Saturday, April 11, 2015

One week post surgery

This will be the first post that will explain our "secret" journey. I am officially nine days post surgery and feeling pretty good. Before I get into all that lets go back a few weeks ago...

Marty and I had been working closely with an agency that specializes in Surrogates as well as a Fertility Doctor. Over a month Marty and I got all the information for what we thought was our last option to expand our family. To put it lightly, holy crap expensive. I am talking tens of thousands of dollars. At first we weren't letting that get in our way, but when it came down to it, it was unfortunately something we couldnt do.

A few days after Knox passed away, in all of our pain we knew we couldnt end our family on this note. I looked at Marty and said I cannot go through this again, but we need to have another baby. He made the comment about looking into a transabdominal cerclage and at that moment I wanted to punch him for even suggesting that. It was too soon. But it wasnt until after knowing that Surrogacy wasnt in the cards for us that we finally looked into it. 

If you google Dr. Haney Chicago Illinois you will be bombarded with tons of information regarding this God (that he is) of a surgeon who performs a Transabdominal Cerclage on more than 200 women a year. He has been doing this for close to 30 years and has only had an handful of negative outcomes. With this procedure, an encircling suture is placed above the cardinal and uterosacral ligaments.  Transabdominal cerclage is not frequently performed and is only indicated for those patients with previous failed cervical cerclages, shortened or amputated cervix, and/or deep traumatized cervix. Where as transvaginal (which I had with both Collins' & Knox are performed vaginally and are designed to reinforce the cervix at the level of the internal os.  This involves placing a stitch of strong thread or tape around the cervix, via the vagina, and tightening it to keep the cervix closed. 

We decided to have a consultation with Dr. Haney to even see if this would be an option. Mentally was I ready? Will I ever be? Physically I was 4 months out after loosing Knox so that was up to the doctors. To cut to the chase, after speaking with him it was 100% clear that this is what I should have had done before Collins, even before Sloane. This procedure isnt really talked about much because it is invasive and most doctors dont know much about it. Dr. Haney is 1 of 2 that perform this in the United States. He said we were lucky to have Collins. With my risk of infection and then placing the vaginal cerclage it was like playing a terrible lottery, clearly. It was a no brainer and he is 99% confident that we will come away with this with a baby, or two or three. Believe me I told him to back up and lets take this slow. 

Well lets fast forward to...

Last Saturday June 14th Marty and I made our way to the Surgical Center on Michigan Ave. We had a 7am surgery time so we checked into our hotel at 545am and got to the center right at 6am to meet Dr. Haney. A little back story, Dr. Haney usually does his procedures at the University of Chicago however on the weekends for his out of town/country patients he will do them at the Surgical Center and have you stay at the Four Seasons next door for 24 hours with a nurse. So being the celeb that I like to think I am we jumped on this :) I have already had a c-section with Collins so it was going to be easy as far as Dr. Haney getting to my cervix. Prep went ok besides not being able to get to my veins for an IV and all I can remember is kissing Marty and only making it to the hallway before I "fell asleep". I woke up about three hours later totally out of it. I asked Marty to take a picture of me and to send it to Taryn & Jessica. Why? Who knows haha. But the surgery went great, he was able to get two bands around my cervix and even fix my c-section scar. It couldn't have gone any better he said. 



We made our way to the Four Seasons with Christine my nurse who I would have for the next 24 hours. Recovery wasn't bad. Staying at the Four Seasons made it even better. Marty and I stayed in bed watching the whole first season of Orange is the New Black, ordering in for lunch and dinner and watching the World Naked bike Ride of Chicago from our hotel window. Just as gross as it sounds :)



Our View




Besides being checked on every hour, Christine was amazing :)

Now is the waiting game. The lets try and make a baby game. One we never thought we would be playing... here's to Marty looking at me and me getting pregnant! Just like the first 3 times :)











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