Endo Excision: Day 4

Recovery Update Day #4

Alright, I did it! We took the bandages off! It was scary AF but it was necessary to get all the gauze and adhesive off my skin after 72 hours. I think everything looks as normal as it can! First photo is from Saturday, pre-surgery. Second photo(s) are from Thursday/yesterday. My follow up appointment with my surgeon isn't until June 10.

I decided it's also time to update the amount of funding we're raising on GoFundMe. There are some outstanding procedures/insurance claims to take into account as well as the time off they'll require for healing...

I'll list them to make it easier to read:

- Pre-surgery lab work was denied by insurance; we're hoping to get this rectified but there is a good chance I'll still owe.

- Hysteroscopy and D&C (dilation & cutterage) to check my uterus for any precancerous or cancerous cells. They will not do a hysterectomy without this. We've most definitely raised enough to cover the anesthesia that isn't covered ($400) but I have no clue if the procedure itself will be covered. Let's hope it will be. Either way, this will likely require at least a week off from work.

- Colonoscopy to check for any internal endometriosis lesions in my colon. My surgeon wasn't able to look inside my colon during surgery so this is something I'm going to begin advocating for upon recovery. There's a good chance that the procedure itself will be covered but maybe not the anesthesia. And I'm guessing it will also take me out of work for about a week.

- Hysterectomy to remove my uterus to prevent further endometriosis growth. Based on how this first surgery was covered by Medicaid, I have to assume it could also be 100% covered--that is IF nothing changes regarding my coverage, given what's going on regarding health care in the US and IF my doctor, the hospital, etc. does not drop my health care plan. However, this will be another 4-week recovery as far as I'm concerned. This means more time off for me AND Trish because she can't really work while she's waiting on me hand and foot.

- Depending on what my doctors think about how much trauma my body can handle and the timing on a hysterectomy, there might also need to be another endometriosis excision at the time of hysterectomy if some lesions have grown back. These are things I have to consider but things I do not know yet. But y'all can't read my mind so I'm typing it here, too.

Overall, my immediate future is very uncertain but I'm doing my best to plan accordingly and not get too overwhelmed. I've somehow managed to keep all the right people in my life because every time I start to get overwhelmed, they remind me that my health is the most important thing at the end of the day. My community, my twitch channel, my band, my students, my clients, live gigs, touring, etc... it'll all be there waiting. I can't worry about any of it right now. And I can't possibly take on the weight of that world even though I try desperately to ALL the time. My people have my back. Something's gotta give and unfortunately, it's *everything* all at once right now.

I know I've got this but, damn, this road is a scary one to be going down. I'm only 36 and I have a lifetime of health issues under my belt; more than most have by this age. WTF is gonna come later??? 🤣 (Gotta laugh to stop from crying)