slice of the cervix.

The phone call shattered Christmas Eve for me.
"I know you're going to worry even though I'm telling you not to," Dr. Davis said. She told me that the cells that we had identified and then biopsied in September weren't going away and that the next step would have to be taken between now and May.
Well, I chose now and referral in hand, I let the tears fall.
I cried for almost two hours.
And so, plans were made for the 30th of December, an office visit, to give me local anesthetic in/around my cervix and then proceed with the LEEP procedure. Basically, they cut and cauterize your cervix all at one time.
Well, I went online to do more research and became completely unglued. We're talking hysterical. I usually take things and pain very well, but the idea of this really bothered me.
Of course, the office was closed for the holiday weekend, so there was no time to call the doctor and talk about other options until Monday (the day before the scheduled procedure).
I called and told them my fears and that I would feel more comfortable doing it under general anesthesia, something that Dr. Davis and I had discusses. The assistant told me that the doctor had actually thought that general anesthesia would be a better approach for me. (The LEEP is super common, and some of them are done under anesthesia but most are done in office. Sorry, not my deal at all.)
Mom, who has been to every doctor's appointment with me, was right behind my decision and we changed my plane tickets to today.
We met with the doctor on the 30th. She's a wonderful lady who hugged me and assured me that everything would be alright. She didn't seem inconvenienced at all by my decision and she made me feel a lot more comfortable about the whole process.
Dr. Davis did a good job of referring me and for that I am eternally thankful.
When I first got the abnormal PAP results in September, I called the Loyola Wellness Center (specializing in terrible healthcare) and asked them for a referral to a gynocologist out in Chicago. The response?
"Chicago's a big city. Look in the phone book."
I was on a plane two weeks later. Nothing for me beats having a doctor that I absolutely trust and feel comfortable with.

The thing that got me was the mention of a tube for the smoke. Smoke!?!? out of there???
Mom didn't believe me that there was actually smoke, but we settled that up with the nurse yesterday. "Enough to cloud the area," she said.
Gross.

So I went in yesterday morning, starving since I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since midnight, and got ready for surgery. They took me back, attempted to start the IV, which failed miserably. It felt like something was trying to fit into too small of a vein. That plan was scrapped and we switched arms.
Then they gave me some fluids and we chilled out for awhile. The hospital gowns are the least attractive things in the world and I felt absolutely exposed, but the nurses were nice enough to bring me like four hot blankets.
When the nurse went out to get Mom, she told her that I was a very nice daughter. (Which I am.)
Eventually, the doctor came in and talked to me and my mom. And then the anesthesiologist. And then the surgery nurse. And then the resident who was going to assist. (Ugh, I was not a fan of her. You know when you just get a vibe? Well...I hope she got a good show. She didn't even introduce herself to Mom. FAIL.)
So they gave me a sedative which I did not start to feel. Apparently, I wasn't supposed to remember the ride down to the OR. Which I do. I hopped off the bed and onto the super skinny surgery table and the doctor held my hand while I fell asleep.

BAM!

I woke up in recovery, still starving. They had told me I was going to be nauseous but that was most definitely not the case. They gave me a pain pill and some crackers and let me chill out for a while and then Mom and I went home.
I parked myself on the couch, munching on pills throughout the night to keep me comfortable and here I am today.

Mom texted/called all the necessary people. I do believe that she used that time to work into the conversation with Hunter a visit to Denver. Emily was glad I'm alright and she'll be picking me up tonight at the airport.

A little sore but no worse for the wear. So I'll be on drugs/pain pills for most of today and then I'll probably take the last one as soon as I get to Chicago. (No driving on Vicodin!)

So yeah.
Hopefully this will be my last experience with metal in that area.
But if not, this was definitely a very comfortable and worthwhile endeavor. Mom agrees. I am lucky to have one as supportive as her.