I had a TAH performed due to a large fibroid that had grown on the top of my uterus. I had experienced 8 years of pain and this fibroid was causing all sort of problems related to bowels, urinary problems, painful and extended periods, etc.
Day 1
My husband accompanied me to the hospital for the 10:30am surgery. I was supposed to arrive at 8:30am - no food or drink since midnight the night before. I was not asked to shave or take an enema, thank goodness. From the time I arrived at the hospital, the nurses and receptionists were most accommodating and friendly. I was taken from one room to another, to change into a hospital gown, leave my belongings so they could be taken to my room later, and then I joined all the other people having surgery. We all looked alike in our green gowns and blue robes as we sat, waiting to be called.
After about 20 minutes, I was called to meet with a nurse to go over my pre-op forms again. I felt like I had been through all of this before, and I had, but I would soon learn that I would be asked the same questions again and again, by many different people. I suffer from severe asthma and this was an issue since I was going to be under a general anesthetic.
I returned to the waiting room, and was called shortly to meet with a doctor who explained the morphine pain pump to me. He, too, went over all my information again and asked me the same questions I had already answered. When I returned to the waiting room, I burst into tears as my husband held me, trying to reassure me that everything was going to be alright.
This time in the waiting room, I found myself freezing. The nurse brought me several warm blankets and then I was moved to another waiting room, this one just prior to the operating room.
Two nurses came to talk to me about what exactly was going to happen when I entered the operating room. They were kind and helpful and answered my questions. I had some questions for my surgeon at that time that they could not answer but they assured me that I would not be given the anesthetic until my questions had all been answered.
The anesthetist came to see me then, and asked all the same questions again that I had already answered. I was given several inhalers to take for my asthma. He also assured me that I wouldn't be put under anesthetic until my surgeon had answered my questions.
I had to say goodbye to my husband at that point, so with teary eyes, big hugs and great fear, I left him and followed the two nurses to the operating room. I actually walked right into the OR and lay down on the table. A warm blanket was put over me. I don't do needles well so I asked if my hand could be frozen prior to the IV going in - not a problem. The anesthetist explained everything he was doing as he worked and then my surgeon arrived and answered all my questions. I was strapped to the table and given an oxygen mask. The nurses told me to think of a nice warm vacation spot and that's the last thing I remember, until…
I remember waking up in the recovery room in the most excruciating pain I can ever remember. I heard voices long before I saw anyone. The nurses kept telling me to breathe deeply and to cough but it hurt so much to do that. The morphine pain pump button was pit into my hands and I was reminded how to use it. I pushed it several times, but it didn't seem to lessen the pain at all. I kept being told to breathe - I thought you did that naturally, but I guess there must be something else to it! They wanted me to breathe deeply. I had oxygen plugs in my nose and I tried to pull them out (so I was told). All in all, I spent a significant time in the recovery room - longer than expected. My husband was getting worried since it had been almost 3 hours since I had entered the OR.
I was taken to my room at about 2:00pm and I don't remember a lot that first day. I vaguely recall being taken on the elevator but I don't even remember seeing my new room. I know my husband was there for many hours and I saw him while fading in and out of sleep. The pain pump beeped each time I pushed the button but it did help to relieve some of the pain. I was asked many times to rate the pain on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst pain you could possibly imagine. That first day, it was often a 7-8.
Later that evening, I began to realize that the nurses were taking my vitals every hour - pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level in the blood, etc. I vaguely remember talking to my husband and fading in and out with each sentence. He later told me that it was a very strange conversation since I would fade out for 10-20 seconds and then try to resume the conversation where I left off.
I did not sleep a lot that first night. I was itchy from the medication and was given Benadryl. The nurses rolled me onto my side midway through the night and, boy, was that a painful experience! I found I couldn't lie on my side properly since it put a lot of pressure on the incision.
Day 2
Early morning wake-up call in the hospital - about 6:30am. My husband came to see me before he left for work. I still had all the equipment hooked up - catheter, oxygen tubes, morphine pain pump and IV. I must have looked pretty spectacular. My ob-gyn (surgeon) arrived to check up on me and said that everything had gone well but that the incision was a little bigger than he had expected, due to the size of the fibroid. Great!
Later that morning, two nurses arrived, removed the catheter, and told me I had to get out of bed today. My first thought was, "You've got to be kidding!" They assured me they were serious. They raised the bed to a sitting position and I winced in pain all the way up. A friend had told me that pushing up with the arm NOT on the bedside would help, and it did. With much huffing and puffing and a lot of discomfort, I sat on the side of the bed and then rose to a standing position. I felt very dizzy and the nurses let me sit on the bed again until the dizziness subsided. When I stood up, it felt a lot better than I had expected. It hurt, but it helped to walk hunched over a bit.
I also developed a wicked cough that day - one that shakes you right to your bones. Thankfully, I had a pillow to shove into my tummy to relieve some of the pressure. I used it often! It went with me when I walked anywhere, even just to the bathroom.
Since I had been on an IV, I had to pee every 20 minutes. Of course, I had to take my IV and pain pump everywhere with me. Going to the bathroom the first time was so difficult - it felt as though every muscle had seized up and I had to go so bad! It took me a LONG time in the bathroom - so long that the nurses came back to check on me!
I walked around the hospital floor 3 times that day - not far, but about 6 - 8 rooms each time. My husband helped my by holding my arm and pushing "Baxter and George", his names for my equipment. It felt good to be able to do something by myself - the first of many small steps to recovery. I had some visitors today as well - some of my students (I am a grade 8 teacher) came to see me and were shocked at all the "stuff" I had on me - their words.
That night was awful - still being on the IV, I had to go to the bathroom many, many times. Every time I had to get up, my IV and pain pump had to be unplugged so I could walk to the washroom, then plugged back in by the nurses and reset. It beeped continuously until they reset it. My roommate was not a happy camper that night. Eventually, the nurses brought a commode and left it beside my bed so I didn't have to unplug everything each time I had to get up.
Day 3
Still in the hospital - I finally had all the equipment removed this morning. I was given only liquids to eat (drink) but I did not feel hungry at all. Tylenol 3 was given for the pain, but I had to ask for it. The nurses kept asking if I had "passed wind" - it was just starting to happen. The gas pains were incredible. I was given a warm blanket for my tummy and that helped, but the pains continued for the next 3 days!
I was up and walking around several times today. I also saw several visitors this evening. I can already sense that I am starting to feel better.
Day 4
Still in the hospital - still taking Tylenol 3 as needed, which is every 4 hours or so. I also passed a lot of gas today and that is supposed to be a good sign. I spent a fair amount of time walking - saw more of the hospital than I had when I was admitted! They let me walk on different floors today! Yippee!
Day 5
The staples came out this morning - one of the nurses took them out. Apparently, the incision is healing really well. My husband helped me get dressed and we were able to go home. He brought several pillows to help me with the bumps on the road for the 10 minute drive home, but he still ended up driving about 20km/h all the way home. Several times, he pulled over to let other vehicles pass. I had a terrible time getting up the front steps to the house (all 3 of them). It was snowy and slippery and I hung on to anything and anyone I could get a hold of! Whew! In the house and on the sofa - no more stairs until tonight when I have to go upstairs to the bedroom. I slept a lot and took Tylenol 3 as needed, which was pretty often.
13 Days After Surgery
I am feeling pretty good now - the first bowel movement was nothing short of excruciating, though. I have been taking Senokot - a stool softener - and that has helped. I still experience daily gas pains but those should go away soon, I hope. The incision is healing but it is big, hard and is now starting to itch. There is no sign of infection or anything like that.
I have not driven anywhere by myself yet but I sense that will not be far away. I can get up and down the stairs with relatively minimal pain and I can do just about everything around the house that I used to do, as long as it does not involve lifting. I still tire fairly easily and need to rest several times during the day, even if it is just sitting down. My husband has been incredibly supportive and I would not have made it this far so quickly without him. I do not see my doctor again until 4 weeks post-surgery but I hope to be back at work after 4-5 weeks. I know enough not to push the limits, though, and if I am not ready, I won't go back. Fortunately, I don't have a family to cope with at home - my husband and I chose not to have children so the decision to have a hysterectomy was not as difficult as it is for some women.
26 Days After Surgery
BAD NEWS! I ended up back in the hospital after terrible pains on my left side. I was admitted after spending several hours in Emergency on a Saturday afternoon. An ultrasound was done only to find a cyst on my right ovary (which had flipped over to the left side) which was causing all the pain. I was given many shots of Demoral and released the next day. A stronger medication was given for the pain - Percocet - which gives me the shakes and makes me really dizzy. My ob-gyn does not want to operate again since it is so soon after the surgery - he is hoping this cyst will just shrink on its own.
7 Weeks Post-op
I am feeling good and ready to go back to work. No sign of any more problems from the cyst… My days are still up and down, though. One day, I will be so upbeat and feel like I have been given another chance at a real life without pain and the next day, I am tired, tired, tired. I have learned not to lift too much - even small loads of laundry still cause some pain. I am going back to work next week and am expecting to be tired and have some setbacks but I feel ready.
I wish all the best to anyone who has to have this surgery - as long as you have supportive people nearby, you will be fine. I have the benefit of a doting and caring husband and a wonderful Obstetrician/Gynecologist who took the time to answer all the questions that I had and to reassure me that everything would be fine. That makes all the difference!
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