It has been a month since I had Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE). Today is the first day since I have been able to walk to the mall. Prior to the procedure this was a normal everyday walk for me it takes around 20 minutes. I’m currently sitting outside the mall drinking Starbucks preparing for the walk home. It also started pouring rain I’m also hoping it stops by the time I’m finished writing this.
If you have not read my previous post it is here it explains the procedure. This post will mostly be about the day of the procedure and I will write another post about recovery. For context a month ago when I had the procedure our hospitals were still overwhelmed and tomorrow my area will be entering phase 2 of opening.
I have never had a procedure done at a hospital before. With Covid restrictions and many surgeries postponed I was not expecting it to be busy. I was wrong there were lots of people.
I first had to go into a room and sign all the consent forms. After that I went to a waiting room that was like a Dr’s office waiting room. Once I was taken to the prep area things went really fast there was no time to catch my breath. The nurses were super nice after changing into the gown putting my things in a bag. They started to put stuff to prep on my wrist. Then they tried the urinary catheter that was a problem for me let’s just say I lost all dignity and two nurses one male one female holding me down with a flashlight didn’t work they decided to wait until I went to operating room where they could sedate me. Most people do not have these kind of problems. Then I had to pee so they could do a pregnancy test even though there was no chance I was pregnant. Fine after all that I needed pee anyways. They put the iv in and other medications by suppository which was no problem after the catheter experience. I did get to the point where I didn’t care about the procedure just wanted them to sedate me and get on with it.
Then they took me down to radiology. This procedure an interventional radiologist will block of blood supply to the fibroids either through the wrist or groin. In radiology they asked me questions they seemed to relax a bit because I had my first vaccine a few weeks prior. Then the gave me Ativan to relax me so they could put the catheter in. Another professional nurse tried hard but no luck. Remember all the prep they did to my wrist which I wouldn’t need a catheter for well my artery was to small so they had to go through the groin. You can’t move your leg for six hours after the procedure so catheter is necessary. I always have these kind of odd problems that are not common for other people. Don’t worry if you are having a procedure the nurses didn’t even believe me that I was going to be a challenge for them. They finally decided to wait until I was sedated. The procedure requires conscious sedation or twilight not the kind where you are completely out.
After that I don’t remember anything until I saw the staff behind the screen like I was watching a movie and the doctor saying I was a challenge but they managed. I’m always a challenge. They moved me to recovery my room well I thought it was a room until the morning I’ll explain in the next post. I don’t remember much about the night a lot of people have major pain especially in the first twelve hours which is why they keep you overnight. They give you morphine with a pump to control pain. I remember people saying they were putting my stuff in a locker I had brought ginger coconut water with me I asked them to give it to me because of the catheter I wasn’t allowed to get up. After that I fell asleep. Then I woke up at night knew I was going to throw up grabbed a container and threw up. You have to fast before the procedure I had a lot of medication with no food. I called the nurse she gave me some water and I went back to sleep. I’m glad I had my coconut water because I ran out of water at night and I needed it. I remember waking up pumping more medicine and sleeping again.
I’m really grateful I joined a Facebook group for people who had the procedure so I knew what to bring. I couldn’t use any of the other things because of the catheter I couldn’t get up. That was all I needed.
It stopped raining now so I will write another post later to explain my recovery experience.
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