My Second D&C
April 1, 2023
And here we go again. I just had my second dilation and curettage (D &C) in order to determine if I have cancer or not. Since I elected not to have a hysterectomy in order to preserve my fertility, my endometrial cells have to be screened for cancerous cells before I can receive a myomectomy. Both Dr. C and Dr. B assured me that they do not have a concern for cancer in my reproductive organs. I am not worried about having cancer, I’m just ready for next steps.
My appointment with the next specialist that I was referred to who will perform surgery on large fibroids is the first week in May. The D &C that I had was for diagnostic purposes to let the doctor know the status of my endometrium and if there are any abnormalities in my uterine lining. Most of the time, uterine fibroids are non-cancerous, but the doctors want to be thorough in their treatment of my uterus. My most recent complete blood count (CBC) panel showed that I was within normal limits with all tests and there was no concern for cancer in my blood. Again, the results of the D &C will let the new doctor know for sure.
This time around, this second D&C was at a teaching hospital two hours away from my home. It was an all-day event, and my mother came with me and drove me back home. Getting checked in for surgery was easy and I was in the waiting room and then the pre-op room all within 10 minutes. After that, I waited for about 30 minutes to be rolled back into surgery. In the time before my surgery, I was able to meet my entire surgical team to include Dr. B., two surgical residents, the anesthesiologist, and about 4 different nurses. Everyone was welcoming and friendly and made sure that I was comfortable.
I have absolutely no memory of the operating room. All I remember is waking up in recovery and having a hard time opening my eyes fully and getting my bearings. Two nurses were at my bedside and one of them gave me the best tasting ginger ale ever in life. After a while, both nurses handed me my clothes, helped me to get dressed, and walked me to the bathroom. By the time I got in the car to go home, I was in mild pain and I was extremely ravenous. My mom stopped by a convenience store where we got snacks, and I used the restroom. I was still disoriented from the anesthesia, but slowly coming out of it. I was able to eat ice cream and drink more ginger ale without any problems although my throat was sore.
The doctors sent me home with pain medication and a stool softener and I honestly thought that I would not need them because I had only slight cramping with my first D&C. This time around, my pain was intense and that first night my pain was off the charts. I felt as if the doctors scraped my soul along with my endometrium. I was begging to take the pain medication. I also had more bleeding this time around as well. I was thankful for the extra maxi pads that the nurses sent me home with because I had to change pads at least twice a day. It’s been four days since my D&C and I am just able to get my pain under control and I am virtually pain free. I still have bleeding, but it is light and I have only passed one clot. I am utilizing the weekend to rest because going back to work the rest of the week was totally a bad idea. I was in more pain than I should have been in because one of the pain medications was a narcotic and I could not drive my car for my job while under the influence of the medication.
All in all, I believe that my D&C results will come back cancer free and I will be on to the next part of my journey to pregnancy and motherhood. I want to encourage everyone who is going to have a D&C to rest and take it easy. Be sure to take the pain medication in a timely manner and give your body time to heal. Also, I want to encourage everyone to remain positive and believe the best for yourself.