Right Moon?

why i'm not scared

Warning: Too Much Information below. Stop looking at me like that...

Last year I had a necessary and life-improving surgery which sliced my intestine, pulled it through a newly-created hole in my stomach, "allowed" me to wear a pouch rather than going through regular bathroom procedures, and gave a wounded part of my body a chance to heal before another surgery. (I could regale you with more details, but none of us has had enough to drink to make it worthwhile conversation.) One year and two surgeries later, I'm much better. I had the ostomy reversed and things are significantly better with my personal plumbing. What I was left with (other than the memories) was a Very Large Scar. This scar was no minor thing, measuring probably 3-inches x 1/2-inch, and included other smaller scars (from incision and stitches) that made my belly resemble a mysterious treasure map.

That was before the pregnancy expansion. The scar has now gone from "the size of a caterpillar" to "the size of a big Twinkie", and is actually where I notice the most change in my body these days (my legs and feet might be changing, but I wouldn't know, because I can't see anything below The Bump). But it's not just an external thing. Underneath the skin on the right side there is a great deal of scar tissue, and this seems to have prevented my baby-bump from growing in anything resembling a symmetrical pattern. As Elaine put it when she saw me last month, I'm "hanging a bit to the left". It's strange, but it's ok.

I'd like to clear this up, because there has been much speculation lately: the doctor is confident that the baby has not been affected by my Crohn's Disease, The Scar, or the strange shape of my belly. (The baby may or may not be affected by my recent overindulgence on jet-puffed marshmallows.) The discomfort is mine, and if the current movement patterns are any indication, the baby doesn't seem to mind one bit.

Next month (!) I am scheduled to deliver this special package via c-section. And while I know this is no small procedure, I've gone through much more dramatic abdominal surgery before, and this time I get to take home a baby at the end. Sounds like a much better deal.

Posted by rightmoon at December 4, 2005 02:33 AM