I am a 64-year-old, nine-year-post-menopausal woman. For the last three years my bladder and uterus were prolapsed, pushing against the vaginal wall which then bulged out below the entrance to my vagina. The change in my body's ability to take care of urinary functions was gradual. It finally became impossible to empty my bladder fully, and I felt the urge-to-go almost all the time. Urine began to leak out unexpectedly this past winter, no stress like coughing or laughing needed. It just leaked occasionally and unpredictably. On June 1, 2009 I had surgery to correct the problem. I had two doctors, working consecutively, perform the operations using the da Vinci Surgical System. So, I only had to go under general anesthesia once, and I only had one set of incisions (five incisions about a half inch each). The doctors had experience working as a team in this way. The first doctor is my gynecologist. He removed my uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes. Then, the second doctor, my urologist, repositioned the vaginal vault, put my bladder in a sling, and tied the reconstruction to my tailbone. He also installed a "monarch sling" under my urethra for support. This was done through a small incision in the vagina. This is at least what I believe happened. I'm not a medical person; so, I've described it as best I can.
I entered the hospital at 6:00 a.m. June 1. The operation was at 7:30 a.m. I went home June 2 in the mid-afternoon. When I woke up, midday Jun 1, I had an IV drip in my arm, a Foley catheter in my bladder, leg massagers that blew up regularly (to prevent clots), and oxygen tubes on my nose. These things were not really that inconvenient. They did not hurt. I drank lots of water and juice and was thankful for the catheter. I was surprised to discover that I was not in much pain. There was discomfort and some pain when I coughed. I also was mentally alert. I accepted pain medication and was able to use the deep-inhaler (incentive spirometer) ten times an hour as requested by the nurses. It makes you cough and helps to keep your lungs clear. I tried to follow the post surgical directions as closely as possible. I exercised my feet and ankles, and I tried to relax. At 1:30 in the morning, they let me get up and walk a little in the hall, rolling the catheter and IV along. I began eating solid food at dinner on June 1, but I was very tentative about stowing it away. By morning June 2, I was hungry. To be considered for discharge from the hospital, I had to meet certain functional criteria. I do not know all of them. I had to be able to walk and to empty my bladder a certain percent. Techs checked my vital signs frequently during my stay, so temperature, blood pressure, and blood oxygen must have counted too. One restriction I have is that I must not push, pull, or lift anything over 10 lbs. for 6-8 weeks.
It is day seven now. I saw my doctor for the first follow-up visit. Everything is going well. I have almost no discomfort. I can take short walks, up and down the driveway, and I can use stairs holding on to the railing. The only thing I have to attend to closely is the 10 lb restriction. I feel so comfortable that I forget that I am still healing on the inside. Best of all, so far, the operation seems to have worked!
Everybody has a different reaction to surgery, and every operation is different. I hope this little description helps you as you make your decisions. I know it helped me to learn about the experiences of others.
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