 TAH - 4 days post-op, age 39 |
From the Abdominal Hysterectomy Stories Articles List |
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So here goes ladies -
My surgery was Wednesday morning. I arrived at the hospital at 6:30 with my best friend. I went through admitting and waited in a room. I got changed into booties and a gown and met with the aneasthetist (sp?) and my doctor. I waited maybe 1/2 hour after that and the nurse came to get me and we walked to the OR. I hopped up on the table and was given an IV. The last thing I said before drifiting off was "take good care of me. My kids still need me." (sniff sniff)
I'm not sure when I woke up, but surgery was about an hour and a half, and I only remember from 11 am on. I had a lot of pain, and faded in and out for a while. I didn't have a morphine pump, not sure why, and all I was given was dilaudid in pill form. That made me sleepy, and my whole body was relaxed except for my abdomen which REALLY HURT. Most of the afternoon is a blur. Around 7pm my doctor came in. He told me the surgery went very well, that my ovaries stayed and were 'pristine'. I told him I was in a lot of pain. I cold hear him ask the nurse if I had been given an injection. When she said no, I could hear a bit of frustration in my dr's voice. He told the nurse that I wouldn't be absorbing anything through my stomach this soon after surgery. I got an injection. INSTANT RELIEF.
My mom came by that evening, and one of my friends, but I wasn't making any sense and couldn't stay awake long. The nurse gave me a lime popsicle which was yummy!
My catheter wasn't draining properly, so I spent most of the first night buzzing the nurses who would come, jiggle the tubing for my bladder to drain. The nurses were fantastic except for my very first one, who was very young, and was only giving me meds in pill form.
Early on Thursday, I asked the nurse to take out my catheter. They were going to do it later in the am, but I could feel so much pressure that I was a bit of a pest. They took it out, and about 20 minutes later I had a big pee. The nurse walked me to the bathroom, but I felt pretty good. I was still getting injections for the pain.
I walked around the ward in the afternoon with my IV pole in tow, and it felt great.
Later in the day, my nurse brought me in for a shower, which was heavenly. I sat down for it, and it was the first time I had anyone actually wash me. I got over being embarassed, and I felt like a million bucks afterward. I put on my own nighty, brushed my hair, had more pain meds and went to sleep.
My second night in the hospital wasn't so good. I was in a quad room, and at 10:30 at night they had to move two of my roomates to another floor. Our room was next to the baby nursery (imagine!) and facing the nursing station. So I was exhausted, and couldn't get any sleep. I went and found my nurse (I was walking fine) and started crying, saying that I needed some sleep. She was an angel. She calmed me down and asked me if I was feeling nauseated at all. It took me awhile to catch on, and when I did, I asked for some Gravol. That did it and I fell asleep.
The next morning, the dr came in again, checked my incision and told me that he wouldn't normally release on the second day, but if I was going to get more rest at home, and I didn't live far, he would do it.
So home I came - about 55 hours after surgery.
The drive home took a lot out of me and I was exhausted, but oh so happy to climb into my own bed 
I immediately fell asleep and slept most of that day.
WHY THE HYSTER?
I have HPV (no symptoms in 15 years) have had cryosurgery on my cervix, and a couple of nasty STDs an old boyfriend so kindly gave me, so my gyno history is quite colorful. I also had an IUD lost in space which had to be removed surgically, and a terminated pregnancy with complications.
I had fibroids removed during my two C-sections, and a tubal during the last one four years ago.
Since then, my periods had been getting worse and worse to the point of being debilitating. I was passing clots, and gushing so badly that I was anemic and light headed. This past year, my periods would be anywhere from 10-14 days long. I went to see my OB/GYN who went over my history and explained the options to me. He's relatively new, and up on all the latest research. We went through all the options and I told him that I was so tired of dealing with my period and worrying about cancer risk etc that I'd like to have a hysterectomy. To my incredible surprise he said that given my history, it was a reasonable course of action and he booked me for two months down the road. I had gone in expecting resistance, so I had notes describing three months of my cycle.
I kept my ovaries, and I know there are those who would go to great lengths not to have a hysterectomy but for me it was the right decision. I feel like I'm getting my life back and all that energy spent on my period can be spent on me and my family! I'm looking forward to being intimate with my husband whenever we choose without having to worry about the yuck factor. I'm looking foward to not spending half of my life bleeding exhausted and barely able to have fun with my kids.
I AM FREE!!!
Best of luck to all of you. Remember - everyone has an opinion, but it's your decision.
God bless
Related Titles
update wk5 (last post 4 days post op)
7 days post op
Post-Op RALH, Days 1-6 (long post)
TAH - 3 days post op
TAH/BSO - First post - 4 days post-op (VERY long)
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