Monday, January 24, 2011

We are clear for take off


Yesterday was the day I've waited over a month for. My hysterosalpingogram (HSG). As excited as I was to finally get this test done, the last couple days my nerves were steadily increasing.

Would it hurt?
What would they find?
What if I get bad news?

It wasn't easy to watch the hours tick by at work. I hardly got anything productive done. I arrived at the RE's office, filled out my consent form and waited. I had my blood pressure taken and waited. I got changed into the gown / drape and waited. Then it was time for my uterus and tubes to take center stage.

Act 1: The Speculum
I dislike the speculum, not that I think any woman is particularly fond of them, they're just one of many uncomfortable parts of being female. I always feel like I have to stay perfectly still while it's in place, that one good flex would send the instrument shooting out.

Act 2: A Shot of Lidocaine
To help ease cramping and the placement of the catheter, the Dr gave my cervix a few shots of lidocaine. "Cervix" and "thin needle" are not words I really liked being in the same sentence, but it wasn't bad at all (and I hate needles). I felt nothing more than a slight pinch.

Act 3: Catheter and Colored Dye
With all the appropriate parts cleaned and numbed it was time for the catheter to be positioned just inside the uterus. She began to inject the dye and we waited to see what would show up on the screen.

The Main Event!
"Oh yeah those are definitely open," the Dr said almost immediately after the dye began to flow. I watched the monitor as dark swirls appeared filling in the shape of my uterus and the path of my fallopian tubes before spilling into the white void of my peritoneal cavity. At this time the cramps also started.

And then we were done. For how long I had waited for this and the nerves that had built up, I was surprised how quick the whole thing went; door to door I was there less than an hour. The residual cramps and spotting, however, weren't as short lived. My uterus is still occasionally protesting the procedure this morning.

I am relieved though that aside from my hormone problems, Dr. Love and I healthy. My uterus and the fallopian freeway are open for business and his little guys are good to go. Now we just need to get the ovaries on board and hopefully that should do it.

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