I have had a few people ask me what happened or why did I need surgery. It is sort of a long story. So, over the weekend I wrote up some info about what happened. It is posted below.
Lots of friends and family have asked so here is the story…
December 2008 I went to the Women & Children’s hospital via emergency to have an operation to fix the pelvic floor abscess. How I got this remains a mystery. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) got involved and was very insistent on knowing how it happened and suspected illegal drug use. After being interrogated by the CDC they finally believed me when I told them that I did not know how I got the abscess. The CDC took action by giving me Vancomycin, an antibiotic, which was given to me via a picc line attached to a pump. A very painful procedure. They use this to draw blood, etc., it is better than having them try to insert an IV or taking blood from a new spot every so many hours.
On the 6th day I was sent home with a picc line and pump for the vancomycin. On Sun or Mon, the homecare nurse came to check on me and I was rushed back to the hospital. My kidneys began to shutdown because of the Vancomycin. So, I stayed in the hospital for another two weeks or so. On Dec. 29, 2008, I was released from the hospital at 7:10 p.m. This is the same day Madison was born (7 pounds, 10 ounces).
After many trips to see Dr. Callison, the incision from the surgery would not heal. She said it was because of granulated tissue. I could actually feel something pulling that should not be pulling in the perineal area. Each time this happened it would bleed and often become infected. So in Dec. 2009, I had another surgery to fix the first one. Again, it did not heal.
Dr. Callison referred me to Dr. F. Joseph Kelly. He performed my 3rd surgery (9/20/10). The name of the 3rd surgery is partial vulvectomy. The surgery was more invasive than originally planned. The area was tracking and had to be removed. A Bartholin’s gland was removed and I no longer feel the tissue pulling, which was immediately noticeable. I have four layers of stitching. I went home and a few days later went back to the hospital for a few days because the pain was so intense. Morphine was not helping, so they gave me something much stronger. Then the IVs would not stay in my arm. They tried four different spots and none of them would work, so they had to send me home. Dr. Kelly gave me a prescription for some strong pain medicine and that helps me a lot. (10-14-10: Dr. Kelly said there is slight granulation, which is the main reason for the surgery. He was trying to get rid of the granulation.)
A complication from the surgery is a problem I am having with my bladder. I am now seeing Dr. Pettus to help me with this. There isn’t a known reason for the sudden problems, but they appeared shortly after the surgery. Even with this I am hopeful that I will be well and not have to go through this again. (10-13-10 cystoscopy – with Dr. Pettus, who concluded that my bladder hemorrhaged. This was probably due to blood thinner medications before, during, or after surgery. At this time, it still hurts but there should not be any more problems as it heals.)
All of my doctors, nurses, dieticians, and technicians have been so helpful and have very good bedside manners. During a 7 a.m. shift change, my new nurse for the day saw me for the first time and immediately asked if I needed a hug. She hugged me and the tears came flooding. For the most part, they were all so kind and very caring (Women & Children’s Hospital). The only bad thing that happened at Huntsville Hospital is that a nurse left the water facet down above the toilet and I sat on it. Just so happened this was already a very bad day physically and mentally and that made it much worse. [I was at both hospitals, because the Women & Children’s Hospital closed down on Sat. when there are very few patients.]
Dr. Sharon Callison: Dr. Callison has been with Tennessee Valley OB-GYN since 2001. An Alabama native, she graduated summa cum laude from Auburn University and then attended UAB School of Medicine and Baylor College of Medicine. She is a member of both ACOG and the medical school honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha. Special Interest: Infertility problems and high-risk pregnancies. (http://www.tvobgyn.com/pages.php?page=08/07/10/2191230)
Dr. F. Joseph Kelly: Dr. Kelly specializes in global care of women with gynecologic malignancies. He offers individualized genetic risk assessment and risk reduction. An avid proponent of surgical staging, he is an expert in complex pelvic surgeries, minimally invasive techniques, and surgical risk reduction. He is currently contributing to the development of immunologic therapies in combination with the biotech industry, and he offers both industry-based and government-sponsored clinical trials. Additionally his practice offers molecular-guided individualized chemotherapy plans. Dr. Kelly participates in the planning and delivery of radiation therapy, with experience in both standard and non-standard practices.
During his fellowship, Dr. Kelly’s award-winning research studied the development of viral vectors for gene therapy of ovarian cancer. His most recent publication was on innovative surgical and radiation treatments for advanced or recurrent disease.
Dr. Kelly believes in total comprehensive care of the patient, from diagnosis to surgery to treatment and follow-up care. He includes patients and their families in decisions about their care, and he believes in aggressive treatment while preserving the quality of his patients’ lives. (http://www.clearviewcancer.com/index.php/physicians/f_kelly)
Dr. Joseph Pettus, M.D.: Dr. Pettus is a urologic oncologist at North Alabama Urology in Huntsville. In 2007, he completed a urological oncology fellowship at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in
New York City. Prior to moving to Huntsville, he was Assistant Professor of Urology at Wake Forest University. He has authored numerous studies in peer review literature on prostate, bladder, kidney and testicular cancers. (http://northalaurology.com/index.htm).
Bartholin’s gland: either of two small, oval, mucus-secreting glands, one on each side of the base of the vagina. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bartholin’s+gland)
Granulation tissue: a mass of new connective tissue and capillaries formed on the surface of a healing ulcer or wound, usually leaving a scar Nontechnical name proud flesh (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/granulation+tissue)
Perineal: the area in front of the anus extending to the fourchette of the vulva in the female and to the scrotum in the male. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perineal)
Picc line: A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC or PIC line) is a form of intravenous access that can be used for a prolonged period of time (e.g. for long chemotherapy regimens, extended antibiotic therapy, or total parenteral nutrition). First described in 1975, it is an alternative to subclavian lines, internal jugular lines or femoral lines which have higher rates of infection. Subclavian and internal jugular line placements may result in pneumothorax (air in the pleural space of lung). Insertion A PICC is inserted in a peripheral vein, such as the cephalic vein, basilic vein, or brachial vein and then advanced through increasingly larger veins, toward the heart until the tip rests in the distal superior vena cava or cavoatrial junction. PICCs are usually inserted by radiologists, doctors, physician assistants (in the USA), radiologist assistants (in the USA), or specially trained certified registered nurses using ultrasound, chest radiographs, and fluoroscopy to aid in their insertion and to confirm placement. PICC insertion is a sterile procedure, but does not require the use of an operating room . (http://www.righthealth.com/Health/Picc%20Lines-s?lid=goog-ads-sb-8536643334)
Ladybug Dreams 