My Belly Button Has Shrunk (and Other Need To Know Facts)

I realized this morning that I hadn’t really given any updates on my healing since the immediate days following surgery. No real information at all besides the fact that I’ve returned to work.

And there might be some of you actually a little curious as to how I’m feeling since the great endo removal of 2011.

My biggest concern right now? I’m convinced that my belly button was sewed up too tight. Seriously. I think it’s smaller than it ever was before. I’m fairly sure that after being sliced and cinched back together now for 3 different surgeries, it is quickly disappearing. I’m afraid that if I ever have to have surgery again, I won’t have much belly button left after the fact. It will just be a tiny little pin hole that is unrecognizable as what it once used to be. When I described this to my dad, he seemed to think it was a good thing. I had to explain to him that a shrinking belly would be a good thing, but that a shrinking belly button is just… weird.

And yes, this is something that really has been a point of concern for me. So, if that is the top of my list of worries – it should tell you how well everything else is healing up!

I’ve still got a little bit of discomfort on my left side. Mostly surrounding the incision site itself, but I’ve also been getting pinching and pulling just underneath my rib cage, which I’m sure is related to the endo that had to be removed from my spleen up there. I wore jeans comfortably for the first time on Friday though (up to that point, I had still been unbuttoning my pants anytime I was in anything besides sweats), and I think to most people it would appear that I’m moving around just fine. I was even going up and down the stairs at work yesterday with ease.

The feeling below my belly button is starting to return, but it still feels odd in the area that was previously numb. Almost as though I had burned myself there and the skin is healing? It’s nothing catastrophic or overly painful at all, just a little sensitivity and tenderness to the touch. I’m assuming that has something to do with the nerves repairing themselves and that it’s completely normal. I guess the best way to describe it though is that the area itself just feels a bit raw.

My abdominal muscles in general have definitely been a little sore. As if I worked out a bit too hard and am suffering the consequences. I think that parts a little odd, since as far as I know – I don’t think anything would have been done to my muscles. But I definitely feel the pull there when I try to get up too fast or do anything that would otherwise engage those muscles. Again, nothing that I would even describe as painful… Just enough of a reminder that my stomach isn’t quite yet back to normal.

I lost 6 pounds after surgery. For the first 10 days or so, I honestly couldn’t eat much at all. I would have a few bites of food before feeling completely full. That burrito I was so sure I would want immediately after surgery? Yeah, I didn’t have it until last night… And even then, it was a much smaller version than what I had originally been planning on. But over the last few days my appetite has started to return and I’m finally eating normal sized meals again. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before that weight packs back on. Oh well… all good things must end eventually!

My energy level is the only thing that’s still lagging. I made it through full days at work just fine this last week, but I definitely started dragging around 2 every day. Yawning and struggling to keep my eyes open even though I've been sleeping a lot more than usual. I know that’s all part of the healing process, and I’ve been doing my best to get enough sleep, but the truth is that even now I am having to fight with myself over the possibility of a nap… I'm going to be really happy when I start feeling “normal” again in terms of energy.

Those crazy emotions I was experiencing last week have more or less subsided. I swear to you, there were a few days there when I was in tears from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed, and I couldn’t even explain why. I know there was a great deal of work done on my ovaries, so I think it’s fair to assume that that combined with the almost 5 hours of anesthesia did a number on my hormones, but I am still proud to proclaim that there have been no tears in the last week. Which is good, because I am not a big fan of the random crying spouts over nothing!

Teeny was actually out of town from the time I got back until this weekend, so I haven’t had any acupuncture at all. I’m getting anxious to see her again on Wednesday, as I know she’ll be able to help with both the issues with my energy as well as any lingering hormonal fluctuations. The plan from here on out is to really rely on her and some herbal treatments to keep the endo from coming back. I’ll also be consulting with Dr. Naturopath and running any new ideas by Dr. Cook. There are some who have asked if I plan on going back on some sort of hormonal birth control as well, and the simple answer is – no. I will not be doing anything to medicinally alter my hormones anymore. We tried to treat the endo with birth control initially and it did absolutely nothing. Lupron was a similar story – only with worse side effects. The plan I have come to with Teeny, Dr. Naturopath, and now with Dr. Cook on board is to treat my estrogen dominance as naturally as possible, but to really work towards getting my body to function normally all on its own. No more hormonal treatments at all. Just pushing my body to do what it’s supposed to do naturally. It’s definitely a bit of a scary prospect to imagine pulling away from western medicine entirely from this point forward in relation to treating this disease, but I know it’s the right choice for me. The medicinal options did nothing to stop the endo, and only worked to make me feel worse. I know that for me, I have to at least give the natural therapies a chance. And having Dr. Cook fully support that endeavor and acknowledge that it is probably the best path for me has only made me even more confident in this decision. From here on out though, only time will tell.

I’ve signed up for a Pilate’s boot camp starting on March 14th. I’ve never actually done Pilates, but it’s something that has come highly recommended to me in relation to an exercise routine that could actually aid in combating this disease. I don’t yet have clearance to start working out, but my next phone consultation with Dr. Cook’s office is on March 9th, and I will be running the idea by them then. I’ve already verified that I can cancel or postpone the boot camp if I’m unable to get clearance for any reason, but I am anxious to get started. I know it’s not something I would be ready for tomorrow, but I’m hoping that in a few more weeks it will be something I will be ready to take on.

At the present, my biggest goal is to clean the house today. I haven’t done any cleaning at all in over a month, and I’m finally feeling good enough to think I could take on a little mopping and vacuuming. To put that into perspective though – my condo is only 780sf and I’ve got a roommate occupying about 280 of that who is fully capable of cleaning up after herself. So in reality, it shouldn’t take me longer than an hour to clean. And don’t worry – I have no intentions of getting down on my hands and knees to scrub anything!

Of course, if you want to worry, you are more than welcome to come over and clean for me! I especially loathe toilets!

For the most part though, everything is moving along according to plan with my healing. I’m still not 100%, but I’m feeling better every day. I won’t be running a marathon anytime soon, but then again… I wasn’t likely going to be running a marathon anytime soon before either!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I really do need to turn my attention back to my incredible shrinking belly button.

It probably just looks like a normal belly button to anyone else.

But I know different.

And I’m telling you; that poor thing has taken a beating.