TAH - kept my ovaries - Hystersisters Hysterectomy Article

		HysterSisters > Abdominal Hysterectomy Stories Articles
TAH - kept my ovaries

TAH - kept my ovaries

From the Abdominal Hysterectomy Stories Articles List

HysterSisters Articles

Options to Hysterectomy
Pre-Op Hysterectomy
Post-Op Hysterectomy
Hormone and Menopause
Intimacy after Hysterectomy
Fitness after Hysterectomy
GYN Cancer
Hysterectomy Stories
Ask A Doctor

I had so many problems since my son was born, almost 10 years ago. I had my tubes tied after he was born, I had my perfect little family, a little girl, 4 and him on the way. I was very happy with what I was blessed with. We decided we were done having children.
I began experiencing periods a lot different than i was used to. Before my children, even after my daughter, you could set your watch by my cycle, light, no cramps, 3 days tops.
After the delivery of my son, increasingly, the cramps started, and kept getting worse, the times were all wrong, always worried I was pregnant, the bleeding was heavy, clotting, and increasingly getting to the point that I was bleeding constantly. After bleeding for an entire year, a day or two here and there was my only relief. My gyne gave me a D&C- only after i hit the deck at work and ended up in the hospital having blood transfusions. Afterwards, there was relief for about 6 months. Then the hormones and birth control methods started. I have been on every BC and hormone known to man.
There was a second D&C, 2 months relief, then a third, no relief. My gyne suggested i get a hysterectomy. I was thrilled to death, I was young, I had no sex life and was really putting a strain on my relationship with my husband. He thought I was "putting him on" you know that I didnt want him to touch me. This was around the time the chronic pelvic pain started. In the are event that I wasnt bleeding, I was hunched over in pain.
My gyne ordered blood tests and an ultrasound to prepare for surgey. I hadn't heard anything from the office, I waited a little longer, and when I called his office, I was informed he was no longer there. They would not tell me whether he opened his own practice, retired, moved, they left me hangin, like he did.
I decided to stay with the practice, although I didn't know any of the other docs. Just thought my records were there, and we could pick up where we left off.
I was right there, so close, Then my world came crashing down. My records were lost. I told them what the plans were and what all the tests were done for, after all that was all they had left of my records. I had to start all over from the beginning, all the hormones, all the BC 3 more D&C's. The pain was debilitating, I was missing work, not leaving the house much, either hunched over in pain, or bleeding so heavy had to rush where i was going and pray i didnt have to cough or sneeze, and hurry home before soaking through.
I had had way more than enough.
The last treatment they had me on was lupron. it worked, but sadly is only a temporary fix.
Almost 10 years of this, I was begging for a hysterectomy my gyne was grasping at straws, telling me i am way too young for a hyster. I told him I am way too young to suffer like this for the next 20 years or so.
After my last D&C in October, i had relief til December, I didn't even call the office, I just drove there, I was cold, pale, and obviously anemic. I always had the feeling he never believed how bad it was. I knew he was going to want to examine me, so I decided to let him, clots and all. i soaked three blue pads before he even got in the room. That day I cried, in front of him...I am not a crier. He gave me the option of another cycle of lupron, since it worked for me, I thought he was gonna say something ridiculous like another D&C. When the word hysterectomy came out of his mouth i went into full blown bawling. I was so relieved, happy, nervous about menopause, upset (that he even mentioned lupron), i was already making arrangements in my head for my children while i was in the hospital, looking forward to time off owrk...there were so many emotions running through me at that very moment, I have to say RELIEF and FINALLY were the first and foremost.
Being a LIW was the most horrible time of my life, even though my surgery was scheduled within 5 days of that gyne appt. Ok, I get sidetracked very easily, I apologize if i jump around. I went to the castle at 7:30 am. I was prepped, poked, prodded, stripped, answered every question under the sun. In the OR by 9:30. I woke up in recovery some time later, in a total panic attack. I was very specific about NOT putting a mask on my face while I am awake, as anything over my nose and mouth, regardless if it is oxygen, gives me severe anxiety and panic attacks. I sat straight up, screaming, grabbing at tubes, scratching myself like an idiot til i got that mask off my face. I do not remember going to my room, I do not remember much...ok let's just say the only things I do remember is seeing my mother in a chair that I swore was out in the hallway, I also remember asking when I could get up and urinate. To that my DH informed me i had a Foley in and was not allowed out of bed. There were people there I was holding convos with, dont remember.
Anyway....recovery; I am very stubborn and my DH, mother, and pretty much everybody who knows me will agree. Later that evening, much later, I was pulling my stockings off, trying to coordinate all my tubes and pumps, because i was going to the bathroom. My nurse came in and yelled at me I wasnt allowed up. I insisted I felt fine. this went on all night. I wanted out of that bed. I have had Foleys in before, but this one was painful. I wanted it out and I wanted to use the restroom. I didnt get my way. They did eventually take the stockings off, because they were afraid i was going to trip on them getting out of bed due to the wires.
Early the second morning, I wanted up, i wanted the catheter out, and I wanted my shower and my own pajamas on. They were still not letting me get up until my doctor came in and oked the morphine pump to be removed and the catheter.
Luckily my doctor showed up very early, and when he came in, I was, of couse out of my bed. He told me I should not be up, and I informed him I was up and down all night, and I wanted that cath out, it didnt feel right. i was very impatient, wanted to get moving, get up and around so i could start the recovery process. He oked all of that, but had to wait to shower til that night, pending how well I got around by myself. Now, I am a smoker, and had to ask my doc permission to smoke. He told me he would rather me not. I told him I would walk the halls and disappear outside, reluctantly, he gave me permission to go out after dinner, only in a wheelchair, only supervised by a family member. We compromised, I would behave for the nurses, and I could then go after lunch rather than dinner.
I asked my nurse for my bag, after all the pumps were removed, and the foley. i was left with a heplock, so i could change my clothes, and put on my own comfy jammies that wouldnt be showing everybody evrything god gave me. She told me no, I needed to wait to shower to put clean things on. I had more than one thing to change into. Housekeeping, dietary, every nurse and aid, my mom, my sister, 2 aunts, and anyone i forgot...oh of course my DH, saw everything more than once. When she left the room, I did not lift my bag, it is on wheels, I rolled it over and changed my clothes. The next time she came in, she just shook her head and said you don't listen very well. I informed her I am the princess, this is my comfort, if i want to wear clean jammies on my dirty body, I earned it.
At the end of her shift, she decided I wasn't showering until she came back in the morning. I believe it was 3 am, I was having a hard time sleeping, so I got up and showered. The next day, I had my stuff packed and was ready to go. My doc came in and asked if i was planning on going somewhere. Told him I was ready to go. Went through all the questions, and i had not moved my bowels since surgery, but had good bowel sounds, and my urine output was better than average. He was very hesitant about letting me go without the bowel movement, but I think the nurses begged him to send me home... ROFL.
In all seriousness, the staff was wonderful and very helpful to them all for putting up with my stubborn-right now personality.
I am home now recovering. That is my hyster story, and i am very happy to be able to tell it. Hystersisters has been a gold mine of information, support ,and advice. I have gotten more from hystersisters and all the princesses (recovery advice, what to take to the castle...and defiantely support) than i got from the castle or even the doc.

Printer Friendly Version

TAH - Kelley's Castle Tale

TAH - Kept one ovary

Find A Doctor Near You

Danielle J Jimenez-Flores, M.D. 4324 N McColl McAllen TX 78504 956-630-0240	Laurence Orbuch, M.D. 202 Spring Street 2nd Floor New York NY 10012 212-343-3040	Megan Bird, M.D. 364 SE 8th Ave, Suite 205 Hillsboro OR 97202 503-681-4145
David Shifrin, M.D. 3001 Coral Hills Dr., Suite 300 Coral Springs FL 33065 954-341-2916	Bruce Pierce, M.D. 2 Princess Road Lawrenceville NJ 08648 609-896-0777	Geoffrey Cly, M.D. Suite 101, 11123 Parkview Plaza Drive Fort Wayne IN 46845 260-969-5530
Iris Orbuch, M.D. 202 Spring Street 2nd Floor New York NY 10012 212-343-3040	Leonard Rosen, M.D. 3650 Joseph Siewick Dr. #203 Fairfax VA 22033 703-391-1500	Amie Napier, M.D. Medical City Hospital 7777 Forest Lane Suite A331 Dallas TX 75230 9725667760

Receive support and resources for your hysterectomy related needs: