Abdominal hysterectomy: TAH ~ 2 1/2 weeks post-op

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Abdominal hysterectomy: TAH ~ 2 1/2 weeks post-op

Abdominal hysterectomy: TAH ~ 2 1/2 weeks post-op

Date : 02-25-2008 - 07:09 AM - Readers : 1139

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Hey all. I JUST found this site last Friday. WOW -- awesome and i WISH i had known about it day 1!! My TAH & appendectomy was Feb 7. Because it was scheduled due to LARGE suspicious ovarian mass -- i had been referred to a hospital 1 1/2 hrs away from my small town in IL -- and to a GYN/Onocologist -- in case the mass was malignant. IT WAS NOT -- PRAISE GOD!!! But severe endometriosis which was unknown. ( i had moved, changed Dr's this past year).
The labs are not in yet but from what i was told was endometriomas and my left ovary was 10x enlarged, my uterus was tilted backwards, endo. has spread and covering my appendix and had spread to signes of it on my bladder and bowel.

Day 1: my surgery was sched for noon but i did not go into surgery until 4pm almost. We had over a foot of snow and more up north where i had to go. Took us three hours in a 4 wheel drive, diesel truck on alternate routes to get there -- and i think that is why surgeries were so backed up.
I got back to my room by 8pm so that day and night was a blur. I was on the PCA and like others, the morophine made me itch!!! the next day by 11am i was adamant on sitting up and walking. Took me 20 minutes to just GET UP (so dizzy and weak and PAIN!!). I just sat there (dozed there) sitting up for 2 hrs i think!!. THe nurse kept chcking on me! ha). I finally walked with nurses on either side and carrying my catheter bag and IV pole -- about 15 feet down hall and back. The i was done!! back to bed and rested all day. I didn't eat anything but crackers and ice for about 24 hrs. I had a visitor that PM but was so out of it....

Day 2 (24 hrs post op_: showered unassisted and made them take the dang catheter out since i was drinking and had some scrambled eggs. The cath. was not draining as fast as i wanted and when my bladder was full -- IT HURT! I also got rid of the PCA about 36 hrs post op.

Day 3: i could have gone home this pm but i was going home to stay alone so i needed the extra night. I walked alone several times and was was given oxycodone for pain.
That night they left me alone (and i didn't call for pain meds cuz i kept expecting them to come in any minute) and by 7am i was HURTING, running low fever and feeling awful!!
Pain meds and tylenol worked and i at more eggs for bk and had mashed potatoes and sorbet for lunch and went home afterwards.

The work calls started 2 days after being home and 1 week post op i was working at my computer. IT HURT SO BAD TO SIT. i only did a few hours.

2 weeks post op i started working all day at home but took frequent breaks. I would not recommend this but my company went to some freaky PTO system....even though i have 240 hrs in an Extended Leave Sick bank, i have to use my 130 accrued PTO hrs first (this is sick time/vacation time) first. Well if i use it all now, i wont have any vacation time til jan 1 2009!! so i my company was nice enough to set me up so i can do anything i can do in office from home. I am a manager of a pilot trainign dept for an airline. I had everytying all caught up before i left but murphy's law prevailed and the day or surgery a major crisis occurred and i had to pass on to someone else who really does not know much about it.

I had a weird thing happen 2 weeks post op -- i passed two stiches that thurs and friday and started bleeding bright red blood. I called nurse and she said to keep eye on it (again, they are 1 1/2 hrs away) and go to ER over weekend if i filled or soaked a pad. I did not and listened to my body and stayed in bed all day Saturday and only went to church SUnday. By sat afternoon it had stopped and i don't have hardly any discharge.

I do have a very sore hind end and i started talking a calcium supplement -- and did not know to take magnesius with it. I was SO CONSTIPATED -- and finally passed what felt like a brick at 2am this am.!!! Stool softeners are not enough if you take Calcium. Get it with Magnesium or take a mag. supplement!!!!

So that is it.......not really needing pain meds unless i sit here at computer. (cept for my rear end today!!).
ha

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