General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why would anyone care whether a woman has an abortion or not? [View all]REP
(21,691 posts)It involves a local anesthetic to the cervix and the insertion of a small suction cannula into the uterus. It hurts about as much as extremely bad cramps, but doesn't last very long. There is some minor bleeding afterwards, similar to that associated with a period. Recovery time is 2-3 days. Tylenol or Ibuprofen is given for the post-op pain.
Compare that to my last surgery, where I was given general anesthesia; had five incisions made in my shoulder; had the ends of my clavicle, acromion, and sub-acromion sawed off; had two large titanium anchors drilled into my greater tuberosity to hold the sutures that are holding my torn supraspinatus and subscapularis tendons so they can re grow to the bone; a large bone spur removed; the glenohumeral joint debrided, etc. I had a severe reaction to the surgical wash and a few other post-OP complications; and I was given Dilaudid for the post-OP pain. The post-op pain is excruciating and horrible. This is considered a minor, out-patient procedure. It will take me a year to fully recover from. It was far more unpleasant and traumatic than my abortion.
Yet I very much wanted both procedures done (and I had the second one done twice in one year; once on each shoulder).