 TAH/BSO - Laughter & Tears |
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The Princess and the Tears
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Today I am 16 days post-op (TAH/BSO bladder tack) It has taken me this long to come to grips with the whole surgery experience. Get a cup of tea girls - its a long bumpy story.
I never had any trouble with periods till I got to be in my middle 40's. They started to get longer - for 5 days to 7, then l0 then sometimes l4. Kept getting a little heavier too. Went from reg. to super to super plus tampons and then started wearing a pad too because I never knew when I would have a bleed through. Last year was the worst. In Dec. I started to bleed on the l7th. By the 27th it was light but then on New Years Eve all he** broke loose. I filled 3 pads in half an hour. I was scared to death. For 12 days I changed tampons every 2 hours. Finally I called my family Dr. and he got me an appointment with a gyn. for one month away! I figured I be dead by then. Called the gyn's office and the girl said go to the hospital now you need a D&C. I bawled - Knew I needed a hysterectomy. A D&C would be like painting your house the week before you burn it down. What a waste of time and effort. I wanted a cure not a bandaid. Well the bleeding slowed down that night so I called the gyn office in the morning and Got a new appointment for later in the week.
First Appointment
Being the smarty pants that I am, I told the Dr. that I did not want to screw around trying this and trying that. If I needed surgery - Do IT! He said ok and did a uterin biopsy (Didn't hurt) sent me for a blood test and an ultra sound. Blood test showed iron count (1) almost too low to register! Other counts showed my blood volumn to be l/2 of normal! NO wonder I was tired. Nurse was horrified at my counts. Ultra sound showed a BIG fibroid tummer. Dr. said "Hysterectomy"
The date was set for March l5. It gave me 2 l/2 weeks to get things in order. Dr. put me on the pill to stop bleeding. That worked for a while then I started to bleed again, harder this time. Changing tampons every hour! I called the Dr.'s office on Mon. and he immediately changed my surgery to Wed. of that week! I had 2 days to finish getting ready! The next day I went for pre-0p at hospital. Blood pressure and lots of questions. That's all! No bowl prep - no eating restrictions till after midnight. They didn't even weigh me!
Wed. March 7th DH and I went to the hospital at 8:30. I was told surgery would be about noon and they wanted to check my blood count first because I might end up with a blood transfusion before surgery. Was shown to a nice room, given the beautiful backless gown and hooked up to IV. (No problem there) Then we waited and waited. At 10 someone said that I was being bumped up one on the surgery rotation so I might go at 11. Yea! Well l2 came and went. Finally they came and took me down to a room outside of the surgery room. Asked a bunch of questions again - then everyone disappeared. By one my nerves were shot! Someone stuck their head in the door and said "You OK?" No! I am pinging off the walls and need something to calm me down! She laughed and kept going! I bawled. Finally a nurse came and said it wouldn't be long now. Anesthetist came and asked more questions then gave me a shot to calm me. Out I went! Goodnight all. It was around 1:30.
I woke up in recovery at 3:40. My first words "PAIN - please - pain - do something - pain." It was horrible! The nurse kept giving me shots of morphine. It did nothing! My bladder felt like it had 60 gallons in it and a cement block on my tummy. After about an hour they took me up to my room. I was alert and kept telling everyone I hurt. They hooked me up to the "magic button" checked me over and left. I must have pushed that dang button a thousand times. I might as well have been pushing a door bell. It did nothing. I had things on my legs that kept pumping up then loosing up. They did this about every 5 min. My DH stayed with me till I sent him home at 7:30. I was in too much pain to want to talk and lord knows with those devices on my legs I sure couldn't sleep. And I didn't all night long. They kept checking me all night but the pain never got better.
Day 2
Exhaused from no sleep. Blood taken at 5 a.m. DH arrived at 6:30 for quick visit. Breakfast was all liquids and was wonderful. My sister came at 11 and stayed till I asked her to leave at 1. Lay in a stupor for 2 hours without moving a muscle. If I could only sleep. Every time my eyes would close the leg things would BRRRRR pump up. No sleep for me. At 4 I realized that I hadn't walked at all! Asked the nurse to walk me. "You want to walk" Duh like they never heard of that! She walked me about 4 rooms and back to my bed. By now the gas pains were getting horrible and my bladder still was killing me. DH & DS came to visit after another liquid supper. They left at 8 the pain kept getting worse. I finally started bawling and couldn't stop. A nurse called my Dr. and got a pill to help my bladder. It worked! The leg things were taked off when I walked and not put back on. Yea! So now I could sleep.
Day 3
6 A.M. nurse removed IV. Might as well. It never helped with the pain. Dr. came in and ripped off the bandage. Ouch! All looks well. Nurse removed cathader. Yea now I can pee!!! Took my first shower - wonderful. I was sore but I even shaved my legs! Did my hair, put on some makeup, changed into my pretty night shirt and went and walked the halls. Stood up straight and could walk fairly normally. Not shuffling. Great Day!! or so I thought. I tried to pee after walking and couln't!! Oh no. Walked some more. Still couldn't pee. Told the nurse. You might need to be catherized. Oh goody. That sounds like fun. Kept trying to pee. By noon was in misery. Lunch was awful, couldn't eat anything and didn't want to drink anything. My bladder hurt so much. Dr. & nurse arrived just as I had another sobbing melt down. Felt so dumb. Dr. said not being able to pee is normal. Happens to lots of women. Nurse did the catherization. Yuck. Felt like a piece of meat. No dignity, so embarrested! Felt better after though. Kept walking. Had a friend visit (nice) and kept trying to pee. Finally while walking I remembered a post on Hyster Sisters that said to try drinking ice water. It worked!! I didn't pee much - but I peed!! Went and told nurse. YEA I PEED! "Oh good now we have to catherize you again" What! Oh yes. Every time I peed all day they catherized me after. It was awful. It did not hurt - just made me feel like I had been raped. DH & DS came to visit after supper. So did other family members and friends. They finally left at 8:30. Boy did I need to pee by then. Nurse did another (4th) catherization after they left. Spirts pretty low by now. On her way out she remarked to be sure to let her know next time I pee because they will do it again! Soon as I was alone I bawled and bawled. I was going. Why did they keep doing this. I could tell it was getting better. Just leave me alone. I didn't want to drink because I would have to pee. I didn't want to pee because they would be back with their bowl and hose! I was too upset to pee anyway. When the nurse came in to take my blood pressure I asked for something to calm down. And told her why, and started to cry again. She brought another nurse and she told me that I had the right to say no. It was my body and if I didn't want it, I could say no. Fine, I've had it - leave me alone! And they did. During all this time the TV kept shutting off and then turning back on - loud. I was ready to throw it out the window! It sure didn't help matters. Anyway, I finally went to sleep - for 5 hours. Longest I had slept since I got to the hospital.
Day 4
Breakfast was a cold pancake stuck to a syro. plate. Cheerios with Skim milk and juice and coffee. Yuck! Ate the cerial and had a big pitty party. DH arrived at 7:30 and I cried for him too. I was scared what the Dr. would say to me. Refusing treatment? Not good. DH said take a shower, it will help. It did. Walked the halls after doing hair and makeup. Felt much better. Peeing better too. Still had to drink ice water to get stream going. Dr. came in and asking how I was doing. "Better" Good, want to go home? YES,Yes. Nurse came and took out staples - didn't hurt at all. Signed some papers, DH loaded up the flowers and cards and the wheel chair was there! I think they really wanted to get rid of me. Afraid I would cry again!
Home.
Got home and peed a gallon! Tired and sore but finally home. Since then I have improved by leaps and bounds. Off pain meds in a couple of days. Peeing and pooping normally within a couple of days. Had to take Milk of Mag. when I got home. It worked - boy did it. Spent several hours in the bathroom. Today I went to K-Mart by myself and did great. Not tired or sore. Can't wait for the 6 week mark so I can start living again. I want to ride my horse so bad! DH and DS are helping with everything. I am playing princess and liking it. I do get bored but I always have Hyster Sisters to keep me entertained! I survived! Laughter & tears
Related Titles
The Princess and the Tears
Recommended for Hysterectomy Recovery
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- Post-Op Panty - These great panties speed recovery, and reduces scarring. They contain a medical-grade silicone panel over incision to reduce scar's apperance while they provide support to weakened muscles and tissues from surgery. Excellent!
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Stephen Zweibach, M.D.
815 S Parsons Ave
Brandon FL 33511
8135712777 |
Elizabeth Stevenson-Gargiulo, M.D.
9101 North Central Expressway
Suite 250
Dallas TX 75231
214-826-2979 |
David Mainman, M.D.
Desert Bloom Obstetrics & Gynecology
6452 E. Carondelet Drive, Suite A
Tucson AZ 85710
520-885-5300 |
David Newman, M.D.
10030 Edison Square Drive, Suite 100A
Concord NC 28027
704-403-7670 |
Steven McCarus, M.D.
400 Celebration Place Suite310
Celebration FL 34747
4073034190 |
Larry R. Glazerman, M.D.
USF College of Medicine
12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. MDC 62
Tampa FL 33612
813-259-8500 |
Bruce Pierce, M.D.
2 Princess Road
Lawrenceville NJ 08648
609-896-0777 |
Susan Carter, M.D.
North Colorado Medical Center/ MCR
1800 15th Street, Suite 220
Greeley CO 80631
970 353 1335 |
Debra Richardson, M.D.
Gynecological Oncology Clinic - SW Med
2201 Inwood Road Suite 106
Dallas TX 75390
214-645-4673 |
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Hysterectomy Checkpoints
Hysterectomy News May 19,2013
