Surgery Ordeal

Past 1 month had been passing rather slowly... and I have been feeling miserable, sad and scared at the same time... here's why:

Jun 26, 2009
Was supposed to go for my 1st gown fitting at B.r.i.d.a.l C.o.n.c.e.p.t that morning but my mom said her lower abdomen was painful. Hence, we detoured to Pantai Cheras to visit her gynecologist first. Since I was there, I took a pap smear test too… and that was when the doc said I have a cervical polyp (a "yuk lau" in Cantonose). According to Wikipedia, a cervical polyp is a common benign polyp or tumor on the surface of the cervical canal. It causes irregular menstrual bleeding or increased pain but often show no symptoms. In my case, it was intense pain during menses.

I was so worried and scared when he told me that the size of the polyp was ~3.5cm in diameter and that it was located in my uterus. I had wanted to have it removed immediately, but the doc gave me medicine (Duphaston) which I was to diligently take for 2 weeks to see if the polyp disappears on its own.

Jul 27, 2009
It was day 14 of my menses; my appointment with the gynecologist again. This time, I had 2 issues. First was that my menses came a week earlier than it was supposed to and secondly, it last a week longer than my normal menses. It was day 14 and yet, I was still bleeding. Thus, when the doc told me that it was still there and that it has to be surgically removed, it didn't come as a big surprise.


Jul 28, 2009
9.00am… Was scheduled for a surgery to remove the polyp at 3.00pm today and hence was admitted into the ward. First thing they did was to get me changed into their blue hospital robe and almost instantly 2 young nurses came in and shaved my ahem… down there. It was so embarrassing and uncomfortable but it was part of the procedure…

2.00pm… Out of no where 2 nurses came with a bed and told me it’s time… I was wheeled into a tunnel like place with at least 3 doors and 3 stops. At each stop, the air cond gets colder and the noise level decreases… At each stop, I was asked the same 3 questions: (1) Are you allergic to any medication? (2) Do you have dentures? (3) Are you wearing contact lenses now?

2.15pm… I was finally parked at the second stop prior to the operating theatre. A nurse came and undone the knots on my hospital robe… instead of me wearing the robe, it was now used like a blanket to cover me… along with a blanket…

2.30pm… Yet another nurse came and this time she inserted a needle/tube on the back of my palm and the pain was so intense! My doctor popped by too and asked if I was OK.

2.45pm… I was wheeled into the operating theatre by at least 6 nurses. Felt so vulnerable, small and exposed here. The room felt bare, sanitized, cold and intimidating with huge lights above me…

3.00pm… The same nurse who inserted the needle/tube on me earlier came to give me the anesthetic jab. If it wasn't because I was inhaling oxygen at the time of the jab, I would have yelped out in pain. It was like the blood in my hand froze section by section and the pain that accompanied it was so intense and crippling! So painful that I subconsciously tried to move my arm but was unable to cos my left arm was strapped to the extension of the bed. When the pain reached my shoulder, I must have passed out cos that was my last recollection of what happened.

4.00pm… Another nurse woke me up… and this time I was back at the first stop… with OWLoon next to me… Here, I was told that the operation was over and was shown a bottle of liquid with the polyp floating. After seeing it, I must have dozed off cos I remembered feeling extremely tired and sleepy that I couldn't open my eyes any second longer…

6.00pm… Finally woke up with OWLoon next to me… All was OK except the lower abdomen pain and the menses-like bleeding… And oh... the back of my hand hurts too as the needle/tube was still attached even after the surgery.

Sometimes, it's worth reminding oneself that life is precious and that we should strive to make it beautiful...

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