Why don't we talk about things?

 When I turned 40 a few years back, my uterus started rebelling against me.  In all honesty, I am not really sure my uterus ever really liked me, since I was a teen, but we tolerated each other.  I was getting multiple periods a month and it was awful.  I went to my gynecologist and she put me on birth control pills.  Something I hadn't been on for almost a decade.  

With my history of my aneurysm she thought that this was the best option at the time to control the issues

I was having.  It worked like a charm, for three years I was period free and doing great - until my blood pressure started going ridiculously high.  My blood pressure has always been really low, so this was a new concern for me.

My doctor suggested I get off the pills and see if that helps to get my blood pressure under control.  I wasn't really excited about what I knew was going to happen once I was off the pill and getting monthly visits.

So for a few months each time I got my period, it was a little worse.  I was constantly contacting my doctors and saying this CANNOT be normal.   Too reminiscent of my aneurysm I ended up going to the emergency room Halloween day.  The last place I wanted to go, especially now, is the ER.  

I also knew I was going to have to get an IV if I went to the ER and I cannot do needles well at all.  Like there are giant tears.  I can't help it, I have been poked and prodded too many times that I just can't deal with this anymore.  

My hemoglobin was at a 12 when I entered the ER and when I finally left the next day it was an 8 one point away from needing a blood transfusion.  So what was wrong with me, you might be asking yourself... I was diagnosed with being pre-menopausal.  Oh the joys of being a woman.

Did you know these things were possible? I mean I knew about hot flashes because everyone and there mother talks about the hot flashes but why does no one talk about the bleeding that can happen?  

After my brief stint in the emergency room, where I was admitted overnight and completely missed trick-or-treating, I had a follow-up appointment with the gynecologist.  I was presented with several options, and I chose to get a hot water ablation.  

If I were to get the uterus removed, it would not be as simple of a procedure as it should be, again, thanks to that aneurism.  The ablation was no picnic either, but it was the best option for me, I believe.

December 12th I went into the hospital, was given another IV, I was good up until that point.  They gave me one heck of a dose of twilight meds because I remember getting rolled into the operating room and that is pretty much it, three hours later I woke up.  

Now, the things that could have gone wrong had me scared out of my mind.  My uterus could have pierced with the tool, the water solution that they used could have gone out and spread infection, or the hose could have broken and basically burned all my girl parts. And they wondered why my blood pressure was 171/92 when they took it pre-surgery.

My EKG was excellent and I wasn't pregnant (why I was given a pregnancy test is beyond me - that's a whole other post).  

I got home and slept almost all day.  I sent a few emails and text messages and who knows if I was very coherent in them, again whatever I was given for twilight, I believe there were some miscalculations from my height and weight and the dosage.

The pain was pretty intense that first day, and the over the counter pain medications weren't doing much to ease it.  I tried using a weighted blanket and laying scrunched into a ball.  But the next day, way less pain and feeling better each day.

I am still anemic from everything that happened in October and hopefully my numbers will be back to normal soon.

Why am I saying all this??  Well, in the off chance that someone who is reading this is going through the same thing and wondering what is wrong or if it is normal.  We need to start talking more, discussing the things that are wrong with us so we know if it could be something normal or if something is seriously wrong.  Granted, the amount of blood I was loosing, I was going to the hospital regardless if it was normal or not.  Also, make sure to talk to your doctors and make sure they actually are listening to your concerns not just fluffing you off.  

Nicole Leckenby - Co-founder of the Holiday Cafe, soccer mom, dancer, councilwoman and author of children's books.  Enjoys interviewing people and writing stories.