“What have I gotten myself into?” Kelly thought to herself as she sat in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. “There’s nothing wrong with the birth control you’re using. And this birth control is so new, you don’t know if it’s really going to be effective or not.”

Kelly knew she was just trying to talk herself out of this because she was nervous. Ever since she had read about the new birth control, she had wanted to try it. Even though it had just been FDA approved a couple months ago and most women were still skeptical of it, Kelly was intrigued. Her insurance would cover this form, just like it did The Pill and insurance would cover the additional things like the exams, hospital stay, and operating room.

After thinking it over for a couple weeks, Kelly had finally made the call to her gynecologist for an appointment. That’s how she had found herself three days ago having both a trans-vaginal and abdominal ultrasound, to see how her uterus looked. She had also had several vials of blood drawn for testing and had given a urine sample. Now she was waiting to see her doctor for an exam and to find out if she was a candidate.

“Kelly?” The door opened and a nurse called her name. She stood up and followed the nurse through the door. “Let’s go ahead and get your height and weight first.”

Kelly stepped on the scale. “5’2” and 125 pounds. Very good,” the nurse said. Kelly then followed the nurse to Exam Room 3. “Go ahead and have a seat.” The nurse looked over her paperwork. “Ok, open.” Kelly opened her mouth and the nurse took her temperature. “98.6.” She then took Kelly’s blood pressure. “115/75. Excellent.”

The nurse opened a drawer and took out an exam gown. “Take off all your clothing and put the gown on, opening in the front. Then just have a seat on the exam table. Dr Williams will be in shortly.”

Kelly carefully folded her clothing as she took them off and set them on the spare chair in the room. She slipped the gown on, hopped on the table, and waited.

About five minutes later, there was a light rap on the door. It opened and Dr Williams came in. “Hi Kelly. How are you?”

“I’m well, thank you.”

Dr Williams looked over Kelly’s chart. “So you’re interested in the Balloon Birth Control?”

“Yes,” Kelly replied. “I’ve been doing some research and I think it sounds like something I would like.”

“Ok,” Dr William said. “Let me tell you more about it. The Balloon Birth Control is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a small, balloon like device that’s inserted through the cervix into the uterus. When it’s expanded, it attaches to the uterine wall. There are hormones in the material that release into your body suppressing ovulation, just like any other hormonal birth control. If for some reason, you do release an egg and you have intercourse at the same time that is happening the balloon will be covering the entire uterine wall, preventing a fertilized egg from attaching. Every four months, the Balloon that is in you is removed, the uterine wall is scraped, and a new balloon is placed.”

“Can you tell me more about how the balloon is placed?” Kelly asked.

“Of course. This is a surgical procedure requiring an operating room. Someday, we may be able to do this in an office, or at least outpatient setting, but for now, it’s surgery. When you go to pre-op, you’ll be shaved, given a couple of enemas, and then have a catheter and a couple of IV lines started. When you go into the operating room, you’ll be given a light gas through a mask. You’ll be vaguely aware of what’s going on, but you won’t feel anything and probably won’t remember much either. You’ll be opened pretty wide with a speculum and then your cervix will be dilated. The surgeon will place the Balloon, inflate it, and then you’ll be ready to go to recovery. You’ll stay in the hospital overnight. The IVs and catheter will be removed the next day, and you can go home. It is required that women on this type of birth control come in for monthly exams to make sure everything is ok.”

“Do you want to do this, Kelly?” Dr Williams asked.

“Yes, I do,” she responded.

“Ok. Well, your ultrasounds were fine and all your lab work came back just fine. As long as I don’t detect anything today that could cause you to not be a candidate, you’ll soon have new birth control.”

Kelly was definitely nervous about this procedure she was going to undergo, but knew that she wanted the new birth control. “Let’s do it!” she said, trying to cover her nervousness.

“Ok, I’m going to do a basic check up today. I’m going to start by listening to your heart and lungs.” Dr Williams placed the stethoscope on Kelly’s chest. “In. And out. Good. In. And out.” He continued around to Kelly’s back to listen to her lungs. He then checked her eyes, ears, nose, and throat, and checked her reflexes.

“Ok, Kelly, go ahead and lower your gown. I’m going to examine your breasts now.” Kelly lowered her gown and Dr Williams began to palpate the left breast. “Please place your hands behind your head.” Kelly did so. “Do you perform monthly breast exams?”

“Um….” The truth was, Kelly often forgot.

“Well, since you’ll be coming monthly for your new birth control, I can perform the exam for you. But you really need to make sure you’re doing them too. A woman needs to know her body and what everything feels like when it’s healthy so she can detect if something is wrong.”

“I know. I’ll try harder to remember.”

“Go ahead and lie down,” Dr Williams said. “And place your hands over your head.” Dr Williams again spent several minutes on each breast, using both firm and light touches, to feel for any lumps or abnormalities. “Everything feels fine. You can lower your arms and next I’m going to palpate your abdomen.”

Dr Williams spent several minutes feeling Kelly’s abdomen, making sure everything was ok. “Ok, Kelly, you can put your gown back over your chest. Then scoot down to the edge of the table and place your knees in the supports.”

Kelly adjusted her gown then scooted down to the end of the table. She did not like this part of the exam, but she guessed she better get used to it. She was going to have one every month.

Dr Williams adjusted the bottom part of Kelly’s gown, pulled the lamp over to between Kelly’s legs, and snapped on a pair of latex gloves. Dr Williams parted Kelly’s labia and did a visual inspection. “Ok, Kelly, I’m going to insert the speculum.” He slid the speculum in and opened it, click, click, click, then took a little brush and gathered some cells for examination. Kelly felt the speculum slide out.

“Alright, I’m going to feel of your ovaries and uterus now.” Dr Williams inserted a finger and then reached up to feel Kelly’s stomach again, this time palpating the ovaries and uterus. “Everything feels good. I’m going to insert a finger in your rectum now and do a bi-manual exam. Bear down for me please.” Kelly did as was instructed and felt the doctor’s finger slip inside her rectum.

She felt his fingers inside her and then, finally, they slid out. She heard Dr Williams pull off the latex gloves and then snap on a new pair. “Ok, Kelly, time for the rectal. Bear down again.” Kelly did and felt his finger slip inside again and feel the walls of her rectum

“Ok, Kelly, you can sit up now.”

Kelly sat up and adjusted her gown. “Everything looks good,” Dr Williams said. “Let’s go ahead and schedule your surgery for this Friday…..”

Kelly nervously walked through the entrance to the hospital on Friday. She stopped to consult the directory and find out where registration for surgery was. She located it on the map and continued down the hall. She took the elevator to the third floor, got off and walked a short ways down the hall and through heavy double doors.

She approached the registration desk with her papers in her hand. The receptionist looked up. “Kelly Tucker,” Kelly said to the receptionist. The receptionist typed a few things into the computer.

“Do you have your paperwork Kelly?”

“Right here.” She handed it to the woman.

“Alright, Kelly, have a seat and someone will be out for your registration in a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” Kelly replied. She took a seat in the waiting room. There were only a few other people there. There was a couple who looked to be in their late 20s with a young boy sitting between them. She could vaguely hear the boy saying, “But I don’t wanna have my tonsils taken out.”

An elderly gentleman was sitting next to the windows and in a corner, next to some potted plants, was another young woman about her age. She looked scared out of her mind and Kelly wondered if she was here for the same procedure.

The door opened. “Kelly Tucker,” the nurse called out.

“That’s me.” Kelly gathered her purse and jacket and followed the nurse into another room and into a curtained off cubicle with a small desk and two chairs.

“How are today Kelly?” the nurse asked.

“As well as I can be. I’m a little nervous.”

“Well, that’s to be expected. But don’t worry. Everything will be fine.” The nurse was looking over her paperwork. “Everything looks to be in order. Your health is fine and all your bloodwork came back in excellent condition. I just need you to sign a few more forms.”

The nurse handed Kelly three forms to sign. She quickly read them then signed her name at the bottoms.

“Ok, Kelly, I’m going to put your identification bands on your wrist now.” Kelly held out her left wrist. It was odd not having her watch on there, but the instructions had said no jewelry, makeup, or contact lenses. The nurse fashioned several bands around her wrist.

The nurse typed several things into the computer and arranged Kelly’s paperwork in her folder. She handed the folder to Kelly. “Ok, Kelly, you can take a seat again in the waiting room. Someone will be out shortly to take you to pre-op.”

“Thank you,” Kelly said, and headed back to the waiting room. She sat down, still nervous and tried to think of positive thoughts. She would no longer have a period, as the balloon being attached to the uterine wall would prevent her body from shedding the lining. She would have a steady flow of hormones so there would be no more up and down mood swings. And, best of all, no fear of getting pregnant. Kelly didn’t want children and knew that someday, she was going to request a hysterectomy. But due to finances and the fact that her insurance wouldn’t cover that unless it was a doctor-recommended surgery, she couldn’t afford it.

“Kelly Tucker.” She looked up as she heard her name again.

“That’s me,” she said, standing up. The nurse had a wheelchair for Kelly and she sat down in it, clutching her bag that had her ID and change of clothes for the next day in it. The nurse pushed Kelly down the hall and through another set of huge double doors. Kelly is taken into “pre-op room 4.”

“Ok, Kelly,” the nurse said, as she pulled a bag out of a cabinet. “I need you to take off all your clothing, including socks and undergarments. They can go in this bag,” the nurse said, as she slipped an ID for Kelly into a front pocket where her name and vital information was visible. “Put on this gown and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Kelly began to undress. She had worn simple clothing, as she had been instructed to do. She slipped off her sneakers, jeans, and t-shirt, revealing her body. She was wearing a simple white bra and pair of panties. She slipped off her bra, revealing her 38 D breasts and then stepped out of her panties. She quickly put on the gown and tied it in the back, before stuffing her clothes into the bag. She took a seat on the exam table and waited.

She soon heard a knock on the door and the nurse walked back in. “I’m going to start by taking your temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate.”

“Ok,” Kelly said. The nurse placed a blood pressure cuff around her upper arm and took the reading.

“130/85. A little elevated, but that’s to be expected.” The nurse took Kelly’s wrist and took her pulse. “72 beats.” The nurse recorded the information on her form and then stuck a thermometer under Kelly’s tongue. “Perfectly normal,” the nurse said. The nurse then swung the leg rests around to the front of the table. “Go ahead and lie down, placing your knees in the knee rests and scoot down to the edge of the table. I’m going to shave you now.”

Kelly placed her knees in the rests, laid back, and scooted to the end. She felt the knee rests being moved out a little further and then the heat from the light on her genital area. “I’m first going to use some clippers to get rid of the long hair then I’ll apply some shaving lotion and use a regular razor.”

“Ok,” Kelly replied. Kelly heard the sound of the clippers and then felt them as the nurse worked all around her most private area. After several minutes, the sound of the clippers ceased and she felt something cool being spread all over her genital area and in between her butt cheeks. Soon, she could feel the razor gliding over her skin. She felt the nurse shaving every nook and cranny, including in between her cheeks.

“I’m going to rinse you off now, Kelly,” the nurse said. She picked up a squeeze bulb that was filled with warm water and rinsed off Kelly. She then used a towel to dry her. “You can take you legs out of the rests. I’m going to prepare the enemas for you.”

Kelly lay on the table and waited for what seemed like hours. She had never had an enema before. Soon the nurse was back and connected two red bags to two different poles. Kelly noticed they were different sizes, one much bigger than the other.

“I need you to come over to this table now, Kelly,” the nurse instructed. “You’re going to kneel here,” the nurse indicated, “and essentially lie on your stomach. I’ll tilt the table forward with your head towards the ground. This will allow gravity to help the flow of the enema. You’ll receive a two quart, and a four-quart. You’ll hold the first for 10 minutes, then the second one for 20 minutes. When it’s time to expel them, I’ll tilt the table back to this position and you will expel in the stool I’ll place beneath you. Any questions?”

“No,” Kelly said. She was very nervous as she had never had an enema before. She feels the table start to tilt forward. It stops when her head is pointing more toward the ground than the ceiling.

“I’m going to lube your rectum now.” Kelly feels the nurse’s finger as she works around her rectum, making sure the tube will go in smoothly. “Ok, first enema, Kelly.” Kelly feels the tubing slide a few inches inside her, hears a click, and immediately feels the warm solution flowing inside her. Soon she has the urge to release her bowels, but of course she can’t. As the solution continues to flow inside her, she feels her stomach begin to cramp.

“Ohhhhhhhh,” Kelly moaned, as the first wave of cramps hit her.

“It’s ok, it’s almost all in,” the nurse reassured her. Kelly continued to moan softly as the last of the enema flowed into her. “Ten minutes Kelly, then you can release.”

Kelly didn’t think she was going to make it through the enema. If a two quart enema felt like this, how was she going to survive a four quart one for 20 minutes. After what felt like hours, the table slowly tilted back down.

“I’m going to remove the nozzle now and just expel. There is a bucket beneath you.” As soon as the nozzle was removed, Kelly noisily expelled into the waiting bucket. It seemed to take forever to release the entire enema. When she could expel no more, the table again tilted forward. “One more, Kelly.”

Kelly felt the nozzle being inserted once again. When the cramps hit again, Kelly moaned. “Only two more quarts to go,” the nurse reassured her.

“Ohhhhhh. Ohhhhhh,” Kelly moaned, as she felt her stomach begin to pooch out with all the enema solution.

“Almost done. It’ll be just a couple more minutes, then you just have to hold it.” Eventually, the enema flow ceased. “Twenty minutes,” the nurse said.

Kelly quietly moaned every few minutes but eventually the time was up. She felt the table tilt upright. The nurse took out the nozzle and Kelly exploded into the bucket. After quite some time, she was empty. The nurse cleaned off her rectum. “Ok, Kelly, back into the knee rests. I need to insert a catheter.”

Kelly got back onto the table and placed her knees in the rests. She heard the nurse preparing some things and then felt something cool around her urethra. “This is just some betadine solution to make sure the area is clean.” After another minute or so the nurse said, “Ok, Kelly just breathe as I insert the catheter.” Kelly felt the catheter as the nurse inserted it into her urethra. It stung, but wasn’t as bad as the cramping with the enema. “You may feel a strong desire to urinate Kelly. Don’t try to hold it in. As soon as the catheter reaches the bladder it’s going to start draining.”

As the nurse had said, she soon felt a strong desire to urinate. Unfortunately, she did not follow the advice to not try and hold it. When she clenched the muscles in her bladder, it only made it more difficult for the catheter to pass through. “Ow, ow, ow!” Kelly exclaimed.

“I need you to relax Kelly,” the nurse instructed. Kelly regained control of her breathing and managed to relax. The catheter entered her bladder and soon urine was flowing into the bag. The nurse taped the bag to her leg.

“I just need to do a couple more things then you’ll be taken to the OR,” the nurse said, as she gently lowered Kelly’s legs from the rests.

Kelly soon found herself with two IVs in, one in the back of her right hand and one in the crook of her left elbow. The nurse gathered Kelly’s hair underneath a surgical cap and then placed an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. The door opened and two orderlies came in, pushing a gurney. They lifted Kelly from the table to the gurney and the nurse hung the IVs behind her. “She’ll be in Operating Room 6,” the nurse told the orderlies.

The orderlies wheeled her out of the prep room and down the hall toward OR 6…..