My mum is going in for a surgery. It’s called a hysterectomy. For those who don’t know, a hysterectomy is an operation to remove a woman's uterus (womb).
You may be asking why she needs this surgery. Well its cos she’s had a prolapsed uterus for some years now. I don’t really know how to explain it but I guess it’s a situation where the muscles of the womb kinda collapse or something, the uterus moves from its usual place down into the vagina leading to urinary problems, pelvic pressure, or difficulty with bowel movements.. Now don’t ask me what causes it cos I don’t know!
She ought to have had this surgery ages ago but she is so so scared. I don’t blame her; it’s not me going in for the surgery but am also really scared. My mum has got high blood pressure and there is a risk of patients with that condition to slip into a coma during surgical procedures. I actually lost a friend earlier this year in a similar situation. She had gone in for a caesarean section, the operation was successful and she had birthed the baby only to slip into a coma. The doctors’ explanation was something about a cardiac arrest caused by her high blood pressure. Anyway back to my mum cos that’s who this post is all about.
She woke me up very early one morning some weeks back to say she was ready to go ahead with the operation. To say I was surprised is saying the least. I enquired what brought about the sudden decision to go ahead with the operation and she said she had thought it through and was sure it was the best thing for her since the prolapsed womb gave her a lot of discomfort.
I spoke with a doctor pal who recommended a gynaecologist somewhere in Yaba reputed to be one of the best hands in the field. We met with him, she ran some tests and the surgery was scheduled to be performed today-Monday the 8th of October.
Now, you are probably wondering if she is in the theatre already. No she isn’t! I don’t know if it was a case of cold feet again or what but she called the doctor last Friday to ask that the surgery be moved upwards by a week. Her excuse was that she had malaria and wanted to treat that first before the surgery. So now the surgery has been moved to next week Monday the 15th.
Last Saturday morning, a new twist to this whole surgery business came up.
You see, my mum is a dreamer, as in her dreams usually come to pass. I got that gift from her too but mum wears the crown when it comes to dreaming. I remember once, when I was still in the university. I had fought with this girl during the semester (Not that I am a fighter o! It was one of the few occasions I ever fought in my life. For the record, I detest fighting! I used to live off campus in this compound with some other girls and there was this particular group of babes who felt threatened by my presence. Dem dey vex say na only me the coolest bobos dey find come, lol! Maybe I will blog about these babes and some of their theatrics some time soon). The babe had given me the first slap and there was no way I was going to let it go without retaliating, na so fight come take start o! Anyway I got back home that semester break and the morning after my return during the usual morning devotion, mum had looked at me and asked: “Who did you fight with in school?” I looked at her with my mouth wide open wondering how in God’s name she got to find out that I had fought in school. Initially I thought someone had told her but then I wondered who it could possibly me as my brother who was in the same school as me didn’t even know about the fight. She went on to tell me how she had seen me in a dream fighting with a girl and all that. Meeen! Since dat day I began to respect mumsie and her dreams o! And that’s just one of her very many dreams that has turned out to be true.
Okay so back to Saturday. It turns out that the previous night (Friday night); mum had another one of her dreams. In this dream she had climbed up a height and when she wanted to come down, there was no way for her to. The steps disappeared and in its place was a slippery tiled wall that was impossible to climb down. She pleaded with some people she saw up there that her husband was down the road waiting for her and she needed to go down and meet him but they told her that it was not possible for anyone to leave that place. She was still contemplating jumping down at the risk of breaking her limbs when she woke up from the dream.
Again she slept and had another dream. This time she was with her mother(My late grandma) and they were seated at the back row in a church where a burial service was being held. Her family members were all in the church and she and grandma were commenting on the type of ‘gele’ (headscarf) one of her sisters had on.
She awoke from sleep that morning very anxious and as she told me the dreams, I couldn’t help contracting some of the anxiety too. I mean with my mum’s dream history, who wouldn’t be??? I have told her that maybe we need to rethink the whole surgery idea cos me I never ready to lose my mama yet. She has to be present at my wedding and see her grandchildren first before anything else abeg!
She is anxious. The whole family is worried. It’s like we are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea here. Is it better for her to just go on living with the discomfort of the prolapsed womb or to risk it with the surgery? What do you think guys?
One thing I know for sure is this: I don’t want to lose my mum, Not yet!
God forbid bad thing o!!!
