Holiday Snafu – by Cara Potapshyn Meyers
Last week I wrote about how joyous it was to have time to “breathe” when you celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas. Joyous my reindeer hoof!
A week ago, I had an endometrial biopsy. I spoke to at least a dozen women who had that procedure, including one who had one unexpectantly two weeks before mine. They all said the procedure would hurt like hell (it did), that I would feel contraction-like cramping (I most certainly did), and that several hours later I would feel much better. Better my Hanukkah dreidel!
I realize that my body is medically compromised, but I certainly didn’t “bounce back” as I was led to believe. My doctor told me to try to rest the remainder of the day, which I did. I still had a lot of bleeding and cramping, but my doctor told me that was not unusual.
The next day I got out of bed to tend to my son and take him to school. The bleeding and cramps worsened. I cancelled my appointments for the day and stayed resting in bed. By day’s end, the bleeding subsided although mild cramps were present. I simply went to bed early.
Thursday I had a hair appointment. Halfway through my appointment, I felt biting cramps and a gush of blood. I soaked my pantyliner. I went to the receptionist pleading to ask if any of the salon workers had a tampon, pad, anything to help with the bleeding. Thankfully, someone had a tampon. I called my doctor again and she advised me to go home and rest the remainder of the day. I left the salon with soaking wet hair and drove home.
Upon resting for two hours, I realized that I had to soon pick my son up from school, make him dinner, help him with homework, and find someway to dig out some of the “festive” decorations my son had been asking for. Geyser or not, I dug in my heals and did what I had to do. Mom’s don’t rest. Mom’s can’t rest. That’s just how it is. I made it through the evening and crawled into bed early with a heat patch on my abdomen and pale, exhaustion on my face.
By Friday, I had a whole weekend to rest, which I think my body needed. It is finally healing. I even surprised and delighted my son by putting up our “Festive Tree” last night and dug out a few ornaments for him to decorate with! Ahh….I did it! I am now able to make the next holiday event happen! Out come the stockings, hung with care! Scent of baked cookies will fill the air! Little trees and twinkling lights! All will be pretty before Christmas night! However….
Here’s the “snafu.” My Gynocologist called me today to tell me that although my biopsy was fine, my body is going into “overdrive” producing estrogen for some yet to be explained reason. The estrogen is not only creating cysts, it is bringing on periods every two weeks and it also puts me at greater risk for ovarian cancer. Since my mother died of ovarian cancer, I am considered high risk. Soooooo…..back onto birth control pills I go. For some odd reason, I feel like I completely regressed with this menopause thing. But a body has to do what a body has to do. Like it or not.
Just like a Mom…or even Santa, for that matter!
Wishing all of our Reindeer Loving readers a very
Merry Christmas!!
Tags: birth control pills, Cara Potapshyn Meyers, Christmas, Christmas decorations, endometrial biopsy, estrogen, Festive Tree, Gynocologist, Hanukkah, menopause regression
