 TAH/BSO - I keep wanting to pinch myself! |
From the Abdominal Hysterectomy Stories Articles List |
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My recovery Process from the beginning to 6 weeks
My hysterectomy novel lol and why I'm happy I had the surgery.
My TAH story
6 weeks Post Op - TAH, BSO, Bladder Sling, A&P repair
TAH BSO experience at 9 days post op
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Dear Hystersisters - I cannot thank you enough for the support and wonderful wisdom I've gained from this website.
My story is fairly short and simple. For the last 2 -3 years I've had heavy bleeding or spotty bleeding or no bleeding. Had utrene biopsy 2 years ago came back fine Thank God - tried to handle all the problems with hormones. Had an ultrasound 1 year ago, showed fibroids but not bad so still went the hormone route.
Finally decided the situation needed more attention so went to visit my WONDERFUL family practice Doc. She sent me for another ultrasound and a day later annouced I had fibroids the size of oranges and grapefruit. Sent me to 'her favorite gyn" Another ultrasound and I was offered 2 choices. A d&c or a hysterectomy. The wonderful gyn layed out all the info. Told me the choice was mine and that I should call my FP doc and discuss the situation with her. I was already leaning toward the hysterectomy, tired of bleeding, tired of hormones and they were growing.
The Doc said, I just saw a new patient today, 5 years post menopause, still bleeding and her fibroids are growing. - Made the decision easy for me -
The worst part was the waiting. I wanted my FP doc there during surgery, she only has Tuesday mornings scheduled for surgery so I had to wait a month.
Yeah, said it was short - I lied
5:30 am 8/31 we (Dh and myself) arrive at outpatient surgery. Must be one of the first on the surgery schedule because the nurses are just arriving. Put in a bed, given one of the lovely  gowns, slippers and a "hat". Then the fun begins, fortunately I had a great pre-op nurse! An enema, never had one of those before. A Betadyne douche, will the fun never end??? and last but not least "everything I can see with your legs closed" shaved. Now it's time for the IV it's also getting closer to surgery time because I can see the clock from my bed. The first IV attempt was not successul because I was to tense. Before for the second attempt I got another "Sutter sauna" having my arm wrapped in a hot towel and a waterproof sheet to get the veins to stand out. With a student nurse standing a blocking the clock the second attempt was successful. Up to see the antheseologist at 7:20 am. We discuss the options and I chose a spinal.
By now I'm getting really nervous almost teary, DH sitting next to me patting my hand saying everything will be ok. My FP doc shows up, what a relief, then the GYn - I'm fine now! can we just get on with it?
Into the operating room we go. I'm up on the table, bent over, sticking my back out to the antheseologist who's having a bit of trouble on one side of my spine "tough connective tissue" he mutters. In the backround I hear Amy (my FP doc) say Yep that's Cathy. boom all of a sudden I'm numb, people are flipping me down on the table and hooking me up to machines. At first I was a bit afraid because I felt as if I couldn't breathe but once I relaxed and realized I could I was fine. A nice little shot of drugs in my IV and I'm gone.
Next thing I remember is waking up in recovery. really bad music playing, laughing nurses, NO Pain. I ended up in recovery for about 2 1/2 hours because the antheseologist observed sleep apnea during surgery and wanted me monitered closely so they had to wait for a bed to be ready on the heart floor. Finally the bed is ready, we swing by and pick up DH from the waiting room. Poor man looked like death warmed over. I asked how it felt being on the other side - he's had 7 surgeries in 10 years and a couple were he was literally dying before my eyes - he said that he knew it would be hard to wait but NOT that hard!
At my room I was greated by a delightful LVN who helped me get settled in, hooked me up to the telemetrics and finally let DH in the room so he could hold my hand. All I did was sleep but every time I opened my eyes there he was pretending to be reading
about 5pm the LVN decided it was time for me to get out of bed - are you kidding I just had major surgery this morning!!!! After a quick lesson on how to get out of bed I was up. I had brought a small stuffed bear to hold over my incision while in the castle it worked out perfectly. So my bear and I made it across the hall and back. That wiped me out for a few hours. At this point all I'm getting is ice chips, as soon as it melts the water is taken away. At
8 pm the new shift comes on. By 10 pm I'm up again this time able to make a complete circuit of the floor! Now I'm hungry, they can't get ahold of any of my docs so I'm restricted to ice chips all night  Also there seemed to be a mix up in the pain meds sometime late in the night. By the time my GYN arrives at 8:30 am I'm hungry, in pain and GRUMPY. Meds straigtened out, clear liquid diet appears - who knew jello could taste SO good. I spent most of the day sleeping, walking and passing gas. At lunch I was supposed to have gotten real food but the message never made it to the kitchen. I mention this to the nurse and low and behold food arrives at my bed. The rest of the day and night pass unevenfully expect when I accidentally disconnected one of the leads on my telemetrics monitor - that got everyone's attention FAST.
Much walking, passing gas and taking pain meds got me through to the next morning. I apologized to the GYN for being so surly the day before. He laughed, said "I've been doing this for a long time I know exactly how my patient will feel the day after surgery. Now do you want to go home today or tomorrow?"
Called DH and was out of the castle by 11 am. Silly me hadn't asked for pain meds before I let the castle. We have about 45 min drive then had to pick up prescriptions. By the time I got home I was in bad shape. Pain meds, sleep.
Later that day I was out of bed, walking, eating, generally marveling that I had surgery 2 days ago!
Now 9 days post-op hardly need pain meds, can even stand up straight!
Related Titles
My recovery Process from the beginning to 6 weeks
My hysterectomy novel lol and why I'm happy I had the surgery.
My TAH story
6 weeks Post Op - TAH, BSO, Bladder Sling, A&P repair
TAH BSO experience at 9 days post op
Nisseth Urribarri, M.D.
3001 Coral Hills Dr., Suite 300
Coral Springs FL 33065
954-341-2916 |
Mayra J. Thompson, M.D.
5323 Harry Hines Blvd Dept OBGYN
Dallas TX 75290
214-645-3888 |
Larry R. Glazerman, M.D.
USF College of Medicine
12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MDC 62
Tampa FL 33612
813-259-8500 |
Chanda Reese, M.D.
3001 Coral Hills Dr., Suite 300
Coral Springs FL 33065
954-341-2916 |
David Mainman, M.D.
Desert Bloom Obstetrics & Gynecology
6452 E. Carondelet Drive, Suite A
Tucson AZ 85710
520-885-5300 |
Christina Ellis, M.D.
600 E. Marshall St. Ste. 205
West Chester PA 19380
610-903-6200 |
Melodie Wilson, M.D.
3650 Joseph Siewick Dr. #203
Fairfax VA 22033
703-391-1500 |
Douglas Coslett, M.D.
24 Main Street
Luzerne PA 18709
570-714-1444 |
Steven McCarus, M.D.
400 Celebration Place Suite310
Celebration FL 34747
4073034190 |
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