On the road to recovery…

Caesarian section (C–section) is a MAJOR SURGERY. I can’t stress on that enough. You are literally being sliced up layer by layer to bring out a baby or babies. It is no joke! In my whole life, I never knew I would have to undergo any surgery. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I was #teampush. I had read about CS as well because I wanted to keep an open mind in case of any eventuality. I prayed daily for a successful birth and was specific about pushing (we have to put SMART objectives into our prayers…😂). I used to say that I couldn’t wait to experience what it felt like to push a baby out. Me and my mouth! 🤦🏽‍♀️

First experience

My water broke at 4 am and we rushed to the hospital. Now, why is that as at 2016, there was and still is no other way to check dilation???? Scientists, doctors and all of you in that field please answer me. Why does another human being have to violate me like this? Like, where do I know you from for you to insert almost your whole fist in my lady parts? What have I done? Sigh. I wailed the first time the doctor checked. The second time, some midwife with some old funny looking wig and glasses came to check. I couldn’t relax because it felt so uncomfortable. What even made it worse was when she said “you haven’t even pushed the baby yet and you’re screaming like this? Is that not where she’ll come out from?” I was too stunned to reply her. When she left, my husband tried to talk to me, telling me to try and relax…tcheewwww, the look I gave him ehn, no one told him to keep quiet and sit in the corner. Love you boo 😘

After all this ordeal, I stopped contracting and I wasn’t dilating at all! I was still at a tip of a finger from 4am till late afternoon. One of the midwives noticed my daughters heart rate was unusual and called in the doctor to assess it. Now, he dropped a bomb! My daughter’s heart rate was too high, they called it fetal distress, and it was either they induced me or I was to have a CS. As soon as my mother heard CS, she said “NO!” I was like please cut me open and bring my child out I beg. I had heard and read too many scary stories about induction and I wasn’t ready for that. As I entered the theatre, I felt like I was in one of the Grey’s Anatomy series. The place was so nice, an ultra-modern theatre. I got scrubbed, shots given and I was ready for surgery. I was so excited within me, I don’t know why. She finally came out with a very faint cry. Baby girl was tired! My first words were “ wow look at her hair.” When I used to pray about her hair, my friends used to laugh at me but now look! God vindicated me.

Recovery was somewhat not so bad as I expected. I got a nice bikini cut and invisible stitches so I didn’t have to go and remove anything after some weeks. I can’t believe that still happens in this day and age! Yes, I was sore. I couldn’t bath immediately and had to do ablution for days. I couldn’t bend; getting out of bed was tough and I couldn’t carry anything except my baby. Thankfully, my mum was there to help me all the way through. God bless her. I tried to wear my post parfum belt and I couldn’t because the pain was too much to bear. It’s not because of a flat stomach that I will kill myself. As if that wasn’t enough, I got a little gape on the scar. I was scared my scar will rip open. Walking, sitting, standing was tough but gradually it got better. After 6 weeks, I got cleared and I felt much better.

Second experience

Now with the boys, it was an elective CS and I knew what to expect. However, some things were different. I was much bigger than with my daughter. Even with her, people thought I was having twins. I was carrying two boys, weighing almost 7kg combined. I was so long and my tummy was so low. As soon as I was wheeled into the theatre, my doctor exclaimed, “what a huge tummy!” As if he wasn’t the one I was seeing the whole pregnancy duration!🙄 I already mentioned how the boys came out and the pain and everything in my previous post, “it’s time to bring these boys out.”

The pain was worse. I had constant lower back pain ( I don’t know whether it’s because I moved when I got the third shot). I was given a gel to use to rub my back but it didn’t work. The doctor then ordered that I be given injection on my butt for the back pain and I don’t know whether the nurse didn’t know how to give injections or what? It was very painful! I developed a small bump and I couldn’t touch it without it hurting. The pain on my butt eventually went after about two months! Hmmmm. No position, whether lying down or sitting, was comfortable for me. I had extra pillows from the hospital and from home but it didn’t help. I had heavy clots of blood oozing out of me. For the first two days, the midwives had to literally insert their hands in my lady parts to remove the clots. And anytime they came around to do it, they had this worried look on their faces. One midwife, one time, had to actually call a senior midwife to come and have a look because it was too much. I got worried, I won’t lie.

As if the back pain and clots weren’t traumatizing enough, my BP decided to have a mind of its own. All throughout the pregnancy, my BP was good till a week before I delivered. It got so high I had to be monitored closely for fear of pre-eclampsia. Thankfully, it stabilized but as soon as I delivered it shot right back up. I was like, not again! It happened with my daughter and I ended up spending five days in the hospital and put on BP medication for a month. Same with the boys. It was worrisome. When the nurses came in for their routine checks, they would always check my BP about three times, hoping it would go down. On some occasions, they would not record the reading and leave and come back again to check. What at all was making my BP rise like this???

The midwife suggested my mum stayed the night to help with the boys so I get some rest. How could I rest when I had cleaners coming in to the room at 4 am to clean? Nurses who are ending their night shift coming in at 4 am to bath the boys. I mean why??? Can’t someone sleep?? When I call them too to come for the boys to feed them, it will take forever! I don’t understand why they boil the water till it is so hot, mix the formula and let it sit in cold water to cool. What happened to mixing with lukewarm water instead? Give me the formula for me to do myself too ah, No! Hmmm all this was enough reason to raise my BP! I had one nurse who was also on my case about walking. I struggled to walk but i had to if i wanted to heal quickly. Nurses please don’t come for me lol.

The day I was discharged was a RELIEF! Finally, I was going home but only on one condition: that I come back after ten days for my BP to be monitored. The speed with which I got my things ready, hmm, Lord knows. I got home and I could finally breathe. I was in my comfort zone and with my mummy. Anytime I went to dress the scar, the midwife will clean it like there was nothing there. It wasn’t as painful but I felt it was too harsh, especially that my insides were still sore. I met my doctor 10 days after and when he saw the plaster on the scar he exclaimed: “ do we still do this?” He quickly removed the plaster, cleaned me up and cleared me to bath. I enjoyed my bath afterwards!

While my husband held the fort with my daughter, my mum was there to assist me recover. All I did was to bath and feed myself and breastfeed them. She didn’t even want me to lift a finger. Thankfully, I healed slowly and steadily by God’s grace. I am not as strong as I used to be. Things I could do easily before without getting tired, are requiring extra energy now. I am out of breath in no time. I have learnt how to just sit still and do nothing. I choose not to stress myself much and do things at a pace that I am comfortable with.

Is it worth it? Yes. Will I do it again? E don do jare! If i do, change my name to KOJO.