Anne’s Problems
Author : KJP
When I was nineteen I had some bad pain in my lower
abdomen. My Mom thought they were just cramps but soon I was in terrible
pain and running a fever. She whisked me to the doctors and the ordeal got
worse. The doctor was her doctor. Since I was older I had no physician of
my own and I had grown out of my pediatrician. I sat in the waiting room
with my hands over my lower belly and slightly bent over.
"Anne...Anne
Myers?" The nurse called and my Mom and I stood up. Now let me tell you
that my relationship with my Mother wasn't all that great. She didn't like
my boyfriend and even some of my friends. But she was always there for me.
The nurse took my height and weight and then led me into the exam room
where she made me dress into a gown and give her a urine sample. She then
took my vitals and I laid on the table curled up in a fetal position
waiting for the doctor.
"God, how much longer ?" I asked my Mom
moaning in pain.
"They’re busy dear...they had to squeeze you in."
When
the doctor arrived he sat down and asked me allot of questions about my
pain, periods, sexual activity. I answered them all and felt embarrassed
to talk to him with my Mom in the room.
"Ok, can you show me where
the pain is." He said standing over me to my side. I rolled over on my
back and pointed to the spot that hurt the most. He felt around that area
on my lower right side and I grimaced.
"Is there anyway you could
be pregnant?" He asked me and I shook my head already telling him what
type of birth control I had used.
"Well let me get my nurse and
we’ll have a look." He said walking out the door.
The
nurse came back in and she handed me a sheet. to cover myself with.
"Have
you ever had a pelvic exam before?"
I just shook my head and
looked at my Mom with fright. She came over and took my hand. I had tears
in my eyes as the nurse made me lay back and she helped me put my feet
into the stirrups. She made me scoot down to the bottom of the table so
that my butt hung off the end. She did this by looking under the sheet at
me. I felt so exposed and wide open even with the sheet tented across my
knees. I laid there as she went around the room clanking things around. I
kept one hand on my belly and squeezed my Moms hand with the other. I
tried to look from side to side to see what the nurse was doing.
Just
then the door opened and the doctor came back in. He talked to the nurse
as he came up to the bottom of the table. The nurse told him that my urine
was negative for pregnancy. As he lifted the sheet so that I was now
exposed to just him. I looked up with my head and made a small squeaking
sound with my throat.
"Ok Anne...I'm just going to feel your uterus
and ovaries." He said as he put on some gloves and the nurse squirted
something onto his fingers.
"Just relax now....that's good." He
said as I felt his cold fingers on my lips and he slowly pushed them into
me. I could feel the cold jelly as his fingers entered into me deep. He
pushed his fingers up on my left side and with his other hand pushed on my
lower abdomen sometimes pushing and pulling down toward him. When his
finger went to the right in me, I cried in pain. He tried to soothe me as
he examined my very tender area.
"All right...that was pretty sore
was it?" I sniffled as I nodded my head. I was hoping the whole thing was
over. But the doctor talked softly to the nurse and sat down between my
legs as he talked.
"I'm going to insert a speculum now...so that I
can see your uterus." I felt something cold and wide on my jellied lips
and it slipped in. I took a big gulping breath thinking that it was going
to be painful, but it wasn't. I felt the thing widen then the doctor moved
it this way and that. I kept taking in little gulps as this was happening.
"Ok
good." He said as the thing closed and was removed from me.
"I'm
going to check your rectum now." He said and before I could figure out
what he was going to do he had slipped his finger deep into my anus.
"Oh...oh....god."
I cried as I had never felt anything like that before. It made me feel as
if I had to have a BM real bad. His finger came out and the feeling
subsided.
"Ok Anne...we’re all done...you can scoot back."
When
I was curled up on the table again he sat down and spoke to us.
"Well
there is something wrong. I can feel a small mass on her right side, but
she's so guarded that it's real hard to tell how big. You’re sure your not
pregnant?"
"Pretty sure." I said thinking about when the last
time I had engaged in sex and had my period.
"Well I would like to
take a blood test just to make sure...sometimes urine test don't pick up
ectopic pregnancies. I would also like her to see Dr. Scott. He's one of
our best gyn surgeons....It would make me feel better if he saw her...the
fever worries me." He wrote down a few things on a note pad and handed it
to my Mom.
"Take that to the front desk. I will call Dr. Scott
right now and see if he can't get her in....He's just down the hall."
From
the exam room I was taken to a lab where I had to sit in a chair and get
my blood drawn. I was exhausted as we waited in the waiting room for the
nurse to come out and let us know if I could see Dr. Scott. After a half
hour of waiting the nurse came out.
"Doctor Scott will take her in
right now...take these papers to him...he's right down the hall on the
left."
I walked down the hall half bent over with pain. We
didn't have to wait long before I was called in. My eyes widened as I was
led into the exam room. The stirrups on the table were different. They
were big plastic things that jetted out from the tables end.
"I
know that she just had her vitals taken but I would like to do them again.
The nurse did the usual vitals then told me that she wanted to get a
rectal temp.“
"Oh why...what for?" I pouted.
"Dr.
Scott wants rectal temps on any patient that is running a fever...now you
can lay on your left side if you wish or on your tummy."
I
moved onto my side. I didn't think I could lay on my tummy with the pain.
I would look behind me to see the nurse gather some stuff and bring it to
my backside. She put on gloves and I turned away.
"Oh god." I said
as she lifted my butt cheek and inserted the thermometer into me. The
feeling was funny and my anus didn't seem to like it and tried to push it
out. The nurse had hold of it so that it wouldn't dislodge.
I laid
there quietly not wanting to move and hurt myself with that thing in me.
After a long while the nurse pulled out the thermometer and told me that I
could sit up. I just rolled over onto my other side. I had no sheet and I
would get chills.
"I'm so cold."
"That's due to
the fever honey." She said as she wrote in my chart. She left out the door
and returned with a blanket. She covered me and I thanked her.
"The
doctor will be in shortly."
"Mom...they aren't going to put me
in those things are they?" Nodding to the stirrups.
"More than
likely Hon." She said as she came over and held my hand.
"I'm
scared...and I hurt...why can't they take away the pain ?" I cried.
She
just patted my hand as I laid there and calmed down. The doctor came in
and I blushed as I thought he was to young to be a doctor. He was tall and
handsome and he sat down on a stool and came to my side to talk to me. He
asked me almost all the same questions the other doctor had. When he was
done he said that he would get his nurse to help with the exam.
A
large lump formed in my throat as I knew he would have to see me and touch
me. I was scared of the exam and the pain it may cause. They both came
back in. I was crying as the nurse and my Mom helped to get my legs into
the stirrups. These supported my legs at the knees and I felt even more
exposed than before. No sheet this time and the blanket was bunched up on
my belly. The cool air made me shiver as the doctor stood between my
spread legs.
"Ok Anne...I need to feel your ovaries ...just try and
relax as much as possible." I could see him look down at me and then up at
my face as his fingers slid into me. He did the same as the other doctor
starting on the left When he pushed on the right I cried and tried to bend
over. Pain shot through me and he released his pushing.
"I'm sorry
dear." He said and his hand left my abdomen but his fingers still probed
inside me. I grunted, and winced as his fingers pushed up onto that side.
Tears rolled down my eyes as he continued to feel. I let out a breath as
his fingers left me. He snapped off his gloves and talked to the nurse.
"That
blood work done yet…do you know?"
"It's not here doctor."
"Well
put a STAT on it for me will ya... Anne, you can lay back and relax." He
said and my Mom helped me out of the stirrups and I laid curled on my side.
The
doctor came over and sat down again looking from my Mom and me. His eyes
then fell upon me. " There's two possible problems here...and until we get
the results from the lab I won't know about one of them....but this is
it....There's a mass on your right ovary..or tube...hard to tell...now it
can be a etopic pregnancy or it could be a huge cyst...I'm counting on the
later. Either way...I want to admit you to the hospital and have a test
run called and Ultrasound. It's noninvasive. Either way..I think you will
need a small surgery and we will be able to control your pain. "
"What
type of surgery doctor?" My Mom asked.
"Well I think we can
get away with a laproscopy...a small incision is made into the belly
button and I insert a tube that I can look through. If it's a cyst then I
should be able to scrape it off...If it's something else like an ectopic
pregnancy then the ovary and tube my need to be removed....let's not hope
for that." He said.
Just then the nurse came in. "I have
ordered something for pain...I also want you to be started on IV
antibiotics." The nurse explained that she was going to give me a shot.
She lifted the blanket and my gown and wiped my bottom. She then plunged
the needle into me and emptied the medication.
"Just wait here
until I can call over with my admitting orders." He said and both he and
the nurse left. I could see my Moms worried face and she sat next to me.
The medication started to work and I was feeling light headed but better.
Mom Helped me to get dressed and we waited.
"I'm scared...Have I
ever been in a hospital?"
"Sure you have....when you were
born."
We both laughed. The rest of the day was fuzzy. I was
placed in a semi private room and now had an IV stuck in my arm. The blood
test came back negative and so the doctor was sure it was a cyst. The pain
would come and go as the medication wore off.
"Anne...I need for
you not to use the restroom...your bladder needs to be full for the
ultrasound do you think you can do that?" She asked and I nodded.
With
the IV going, my bladder filled up quick and I was soon in great pain. I
couldn't help but to go to the restroom. My Mom was very upset with me and
I cried as I told her it hurt to much to hold it. She told the nurse which
in turn told the doctor.
The nurse came in with some more pain
medication and a plastic covered box. She gave me the medicine in my IV
and then talked to me.
"Anne...the doctor wants me to insert a
small tube into your bladder. This will help the bladder to fill and hold."
"Will
it hurt ?" I whined with teary eyes.
"It might be a little
uncomfortable ...but when the test is done I can take it out." My Mom left
the room as the nurse closed the curtains around me. She then made me bend
my knees way up with the soles of my feet together. She explained what she
was doing.
"I'm going to part you now so I can see the opening of
the urethra."
Her fingers parted me wide open and it stung a
little as she had to hold my lips back. "Now I'm going to clean the
opening with some butadiene...it may be cold." She swiped down me with
some big Q-tip looking things. I then started to cry as she dipped the end
of the tube in some jelly and brought it to my bottom.
"Deep breath
now...come on deep breath."
I couldn't take a deep breath with
my sobs and she inserted the tube into me.
"Ohhhheee....owee it
stings." I cried as I felt the tube make it's way up my pee hole.
"I
know...I know...there it's in...just relax."
She took a
syringe and filled a balloon that was now logged inside of me. I
complained to her that I felt as if I had to go pee.
"Just some
discomfort from the tube is all...now just try and relax...let the pain
medicine work."
She covered me back up and left. Tears rolled
down my eyes as I laid there. I was soon dozing in that medicated sleep.
As my bladder filled I got more and more uncomfortable, even with the
extra pain medicine that made me very hazy.
A man pushed a gurney
into my room and helped me onto it. That's when I noticed that my Father
was there.
"Oh Daddy...I'm scared.” I said. Him and I were closer
than my Mom and I. He bent down and kissed my forehead and I was taken
down to x-ray. There the lady put some jelly on my abdomen and took some
pictures. I was even more uncomfortable when I got back to my room. My
bladder felt like it was going to explode.
"Mom, the nurse said she
would take this out when I was done...where is she?" I cried. I wanted
that thing out of me right now. After a few minutes she came in and closed
the curtains around me. She emptied my bladder through the tube before
taking it out.
"Oh thank god." I said as the tube came out of me.
After that I slept for a long while. On pain medicine sleep is different.
I had strange dreams and would jerk awake every so often. The doctor came
in that evening and talked to us.
"She has a cyst and it's about
the size of a large quarter. It seems that it is right at the flanges of
the tube...and I can't tell if it affects the ovary or not. I won't know
until I get in there....The problem is with something this big there maybe
some scare tissue...if there's to much scare tissue the tube will have a
greater chance of ectopic pregnancy in the future...the tube and ovary may
have to be taken out if that's the case...but like I said I won't know
until I'm in there, and that would be the worst case scenario....Anne
you'll have to go through some prep tonight. I'm just going to figure on a
laprascopy but there my be a chance that I have to make a small incision
on your right side."
"Will it leave a big scar ?" I asked.
"No
just a real small line if that's what I have to do....Do any of you have
any questions?....no...well I will have the anesthesiologist come in and
talk with you...see you tomorrow bright and early."
My Father
left for home but my Mom stayed. The nurse came in and told me she was
going to start my prep. She gave me more pain med then left returning with
some blue pads, towels, a basin and some other stuff.
"Anne first
of all I'm going to shave your pubic area." I looked wide eyed at her then
to my Mom.
Mom took my hand and nodded at me. The nurse asked for
her to leave and I said I wanted her to stay. After she went into the
bathroom and brought back a full basin. She had me lift my bottom up so
she could place one of the blue pads and some towels under my bottom. I
started to cry as she made me spread my legs open like she had done to put
the tube in me. She shaved the hair between my spread legs and I held my
Mom's hand and cried.
The nurse cleaned up and told me she would be
back to give me my enemas. When she was gone I talked to my Mom. I knew
what enemas were but never had one.
“Mom...you ever have a enema?"
"Ya...I
had two or three...when I had you."
"Do they hurt?"
"I
can't remember...I know it was hard taking the enema because I was
pregnant with you...but I don't remember it hurting."
I laid
there in that medicated haze as I heard the nurse working in the bathroom.
When she came out she rolled with her another IV pole with a clear bag
hanging from it. There was clear plastic tubing coiled around it.
"OK
Anne...the doctor wants me to give you a few retention enemas...I will be
using this special nozzle to do that with. This may take some time and be
uncomfortable due to your pain....Is the medication I gave you working?"
I
nodded as I looked at the full bag hanging with milky white fluid. She
raised the bed so that I was at her waist level.
"Ok now I want you
to roll onto your left side to face your Mom...good."
I rolled
over and took hold of the rail that was there. My Moms face was close to
mine and she caressed my hair.
"Now bring both knees up to your
chest for me and hold them there."
I did as she said and I
felt the covers being pulled away. Then the gown was pulled up so that my
bottom was exposed. I could hear the nurse opening packages and then snap
on some gloves.
"Anne, I'm going to lube you real well with just my
finger...the inflatable nozzle nozzle it some what large."
"Uggghhhh…"
I moaned as she inserted her finger. My mom brought her head closer and
talked to me.
"Just take some deep breaths baby...come on now…"
I
moaned some more and started to cry as the nurse stretched me down there.
My anus had been violated so many times already today. thermometers,
suppositories for my fever and now this.
"The nozzle now....I want
you to bear down for me real hard...good girl."
"OWEEEEE." I
cried and tried to straighten my legs as the thing entered me and then my
bottom closed round it.
"I know...that's the hard part....your
going to feel some fullness down here now."
I heard some
hissing and I started to groan. “Mommy....oh god...I feel like I got to
go....ohhhh."
"That's just the balloon sweetie...that's so you
can hold the solution...it will help, you'll see."
There was
some more hissing and I felt a great pressure inside me like I was being
tugged both ways. I could feel something grow big between my cheeks.
"Mom...Ohhhhh
Mommy I don't like it....ohhhh…" I continued to say as she tried to make
me deep breath. I could smell her perfume and her sweet breath as she
cradled my head and talked to me close.
"Anne I'm going to start
the enema now...you let me know when you get a cramp or feel any
discomfort and I will stop the flow." I was taking in short breaths and
letting them out with a loud "Tuug…" The water started to flow and I felt
even more full right away.
"UGGGHHHHH." I said as I straightened my
body out and tried to roll onto my back.
"No...no Anne...come on
roll back over." She and my Mom got me back into the fetal position and my
mother caressed my back as the water flowed into me. She held my hips
tight to the bed to keep me from moving them. I cried through the whole
thing and had to ask her to stop a few times.
"STOP....oh god
STOP…" I yelled as the pain grew in my tummy along with a cramp.
"I
can't take anymore...oh I can't." I would cry as the nurse wanted to start
the flow again.
"Try and massage your belly Anne...you know where
it hurts...just rub your belly like your kneading bread."
I
had never kneaded bread in my life and I moaned as I rubbed my belly and
she started the flow. After all the enema was in she made me hold it for a
long time. I continued to cry and complain.
"Ok Anne...I'm going to
release the enema now...this will help relieve the pressure."
The
pressure subsided as the water drained out of me. I could hear the nurse
running more water in the bathroom.
"Mom I don't like
this....please have her take that thing out of me." I cried. When all the
fluid had drained out of me. The nurse made me get on the bed with my
bottom in the air. I could feel the thing hanging from me. She filled me
again and my Mom rubbed my back and encouraged me as I rubbed my belly and
complained.
"Come on baby...just a little more to go." Mom would
say as she put her face to mine.
"I can't ...it hurts." But I did,
the nurse made sure I took every drop and then she made me hold it. When
the wait was over I laid down on my left side and she drained the water
out of me. She gave me three more enemas and I was so tired and hurting
when It was done all I wanted was that thing out of my butt. After she
took it out she sat down and tried to explain what was going to happen to
me the next day.
"The nurse will come in early and give you a shot.
This will make you really drowsy...after the surgery you will be in
recovery. They will make sure that your stable before they bring you back.
You will have a Kotex belt and pad on because you may have some bleeding
and a Foley catheter in to drain your bladder."
"But why?" I
asked with tears in my eyes.
"That's to make sure that your bladder
drains, allot of women find it hard to urinate after this type of
surgery...we will be checking you often and you will be medicated for pain
through your IV...Now I will be in soon to take your vitals again."
I
just groaned as she said this. That means she was going to put the
thermometer in my butt. If I had a fever she would give me the medicine up
there too. I could tell that I was running a fever, I could tell by the
way I felt. When I was all situated my Mom left saying that she would be
in early. I dozed in and out all night watching TV through my drug induced
haze. The pain med kept the pain down but I felt woozy and sort of
nauseous, and when I complained they stuck more suppositories in my bottom
to take away the nausea.
Before light the nurse woke me to tell me
she was going to give me the pre-op shot. My Mom was there looking very
concerned. Soon my mouth was real dry and they wouldn't give me any water.
Then they rolled in a gurney and I was taken down to surgery. I was scared
as they got me onto the table with all the lights and the big metal
stirrups. I was put to sleep before they had placed my legs in them.
I
was uncomfortable for a few days after that. I hated the tube in my
bladder and was grateful when it was out and I could go pee on my own. I
fully recovered with some scaring at my belly button. The doctor said that
I was lucky that there wasn't more scaring around the cyst. I was glad to
be pain free and I hope I never have to go through that again. It was very
humiliating and embarrassing.