What is an ovarian cyst?
They’re fluid-filled sacs located within the ovaries commonly found in girls and women of reproductive age.
When I first heard the news from the doctor that I was diagnosed with one, I wanted to run away from everyone around me. I knew something was wrong with my body months back, but I couldn’t bring myself to inform my parents about it.
It all started when I realized that my periods weren’t arriving regularly, and I was bleeding for almost 4 months straight. Being a student at the time, I barely had any time for myself, and after I started my internship, I stopped caring altogether.
I let my goals of achieving a lot in life overtake me and my own health eventually slipped my mind. I forgot to take care of myself. When I finally told my parents one day, they insisted that I get it checked in the hospital.
I found out I had to go for surgery, and I was overwhelmed
The doctor examined me and told me the words I least expected to hear: “There are cysts on your ovary.”
At that point, I was immediately confused and my mind went blank. I didn’t know what to do. All sorts of questions kept popping into my mind, like:
“What is going to happen to me now?”
“Is this dangerous?”
“How am I going to go through this?”
“What am I supposed to do?”
My doctor informed me that I needed to undergo surgery as the cyst was big and it would only get more dangerous if I didn’t. I knew I would need it, but the shock of it actually happening frightened me.
I couldn’t sleep days before the surgery, I felt miserable. There were times where I would be so mad at myself and blame my religion. “I don’t deserve this; I am too young for this”.
Why did this have to happen to me?
I could see that my family members were worried for me, and I blamed myself for causing them such pain. It got worse when the hospital management told us that no family members were allowed to be with me during this Covid season.
Believe me when I say I wanted to stop everything right there and then. I didn’t think I could do it by myself.
After talking to the doctor, he finally allowed my mum to be with me as long as we each got a personal room and took Covid tests. She also would not be allowed to leave the hospital for 5 days, which she happily obliged.
Surgery was not the way it seemed in the movies
On the 1st of June 2021, the nurse came knocking on my room door at 5am. She asked me to take a shower and prepare for my surgery at 8. I called my family members at home and informed them that I was leaving for the operation room in a minute.
My fear was unstoppable, my tears kept flowing non-stop.
Before I even realized, the nurse came in and led me out. I kissed my mum goodbye and followed the nurse. My mum followed me as I laid on the stretcher until we got to the point where we had to separate.
I screamed “Bye ma!” before she disappeared from my sight.
They wheeled me into the operating room, switched beds, as I waited for the doctor to come in. I was in a room full of lights above me and I could hear my own heart beating fast.
An IV (intravenous) line in my arm was attached to a thin plastic tubing that was connected to a soft bag of fluid. That line was to deliver me anesthesia.
I counted till 3 before I lost consciousness.
When I opened my eyes, the clarity went away and the room sank into the darkness. The moments of anxiety, emotional pain had ended. I felt as though my body belonged to me again and the pressure was gone.
I was wheeled back into my room, where I knew my mum was there waiting for me. I found out from her the next day that I was apparently away for over 3 hours, and along with the cysts, the doctor found two small fibroids as well.
The first few days after the operation were the worst, but thankfully with my mum around me, I was able to do things very slowly. After 5 days in the hospital, I was finally allowed to go home.
As I went past the hospital entrance, I saw my dad waiting and waving towards me. That was when I realized that I was free from this situation.
Prevention really is better than cure
It’s been over a month since my surgery. I am healing well.
If you have any undiagnosed health concerns that are flaring up around your cycle, I’d urge you to find a good gynecologist. It’s never fun to go through an experience like mine, but I was fortunate to be already armed with knowledge going into it—and I hope I never have to experience anything like it again.
To whoever this story may concern, I cannot stress how important it is to take care of your health. If you experience any symptoms at all, then you should seek medical attention immediately.
Inform your parents and get it treated ASAP. Please do not repeat whatever I did, because it definitely did not do me any good. Sending love.
For more stories like this, read: At Age 27, I Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer. Here’s How I Became a Survivor and My Wife Had Cancer — And Our World Came Crashing Down
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