It was several years ago when I was scheduled for a hysterectomy. I was devastated when I found out this was my only option. I thought that maybe I would marry and have maybe one or two more children. I was already in my mid 30’s at the time and running out of time. Coming to grips with that was very difficult but, a few years after surgery I was at peace with it.

During the surgery, things went wrong. I ended up in surgery longer than expected and I lost quite a bit of blood. When I woke up, I could not focus. My vision was everything in the room was moving. This is when the doctor informed me the reason I could not focus was because I’d lost so much blood from surgery. She told me to close my eyes and just listen. I felt her hand on my foot as she stood at the end of my bed. My other doctor that was in surgery with me had gone home for the evening. Scar tissue from my C-section had prevented them from doing laser surgery. They had to cut me open and then they found another huge fibroid underneath the one they were removing. This is why surgery took so long. This is why I lost so much blood.

During my stay in the hospital, they wanted me to get up after they attempted a blood transfusion. I could hardly move. My body felt like it weighed 3 times as much. We decided to let my blood rebuild on its own. Before I could leave the hospital, I had to be able to poop, walk, sit up, and pass the breathing test. The first time I was able to stand, the nurse tried to make me walk. I told her no. Let me just stand. I could not feel my balance. My body was different. It felt different. I knew that because of yoga. I was getting up with assistance every hour or so without walking. I finally found my balance. I finally was able to sit up, by pulling on the rails, I was so weak from not having enough blood in my body. They couldn’t draw blood! Nothing was coming out. And God, did they try. Ugh!

So, I would pull myself up. Sit. Find balance and lay back down. Then I was able to do that sequence and stand and find balance. Take a step. Find balance. Yoga is about sequences. I eventually told the aide I wanted to go to the bathroom. She said you have a catheter and we can use the bedpan. I said, I want to walk to the bathroom, sit, and get up and walk back to my bed. We did. I was able to do that on my own. I was able to sit in the chair and most nights I would fall asleep there. It was balance and strength, endurance I had learned in yoga, and slowing down that helped me to be able to walk to the sink, wet a wash cloth, and finally wash my face and brush my teeth on my own.

It was breath work and breathing techniques that I’d learn in yoga that helped me with work with Respiratory Therapists. It was difficult but I wanted to go home. I was determined to pass that test. I did. Also, it was meditation practices that helped me to convince myself mentally that I was capable of doing everything they asked me to do. It was prayer and my faith that helped me to get through that difficult time.

Yoga helped with my recovery at home as well. It was the only exercise other than walking I could do. In and out of bed, showering and drying off required slow movements and strength. It required me to use my breath to help me. So, that is how yoga helped me with my recovery. I almost lost my life but thank God I am still here.