I was finally sterilized friday via bilateral salpingectomy. I'm 32 and live in NYC, and went to Dr. Erb found from the childfree wiki. I would say my experience is a bit unique in that I ended up randomly having an appendectomy (lol luck) 3 months ago that delayed my procedure, but they were able to reopen/use 2 of those laproscopic points to complete the sterilization. however, they tried going via my bellybutton but i already had scar tissue build up so i have a newer entry point near the bottom of my left ribcage.

day of: I was scheduled to arrive at 11 but got there at 9 because the subway is unpredictable and was actually able to start the process at 10 because of a cancellation. However, I wasn't taken back until 2! A big reason for this? The red tape surrounding the sterilization consent form - which for a few seconds might have scrapped the entire procedure.

I want to talk about this because I think it's important to note how one nurse who (in my conspiratorial brain solely not based in fact) I believe was trying to stop the procedure based on her own personal beliefs (yes, in NYC) questioned the form. Dr. Erb is very meticulous, I knew this about her when I had my first consultation. Further, she and her assisting resident (didn't catch his name but he was also lovely) had just come to me from the OR having completed a bisalp. I knew the paperwork was filled out and checked on her end without any mistake. However, the nurse who had checked the paperwork in the morning, was different from the nurse who then questioned the form (shift rotation?) and I honestly wish I'd gotten that nurses name because I do have a feeling she was trying to halt the procedure.

For those who didn't have to fill out a consent form, in NYC it cannot be filled out with the doctor or surgeon, because it could be deemed as said person pursuading the patient/conflict of interest. I had to fill this paperwork out with two NP's in the office to consent and kick off a 30 day waiting period. I thought this 30 day period in NYC was only for Medicaid, and private insurance was separate/could be scheduled immediately but Cohen Medical Practice says 30 days for all. It ended up not making a difference for me because I had to wait to heal from my appendectomy anyway.

Why am I going on and on about this? Had that nurse successfully questioned that consent form on her own subjective grounds, I would've been unhooked from my IV and sent home, where I would've had to schedule another consent form signing appt and waited another 30 days. I hope that Dr Erb reports that nurse so she doesn't work on these forms for the rest of her career. Maybe it was my anxiety but that nurse had an abnormal persistence and I believe she was bringing her personal morals into play. Thankfully the original nurse from that morning, a lovely man named Eric who checked me in first actually, came to the rescue and gave her a full education and I was on my way back to the OR in minutes.

Okay, back to the surgery. It went great and I knew what to expect because an appendectomy is nearly identical to this procedure in that it's laproscopic and they fill you with gasses. However, they did have to make more cuts (I ended up with 2 new incisions, plus the reopening of 2 out of 3 from appendix) and I had a catheter this time and it was uncomfy to pee for a full 24 hours!!!

The most discomfort I felt this time stems from the gas seeming to be stuck in my lower abdomen (yes, plus right shoulder pain too!) but otherwise I actually feel better than I did the day after after my appendectomy.

Suggestions that helped in my appendectomy and this bisalp: - wear slip on shoes to surgery - bring a book. your phone will make you stare at passing time waiting for it to be your turn = anxiety. - ask the anthesiologist to numb your arm and give you anti nausea meds. I'm also allergic to Vicodin so I kept reminding everyone every 5 minutes. - get a heating pad!!! - I purchased a stomach binder this time that I didn't have for my appendectomy, I think it will help a ton expelling the gas in the stomach but it’s 2 days post op and I haven’t used it yet. - take the pain meds. I'm not a narcotics fan, but just take them if your body is saying you need them!! i overdid it saturday because i felt so good, and was hard on myself for needing to revert back to oxy yesterday. - bring a pillow in the car to put against your stomach for the ride home (90 greuling minutes to ride from the west side of Manhattan to Brooklyn in rush hour post op - bring the pillow.) - gas x & cough drops

It hasn’t even hit me yet that this finally happened. I feel relief, and gratitude. I’ve never wanted children, never wanted to be pregnant, and I want to get off birth control (even if temporarily since I have pcos) so this was something I knew was right for me. Honestly, I expected to feel a bit more emotional about it all but honestly it just feels right, like this is how it was supposed to be.

THANKS FOR READING MY NOVEL NOW GO GET YOUR TUBES OUT (if you want)