Chapter 15: The Most Magical Trip with the Worst Timing

It's been way too long since I've updated this blog. A trip to Disney, the holidays, a vicious cold and my dad's hip replacement surgery got in the way. I've been very drained recently and I'm slowly learning that an important part of self care in general and living with endometriosis specifically is to rest when you need to rest. It doesn't make you lazy. Listening to your body is very important. Here's a story about how I didn't do that at all and what consequences I paid for it.

I had a great idea about a week after surgery... I booked plane tickets to Orlando to with one of my best friends to visit my other best friend for her birthday. What was the plan for this group of 30 year old girls? Four days at Disney World... just six weeks post op. In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best idea. But I had fun, so no regrets, right?

I was never actually in pain while I was running around the parks, but by the end of the day I was exhausted... more exhausted than a usual trip to Disney. I think that was part of the problem, I might have been better at taking it easy if I wasn't feeling so good. By the time I got home from Disney I was so exhausted that I came down with the worst cold that I've had in years. I think it was a combination of the airport germs and just general exhaustion. I definitely wouldn't recommend doing a big trip like this a month and a half after having surgery. I did ask the doctor and he did clear me to go, but I still think it was a bad idea. Even now, knowing how tired I am at the end of the day, I would wait another month or so. According to my surgeon, full healing takes about 3-4 months.

I had the tail end of my second post op period while I was in Florida. Of course I did. I think I've had my period for any major trip I've gone on since I was 12. How does that always happen? Luckily, it was an incredibly light and painless period. I barely bled and I had no cramps. For once, I overpacked pads and underwear (as opposed to underpacking them and rushing to the store in Italy trying to figure out where they keep their feminine hygiene products... yes. That happened. It's not exactly how I'd recommend spending time in Florence). If this is what a "normal" period is like for ladies without endometriosis, sign me up. Life would be amazing if this was my new "normal." Since this is a super late update, I have had 2 periods since then. Spoiler alert: it doesn't stay this light.