More than you would ever want to know....

Warning...you may not want to read any further! I am sharing some information that is both disgusting and personal. You may want to read the next person's post on your blog roll instead of this one..especially if you are not a female!:)

I have debated over the last few weeks, in my few moments of sanity and calm whether or not to share what has been going on in my life the past few weeks. There are many reasons for my hesitation, both the disgusting personal nature of this post and also the fact that I will probably always be known as "the girl who had the..." and also, many terms discussed even with my sweet husband describing my condition as painful and horrible, could not even be discussed with him or my Dr. without one or all of us erupting in laughter over the terminologies used.

I have told many of you I would call over the past few weeks and I simply have not...not because I did not want to, but I have not been doing especially well to say the least. And to be honest, this is not a pity post! God is good, I am blessed and this circumstance proves that point with each passing hour as Earle and the boys have blessed me in more ways that I can say.

Anyway, lets get down to it, shall we? I have always struggled with random bouts of constipation or diarrhea, and for those of you who know me well, I am always eager to laugh at and share these experiences at my own expense.  About 7 weeks ago,however, this went a bit further than a laughing matter.  At that time, I had what I thought was a severe case of the hemorrhoids. At first it was just a bit annoying, but as the weeks passed, I was spending hours on the toilet each day in pain and I was constantly uncomfortable even off of the toilet. I called my family doctor and initially told them that I had to have something to help my hemorrhoids...which he prescribed immediately and I then drove an eight hour trip each way to Mobile, AL. to visit my sister. I thought things were getting better...even though I sat on Ben's "critter pillar"(neck pillow) the whole way up and back in the car.  I was constantly on the toilet just trying to get some type of comfort or relief the entire time I was at my sister's. Even still, I thought things were on the upswing. A couple more weeks passed and if I would go a day or two without having to have a bowel movement, I thought things were going great. Then I would have a bowel movement, then I would be on the phone to my family doctor asking if he needed to see me...but still getting a call back from the nurse prescribing me foams and creams to 'insert' that would probably do the trick. It was getting out of hand!

I was spending at least 3 to 4 hours a day on average on the toilet, Ben was putting Collin down for his naps, and pretty much running the place. Though Ben was being the best helper a mom could ask for, this was really really getting in my way and completely unfair to him! The climax hit two weeks ago on Saturday when I was on and off of the toilet, literally for 14 hours. Yes, that is right, I said 14 hours! I woke up that next Sunday morning, Ben had been throwing up all night, and I was still in excruciating pain crying and just ready to jump threw a window. At this point for hours after a bowel movement I would have excruciating burning and spasming for 2 to 4 hours that was absolutely unbearable and worse than either of my children's births. Anyway, this particular Sunday morning..as Earle kept asking me why I had not seen a Doctor...I was hurting too badly to again explain that I had called several times...I drove myself to the ER. When I say drove, this was a serious thing because I could not sit or lay at all, I could only sit on a toilet or stand.  A very sweet Nurse Practitioner and a nurse asked me what they could do to help me. They told me that pain meds would only constipate me and that since I had driven myself they could not really give me a shot of anything to knock me out. So I asked if they could give me anything local. They said they could give me a couple of big shots of Lydocaine in the affected area. Without hesitation, I said, "Absolutely!!" So they gave the two large shots...probably the most painful shots I have ever had, but about a minute later I was able to regain my composure and had some relief! Although these ladies had seen the affected area, they were still going on the assumption that this was all caused by my hemorrhoids. They told me that I needed to get in to see a surgeon.

After some advice from a friend, the next day I called a Colorectal Doctor and they were able to get me in for my initial visit on Tuesday. Once again, Earle was staying with the boys so I could go, so I had to drive myself. I was sobbing the whole way. Once I got to the office I could not even stand still long enough to fill out the paper work, I was sobbing, I looked and sounded like a huge mess. Crying at the receptionist, and then even more in the Dr.'s office. I'm telling you, the worst pain I have ever had. The doctor called me into his office for a conference before the exam. I explained what had been going on and told him that I had to have some relief before I left there today, and I hoped he could help me. He told me that he was going to need to examine me. I walked into the other room and did exactly what the nurse told me to. If you have never been to a Colorectal doctor's office, let me tell you, the exam is more than a little humbling! 
After the exam, the doctor came back into the room. He told me that I did not have a chronic hemorrhoid problem, but that my problem was something else. I had what is called a severe/chronic Anal Fissure.
Click on the highlighted part to read...but basically it is like when you give birth, women can tear where you have the baby toward where you have a bowel movement...well with an Anal Fissure, you tear from where you have a bowel movement toward your tail bone.  I just learned a huge lesson about going straight to a specialist! Anyway, the doctor wanted to try and treat it with the correct medicines for a week or so, and if it was not getting much better, we would have to do a surgery called a Lateral Internal Spinctorectomy. Yes, I said Spinctorectomy...its okay you can laugh.

I decided if by Friday things were not much better, I would give the go ahead on the surgery. Well, Friday got here that week and I woke up with a horrible vomiting stomach virus. The kind you cannot even lift your head up off the pillow without vomiting. I was sick all day, and all night. On Saturday morning I felt like the virus was getting better. A couple hours later I started have some severe cramping on the left side of my back and I passed a kidney stone. Later that evening I was in excruciating fits of pain after the virus started giving me diarrhea and I had a few hours of horror. So Monday morning I was calling that doctors office every two minutes until someone answered. They were able to get me in for the surgery Monday afternoon. I felt somewhat validated that the doctor told Earle that after he had seen inside with the camera's and everything my fissure had been a really bad case and that I had definitely needed the surgery. Somehow I felt less wimpy.

My mom was able to come on Tuesday evening and that has been a big help. I also need to thank Rochelle for watching my kids on a moments notice and Brenda, Earle's mom, and Elice, his sister, for helping so much with the boys when they were here last weekend. Unfortunately I passed another kidney stone today, bigger than last Saturday's so I guess I'll be contacting a urologist this week. But needless to say, this is why I have not been around. I am doing SO much better! Thank you Lord for giving me relief through this surgery! My sweet boys have been so good. The only thing is that Collin still has not pooped on the potty yet, and I am sure after hearing me crying on the potty, so much lately that has not helped the case! I am ready to be happy and healthy again! So to those of you I have not been in contact with lately, now you know! I'll be calling you soon....and hopefully we can talk about something other than my anal issues:). Please know that I have edited and edited this post for fear of offending, so I hope it came across in a somewhat tasteful way! I am looking forward to a much better week. I had not asked our church for prayers or anything like that because I could not get past the idea of someone announcing that Carrie Brown had an Anal Fissure and might need a Sphinctorectomy from the church pulpit. I could just hear the auditorium erupting in fits of laughter...and so that is why. But I did have a few of you praying for me. So thanks for the prayers. And I then found out that my parents had told their small group and people at my dad's church, and extended family members so now more people do know. Sort of embarrassing but I guess the prayers did help. Just a great example of how God has a good sense of humor! Now at least I've documented for the Brown Chronicles! Happy Memorial Day weekend!
CB