5 – My Second Myomectomy and The First Step

1 – My Equation, 2 – My First Rude Awakening, 3 – The Art of Denial, 4 – My First Myomectomy

Let’s fast forward to 2014, seven years after my first myomectomy. I had moved to the US from Canada and I had been married more than a couple of years to the gentleman I met when I was recovering from my first myomectomy and I was also getting closer to 35. So more than a few of those “let’s talk about babies” conversations have taken place. To be honest, most of the conversations were in the context of the fact that the fibroids had slowly recurred since the first surgery. You see, I was not in a hurry to have children even after the first myomectomy. I was busy expanding my horizons through travel and was building a career and I proud and grateful to God for accomplishing both goals.

In those seven years, I was aware that I had developed new fibroids and I periodically monitored their growth and discussed my options with my doctors.

In 2013, after I had moved to Houston, I was seeing a OB-GYN that discussed having a second myomectomy and also inappropriately diagnosed me with polyps. At the time, I was so against the thought of another surgery before pregnancy. Anyway, “we” did not work out and I met the most amazing doctor in Dr Kristin Brigger with the Complete Women’s Care Center. Trust me, you don’t have to put up with a non-sympathetic doctor or a doctor you don’t trust because that person can affects the decisions you make and the condition of your heart during the journey. The first time I met her was probably the first time I had a doctor’s appointment in a number of years without feeling dejected. She seemed and still seems to have a permanent smile on her face and for me she became a bright light in the whole process.

So in 2014 when we decided we were “ready”, we were given a couple of options – start trying to have a baby right away and hope for the best or remove fibroids and then start. You see one of the fibroids was at least 5 cm at this point. The first option didn’t sit well with my spirit. I really didn’t want my baby competing with numerous fibroids. The second option was daunting as that was another surgery requiring recovery time and we didn’t know if that would jeopardize the integrity of my uterine wall. Well, the latter was the option we picked for us, it might not be the right decision for you. I know it was the absolute best decision as that surgery revealed other problems we were not aware of.

So in April 2014, I had another myomectomy to remove the new fibroids that developed after the 2007 surgery. I just wanted a “cleaner” slate. However, I got a little more than I had bargained for.

First of all, having surgery at 26 vs 33 is a different experience. when I woke up from surgery, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. I hated those first few steps after surgery and I begged them to let me stop. I’m a strong woman but that surgery broke me.

Secondly, the surgery took a lot longer than expected because I had developed a lot of scar tissue and many of my organs had “fused” together making it difficult to access the uterus.

When I woke up from surgery, my doctor told me some news that didn’t quite sink in cause I was heavily medicated. The second day she came by and we talked about it again. The good news was they were able to remove all the fibroids. The bad news – based on her visual check, she suspected that my fallopian tubes were blocked due to the adhesions I had developed from the 2007 surgery.

Wait a minute. Give me a break. Insert “why me”. Insert “something wrong again”. I just wanted to wake up to some good news but then I had to deal with the possibility of not having functioning fallopian tubes.

So my doctor said this was a visual diagnosis. She wanted me to confirm with a fertility clinic once I had recovered from the surgery. So, I held out hope that the fertility clinic would tell me everything was ok. I scheduled the appointment. I remember wearing red lipstick and these large gold hoop earrings my mom bought me. I was channeling all the faith and positivity and everything.

The procedure is called a HSG test.

A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is an X-ray test that looks at the inside of the uterus camera.gif and fallopian tubes and the area around them. It often is done for women who are having a hard time becoming pregnant (infertile).

During a hysterosalpingogram, a dye (contrast material) is put through a thin tube that is put through the vagina and into the uterus. Because the uterus and the fallopian tubes are hooked together, the dye will flow into the fallopian tubes. Pictures are taken using a steady beam of X-ray (fluoroscopy) as the dye passes through the uterus and fallopian tubes. The pictures can show problems such as an injury or abnormal structure of the uterus or fallopian tubes, or a blockage that would prevent an egg moving through a fallopian tube to the uterus. A blockage also could prevent sperm from moving into a fallopian tube and joining (fertilizing) an egg. A hysterosalpingogram also may find problems on the inside of the uterus that prevent a fertilized egg from attaching (implanting) to the uterine wall.

Source

Let’s cut to the chase. I watched as the dye filled up my uterus on the monitor but it did not go through the fallopian tubes. My heart sank. I just didn’t think it was a possibility. I remember the nurse asking me if I was ok. She asked if I needed some time. I said I was fine and left but I was in shock. Remember the hoop earrings, I lost one of them on my way back to the parking lot and that made me even more upset, lol. Lesson learned, don’t wear hoop earrings or jewelry you’ll miss to the clinic or hospital.

When I got to the parking lot, I just broke down. I literally cried out loud. Then I called my husband. Then I called my number one champion of a friend, Shayo Olorunshola now Shayo Bakare. Let’s pause for a minute because this is important. This is where having friends, true friends makes a big difference. Shayo had already connected me to another champion Kemi Macauly-Newman, aka 9jamom (CEO of House of Botori). This connection set me up for what was to come. God put an angel in my path every step of the way.

For the first time in my life, I could feel my sanity slipping away. Yes, that can happen to a believer too because life happens to everyone. Even though I initially hesitated, I seriously started to seek professional help for my mind as well. We take preventative steps to care for our body but somehow many of us neglect to care for our minds. I was not going to go allow one part of my life to run the rest of my being. I wanted to function in other aspects of my life and still have peace while trying to work out the journey.

So, we solved one problem, which were the fibroids and then we had the fallopian tube issue. Well just as I thought we had seen the worst, I did a 6 month post surgery ultrasound and guess what, new fibroids. Several fibroids within 6 months after the second myomectomy. Give me a break pleeeeeeease! It was starting to feel like one obstacle being piled over another and don’t get me started about the rest of life as well.

Thank God it wasn’t all doom and gloom. I am so grateful. You might wonder why. Well, we would not have known the fallopian tubes were blocked if I had not done the second myomectomy.  We may have spent months or years trying before giving up and looking for a fertility clinic. God can bless you in the valley.

As soon as we realized there were new fibroids, my wonderful OB-GYN advised me to make an appointment with a fertility clinic ASAP and that’s exactly what I did and that was our FIRST STEP towards the next phase of this journey.

Let me leave you with this. Don’t stop in the middle of the tunnel when the light is at the end. Do everything to keep moving even if life makes you pause in your tracks.

While this verse may not feel true in every second of your life, it is true:

“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ Source

Many of us don’t read the next verse:

“Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:12‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ Source

God hears you.