March 19th, 2010 by Kim

I wanted to officially get word out about my recent surgery. It really has been a whirl wind. I was just reminded that it happened exactly 1 week tonight, although it seems like 2 days ago for me.

It was last Friday night (March 12), all the kids were asleep and Zac and I were just getting into bed when I began to have severe abdominal pressure and pain. As best as I can explain it, the pain felt similar to the last stages of labor (full of pressure) and pain. I went to the bathroom thinking it would relieve the pressure and it only got worse. Now I felt nauseous, hot, cold, faint, ughh everything all at once, it was overwhelming.

Over the next course of hours, I was seen by my doctor (gyn) who quickly diagnosed me with a ruptured tubal pregnancy. This was not exactly a surprise. I had been seeing my doctor since January, at which time I learned I was pregnant again! But after several weeks of careful watch (and a 3 day hospitalization in February for observation), it was determined that I had an ectopic pregnancy that was spontaneously dissolving.

What we were surprised with now, was that it was ruptured and I was hemorrhaging internally. Although devastated at the moment, God allowed me to think clearly and remember a friend here who had gone through this same thing. I immediately called her for a recommendation of a doctor (for surgery). And within 15 minutes that doctor called my doctor. (This was necessary since unlike the US,  hospitals here are staffed with their “own” doctors. So the doctor you see in the office setting is not the doctor who will treat you in the hospital). The results of this one phone call was completely the hand of God. Because our greatest fear was going into surgery without any knowledge of a reputable doctor.

Within a few hours, everything was worked out and I was in surgery in a nearby town – Cadca. It was a scary time of course, but God did give me a real peace about everything. You can not look at the circumstances without seeing His hand in everything. Even the detail of which hospital was from Him. it was a newly renovated GYN ward and operating room (that we didn’t know existed until I was in it).

The nurses were amazing and caring women. They took such good care of me.  Zac was not allowed  with me during recovery very much and my 2 days in ICU!  They told me: “he doesn’t need to see you like this, we will take care of you”. And they did. Although it was hard not to have Zac there, I think they were right. He didn’t need to see me that way. I was in a lot of pain, and it would have been very difficult for him to see me like this for long periods of time.

I was released on Tuesday (March 16) and Zac has had plenty of opportunity to take care of me! He is doing great nursing me back to health and managing our brood! He’s exhausted and 1/2 sick himself with some respiratory bug. We have had precious friends bring meals every night. They have been a real blessing.

I do not understand why I needed to go through this trauma (not just the surgery, but the roller coaster of emotions since we found out we were pregnant. . . then not. . . then yes, then it’s ectopic). What I do know is:  I have a God who cares for me. He protects me.  He provides for me. He comforts me. He is REAL. If you have never experienced this God, you are surely missing something.