Hell of a trip so far and the bad keeps piling up! 4 days preop and want advice

[Lovelycarnage]

okay, super uber excited about my surgery. fought hard to get this far and am finally off work for my surgery. my grandfather died last week and we drove north to see him laid to rest but had just come back from saying our good byes. I Haven't seen my one year old in a week bc she is staying with my parents 200 miles away. The day after our second trip north (the first trip we had to make a 200 mile detour to pick up my cousin so she could say her good byes), we had to turn around and take her back. Originally she was supposed to stay next week for my surgery but Hurricane Issac made me send her early. Really missing my baby. so in august we traveled a minimum of 2800 miles. That is a lot of gas!! Plus I work 50+ hours a week! It was also my fellas birthday in august but things were so hectic with my grandfather and family that we didnt get to do more than have a drink and play a game of pool. this was the day before my preop diet so it was actually nice to have that last blast. Work has been very stupid! It difficult to be a girl in a mans job but its only a quarter of the battle when you work with ( well, i could write a book on how awful my job and the people are, lets just suffice it to say that i am a firm believer in waste not, want not and i work at a landfill lol.) so glad to be out of there for the next six weeks!

On top of all that mo0aning and groaning, my in laws moved in with us at the beginning of august In our one bed room 900sq ft house that we converted the laundry room just to have a space for the baby. blah. I have been planning this 6 weeks for 8 months. just time for me and the baby and my hobbies; taking pics of her, scrap-booking and sewing clothes for her. now those 2 are waiting for the perfect jobs before they will even apply so doesn't look like ill be getting much time for me and my dear little one. it does look like I'm going to break down and tell them that during the day most days, they will have to go "job hunting" (spend the day surfing the inet) at a coffee shop somewhere.

So, back to my needing advice. I have a skin condition that is only active because of my gargantuan size and 2 weeks ago it was really bad when I saw the nurse for my preop everything. and she said as long as i could get it under control i should be fine. I have completely gotten them, under control.
But, 2 days ago, I started to get a bit of swelling in a rarely seen area and it has increased until this morning. I am positive it is another Bartholin's Gland infection. I had one in January and it had to be "taken care of". There is a large chance that the swelling will subside before Wednesday ( surgery day) but we don't have power bc of hurricane Issac and we will be driving the 200+ miles again tonight so that we can spend the weekend at my parents to visit with my daughter before we have to spend another week apart. I do have foam Clindamycin that my dermatologist prescribed for me bc of this condition that stems from my fatness and have been applying it which shows in the reduction of swelling.

So my thoughts are, if the swelling doesn't subside completely before Wednesday but also isn't noticeable, can I slide through surgery, then complain about it before i leave the hospital so that it is taken care of but doesn't jeopardize my surgery? If it is still swollen and they find out, most likely they will postpone my surgery. which will be at the earliest next month sometime and ill have to go back to work, which all the nastiness at a landfill will only exacerbate the condition making it even harder to get better. and ill have hell trying to refile for short term disability, time off etc...

so I guess my question is, do they look at your private area before surgery?

[Fran71]

I don't know for sure but there are a few nurses in this site, & hopefully they will chip in. I think that the main causes for postponing surgery is either heart or respiratory problems, where you would struggle while under anaesthetic. I don't think a skin condition would cause you to be postponed but you can also check with your Dr.

[Lovelycarnage]

I worry about it being an infection and the doc saying he has to wait till it passes....

[Fran71]

What about using an antihistamine ? That would usually take down Ny swelling and maybe an antibiotic cream from the pharmacy. It could take it down & keep it under control till after your operation. Maybe after your op they will give you some iv antibiotics & that will sort everything out at the same time x

Will keep my fingers crossed for you, keep us updated in how things go x

[purple]

yes, u will get a catheter for your surgery for urination... u better be up front about everything, that will be beter in the long run, if they can do it, they will, if not it will be better any way... so sry for your loss, and all the hard stuff... AND THIS TO SHALL PASS... good luck, prayers...OH and by the way, the parents need to be parents and not children.... sorry if this sounds rude... THEY R NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.... BLESSING TO U...

[Lovelycarnage]

Fran, thats a great idea! Purple, ah so true are your words... I just want to tell them.... out!!!! its been since January that MIL quit her job knowing FIL had no income bc he only works ponsi schemes, simply bc she was tired of working. i understand her point, i HATE my job but have kept pushing through to keep food on the table. In February, my hubs paid for his mom to come to us from Florida while the FIL was trying to get it together. She wouldnt look for work then either. After a month, I finally picked up a paper made some calls and got her a job. She packed her s#@* and went back to Florida to live on someone else's couch and wait for ponsi (FIL) to get a job.... ugh. Yes, I am not Happy. But thank you for letting me know about the cath. I"m pretty sure I will call my doc and explain.. really hoping the swelling goes down!! They are closed today through Labor day.....

[purplelace70]

I don't know about the infection, sure you will handle it. But may I say KICK THEIR ASS TO THE CURB. Time to take care of you. Sounds like they have history and not looking to change any time soon.

[purple]

honestly, right after your r felling better after ur surgery or befor if u get postponed say im sry we love u but we have to gtake care of ourselfs,its all we can handle.... tell them their stuff is in a rented locker paid for 1 month,and for them to go to a grubby hotel, if thats all they can do.. sounds like u will never get rid of those kind of people untill u put ur foot down ( or up their u know what ). it will have to happen at sometime, as they won"t do it on their own,it might as well be now... things will blow over eventually.but u will allways have to keep those kind of people, even if family, and an arms length. they will use u every time believe me. it rarely works to help out users....because until u get feed up thats all thats going to happen... sry to be so blunt ... im older, tryed helping my share of folks like that over the years, not family ty god... but it just dosnt work...they have to help their selfs...PERIOD u will only have more heart ache, and less money for YOUR family, which IS your responsibility... and they will get over it, and dont ever let them back in...give um an inch,...and they take your LIFE... good luck, be happy and healthy

[Lovelycarnage]

Purple, where are you going for this wonderful vaca of yours? I too would like to leave this all behind for a while!! ( read another post)

[purple]

im sure, trip of a life time ...ty

[Neurorat]

It depends on if you are going to get a foley catheter in your bladder for surgery. They are not working anywhere near your bladder, and the surgery is short, so you may not have one. I left my underwear on during the surgery to make sure I *didn't* have one (knowing me I would probably get a bladder infection from it). They nurses were a little peeved, but I knew where they would be prepping me for surgery and my undies were way under their surgical prep site, so I shut their complaints down quickly before going under.

On to your actual question: Bartholin's Gland cysts are usually *not* infected. They are caused by skin overgrowth on the gland. The gland excretes fluid that lubricates the privates, so when it gets blocked, it gets inflamed. My advice is to do sitz baths (sitting in a shallow warm bath that is deep enough to cover the area for 10 minutes 2-3 times a day, which can help speed your recovery. Also, keep using your antibiotic cream as directed.

I hope you feel better in time for your surgery!

[Fran71]

I have family members like that too! We all know someone who is a deadbeat & will just take take take till you use some extremely bad language & not so politely say get lost. I am luck that I have some great people in my life now, but do have a deadbeat brother & his whole family wife & children think the world owes them. I haven't seen Any of them for 5 years after I said no to giving them cash handouts that I knew would be spent on booze & cigarettes.

You have great things ahead in your life , sleeve is one, I think things are going to be AMAZING,! Onwards & upwards. Remember those who have left this world haven't left us, they live on in our hearts every day x I'm sure they are watching over you x

[Sunflower]

Best to be on the safe side and 'fess up about the possible infection. You are goig through a lot right now. Try to take some time for yourself.