ailbhe | Ailbhe's Health Timeline (Reply)

30 April 2004: Baby born. We all know about this; much tearing and cutting, many wounds, tears of joy and anguish, etc.

7 weeks later: Female gynaecologist says that although my genitalia could be left as-is until I finish having children, she can see why I want them fixed. Referral to male gynaecologist.

27 July 2004: Linnea's sleep apnoea pronounced entirely due to her headcold and nothing to worry about. We buy a breathing monitor and I start sleeping again.

13 September 2004: Male gynaecologist says "If it hurts that much, how are you going to get pregnant again, eh? We have to fix it. Don't suppose you'll stop breastfeeding? In that case, use this HRT cream until your surgery date. And the incontinence sounds sinister. You need to see a colo-rectal specialist."

27 September 2004: Prescription for proper pain relief at last! No more overdosing on OTC painkillers.

21 October 2004: First appointment with colo-rectal specialist. Told never to have another vaginal birth no matter what. He decides to examine me under general anaesthetic at the same time as my gynaecological surgery.

14 December 2004: Perineal reconstruction and rectal exam.

07 January 2005: Codeine withdrawal: diarrhoea, nausea, headaches, hallucinations, blackouts.

10 January 2004: Female gynaecologist, who also does traumatic birth counselling, meets me - and promises to get the notes about my surgery as I have heard nothing from either attending surgeon, not the gynaecologist or the colo-rectal specialist.

08 August 2005: Colo-rectal specialist: Exam under anaesthetic to see why the pain persists; conclusion as yet unknown; I will have a follow-up appointment in "a few months".

09 August 2005: Letter from gynaecologist to say that I can have an appointment in 4 months time.

So.

That means that I get an appointment to see why the surgery didn't fix all my problems an entire year after the surgery itself. Linnea will be 19 or 20 months old.

I think Rob needs to start phoning people to say "Should I start divorce proceedings now, or will you have my wife fit for action sometime soon?" and I'm only half-joking, I think they're not listening to me.

So - how does one go about going private in this country? How do I pay someone to fix me NOW? There are people out there performing cosmetic surgery to make people's labias more attractive. One of them can surely fix my little owie. Damn it.