We went to the store to get my prescriptions filled and get some junk food and then went home.

I recovered pretty quickly over the weekend although I've been having more bleeding and cramping over the past day or so. I called and the nurse said that's pretty normal, but to keep an eye on it.