Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: LAVH/BSO - My Story - Hystersisters Hysterectomy Article

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Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: LAVH/BSO - My Story

Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: LAVH/BSO - My Story

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At the end of June 2006, I started having pain and pressure in my right side that grew increasingly worse. The pain eventually spread to my flank, my back, and my legs. I was miserable. I kept going to doctors and having tests done - ultrasound, CT scan, nothing showed. I was told by various people that it was ovulation pain or it was all in my head. Some doctors just said they didn't know but had no interest in finding out and kept referring me back to my family doctor. Eventually a friend of mine told me to go see her doctor, who listened to my story and looked at me and said, "It sounds to me like you have endometriosis." Endo-what? I had never had any trouble before.

He told me I would probably need a hysterectomy but the insurance company turned me down. We tried birth control pills for a while and that didn't work so in June I had a laparoscopy, where he removed a good bit of endo on my peritoneum. The organs themselves were fine. I felt great for two months and that familiar pain/pressure started again so we scheduled the hyst and thankfully the insurance company agreed because he had quite a bit of evidence to support this decision.

I went in on Thursday morning at 6:00 for a 7:30 operation. I got scared waiting on the anesthesiologist and one of the nurses came by and asked me how I was doing. I told her all of a sudden I was terrified. She asked me if I was a religious person. I said that I do believe in God and she asked me if I would like for her to pray for me. I said oh yes and she closed the curtain to my little room and held my hand and prayed for me. Well that was enough to make me start crying! I can't express how touched I was by what she did. Bless her heart.

A minute or so later my husband and Mom came in as well as the anesthesiologist. Now he was cool. I said are you going to give me some Versed and he said yes and I said you know last time I got that stuff I remembered everything until they knocked me out and he said oh really and smiled. Well he put in the IV and I did not feel a thing (and I did not have even the slightest bruise!) and I remember saying goodbye to hubby and Mom and I have a vague memory of going down the hall but that's it until I woke up in recovery. And that is almost gone at this point. I remember being so sleepy and I kept telling the nurse I was so tired and she said that's ok hon you sleep.

Then I was in my room and my family was back and I was not in much pain really, just uncomfortable and very out of it. I had the morphine pump and was hitting it every 15 minutes or so but I was not actually in a lot of pain, just felt swollen and crampy. After a while I backed off on the morphine and it was about that time that two terrible things happened - (1) the nausea hit me and (2) my roommate's family arrived. I started feeling very sick and the sicker I got the louder they got and the more lights they turned on. They were all talking so loud (the woman was nearly deaf I think) and they all had their cell phones ringing and ringing. Mom said at one time there were 8 people in that part of the room.

I was sick and miserable and finally either hubby or Mom went to the nurses' station and went off! Right away a nurse came and told them to be quiet. That worked for a while but they gradually ratcheted up again. I was getting sick and had a bit of a fever by then and my blood pressure had dropped and the cell phones kept ringing! If I could have gotten up out of that bed I would have probably picked up the nearest heavy object and started swinging!

Finally they all left and I slept in small amounts, being awakened by nurses checking various readings, changing bags, etc....I was impressed with the new thermometer they just wipe over your forehead! I was so tired though, especially since I had not slept a wink the night before. Around 6:00 Friday morning I felt so bad, I thought there is no way I am going home today. I had been too sick to eat and was just exhausted thanks to the party next door. Unknown to me at this point, my husband had already informed the hospital that if another night was required I WOULD be in a different room!

But as bad as I felt, about 8 a.m. I started perking up. My blood pressure was fine, my fever was gone. I was a little hungry. The night nurse (such a nice guy) had told them they would be amazed how quickly I would turn around, and I did. Within the hour I was sitting up and eating, in little to no pain. They came in and removed my catheter, my oxygen and disconnected the morphine. They did leave the IV because they said I'd get a shot of Toradol before I left. Everything was looking lovely until....I heard them coming down the hall....THE ROOMMATE'S FAMILY WAS BACK AHHHHH!!!!!!!!! They walked in and flipped on the light right away of course and started talking all at once and the phones started up. I had to go to the bathroom and unfortunately for me it was on her side of the room. So I got up for the first time and started shuffling to the toilet. I figured someone in the group would have had the decency to the close the curtain and give me some dignity but they all just stared, even the men. I can imagine just how pitiful I looked, all washed out, trying to walk, hunched over, being stared at by 6 people two feet away without a word. About the time I got to the door I started dripping blood on the floor because I'd lost my pad somewhere. At that moment my husband, who looked anything but happy, stepped in between me and them and basically stared until they looked away! The men were gone when I came out.

I shuffled back to bed, happy with my accomplishment (pipes were working). At this point in the conversation on the other side I heard that the roommate couldn't pee so her catheter had to go back in.

I was drinking and eating a fair amount for the next couple of hours, gaining my strength. My doctor came by and said I could go home after lunch if I was doing ok when he saw me next. I know he had been by a couple of times the day before and I vaguely remember patting him on the arm at some point and saying thank you but I can't tell you when that was. All I knew was even then I was in less pain than I had been in before the surgery.

It was time to go to the bathroom again and I once again shuffled towards roomie's side, except this time my husband grabbed the curtain and closed it so they couldn't see me. I sat in there and they had one of those trays in the bowl to measure your output, which makes everything sound very loud! I have to admit that as I peed and peed and knew they could hear everything and knowing she couldn't go I looked at the door and stuck my tongue out at them! Bad I know but I couldn't help myself.

I went back to bed and about that time a new nurse came into the room to check on me and I heard her tell the other family to QUIET DOWN! She must have gotten a look because she then said YOU DON'T LIKE IT AND I DON'T CARE! BE QUIET! She then came in and asked me how I was - guess news travels fast between shifts!

My doctor came back around 1:00 and I had eaten some lunch and slept a bit and he said I could go. We went over my discharge instructions and he left. I got dressed and they wheeled me downstairs. I saw my doctor leaving the hospital at the same time and he said that was fast! And I said I need to go home and get some rest!

I still don't know why they stuck me in a room with someone who was fine except for the catheter issue...I know I would not have had that much racket in my room if I knew somebody was having a rough time next door. Oh well. I survived.

So how am I now? I feel so much better...I took one Percocet after leaving the hospital and have taken Motrin once today. I must admit I am having a slight bladder issue. When I stand up from going to the bathroom I sometimes have a drop or two come out. I think it's nothing to worry about. I will ask about it at my doctor visit on Friday. I am really glad I had this done and am looking forward to having a pain free life again!

I am so grateful to Hyster Sisters, who provided support and continue to provide support. This is a priceless resource for anyone who has had or is considering this type of surgery. Another thing I love about this community is its non-judgmental nature. People here try to help, not criticize. It is truly a wonderful place.

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Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: LAVH/BSO - My Story

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