Fine Line-don't over do it-How not to cross that line?

(((stacyshan))), is there a neighborhood teenager that you could pay to walk your dog for the first couple of weeks at least? If not, can you get a tie-out stake so you can put your dog out on a line to exercise and 'do his duty'? You're right, you don't want to be walking a dog during your early recovery - I know what mine is like when he sees a squirrel, and I can't imagine having him react that way so soon after surgery.

You may want to sleep (and also sit in your recliner or on the couch) with a small fluffy pillow on your tummy for a while when you get home. That should prevent Fido from jumping onto your tender tummy. That's the method I used to keep my two (approx. 15 lb) cats from sitting on my lap when I first came home - instead, they sat next to me with their heads on my upper thighs, still cozy but not uncomfortable for me.

You asked about the difference between activity during recovery from this surgery and a delivery & tubal. The difference is that this time, you are having a major organ, which is currently attached to the rest of your insides in a lot of places, cut out and removed. All the places that are cut will have to be either stitched, stapled or cauterized. Every one of those spots is going to be a tender, raw, healing edge. Until they are totally healed, any pushing or stretching in the belly area will pull on the healing tissues and believe me it will HURT, plus you can risk causing tiny tears which can bleed a bit inside your abdomen. When that happens, you can form adhesions, which are bits of scar tissue that can stick to nearby parts (such as your intestines, for example)... and can cause lasting problems.

Here's a link to an article that has more information about why you should not do too much:

What could happen if I do too much too soon?

I had a vaginal hyst too. The first two weeks of my recovery, I did not lift the laundry basket, push any shopping carts, carry anything heavier than a carton of milk. And absolutely, positively, NO !

You get only one chance to have an uncomplicated recovery... why not err on the side of caution and maximize your odds of success!

s,
-Linda

I think it would be wonderful in so many ways if our doctor could say to us, these are the rules, walk for 10 mins a day, three trips to the bathroom, today you lift this, tomorrow you lift this and that. It would make it so much easier on everyone involved. However, since we are all so individual, it is so very different. Even with me from day to day is very different. I went and sat at Dairy Queen for 2 hours this afternoon. I had no trouble sitting on my butt. I did dishes this morning, no pots and pans, but the little things like glasses and plates. However for me to go out and walk for 10 minutes, it kills me. My stomach is so swollen right now, it jiggles like jello and hurts like...well you get the idea!

The third day in the hospital, I did so much walking and I felt so wonderful. Then about supper time it hit me. I wanted to die....I hurt so bad, was so tired, all I wanted to do was cry. Lesson learned. Dont walk so far. When I came home, I did great with the walking for the first two days, today, I can barely get to the car. However I never walked before my surgery, I am a confessed couch potato. I do get my walking in around the house, to the car, to the house. I havent stopped but I feel really good. I havent done anything strenuous, so I know I am not doing too much. However, the next lady may not be able to do the things I do.... But she may be walking for an hour a day....

It is totally personal, and I can honestly say, when you over do it once, you sure wont do it twice!! It is a game of chance in many ways. Today you may be able to walk three blocks. Tomorrow it may be one. Take it slow, REST lots and if you do overdo it, rest even more. I had two days where I did not get out of bed, except for the important things because I was going to the dr office to get my staples out. It ended up being a good trip, and not too hard at all....I WAS FREE!!! rofl Just take as best care of your stomach as you possibly can, and you will know when it is being used, you will certainly feel it, not pain but a strange pulling. If you feel pain, STOP what you are doing.

I hope my lil book has helped explain things. I am sure you will be fine, as you go along and learn what you are capable of. Its trial and error. Just be careful.....
Hugs
Kat

I didn't know pushing a shoping cart could hurt me. I was feeling fine until week three when I went to the store for "a couple" things and ended up with an entire cart which I pushed around in walmart for at least 30 minutes. This past week has been pure misery. I have sharp pains and am on strong antibiotics. I also picked up my 39 lb grand daughter later in the same day to put her in a shopping cart before my mind clicked on the "do not lift messege"! I now have a fever and am scared something not so good is going on in there.
Some days it is easy to do something routine and then think "i shouldn't have done that"!
I have felt very forgetful since surgery 4 weeks ago. It is odd.

One way I found around pushing a shopping cart was to use one of those electric carts available in the large stores, such as WalMart's: while you still have to be cautious, as you really don't want to be lifting and straining and pulling, filling the cart up, it is a good way to do the groceries, especially from around the 3rd or 4th weeks, when you are little more mobile.

One thing to remember about using those carts, is that sitting is an activity: I blame it on brain , but on my 6th day Post-Op I just had to go out and buy a X-Mas gift for one of my son's teachers!!! Don't quite understand how I worked that out, but that little trip turned into a 3 hour shopping spree I paid dearly for that little escapade, by being in terrible pain for several days thereafter!!!

I would also use the pillow to ward off my big huge :kitty: and as a reminder to my then 5 yo DD that "mommy still had a booboo". Carrying the pillow around and wearing jammies around the house also served as a reminder to my family... and myself... that I was still recovering.

Linda-thanks for the graphic description of what's happening to me, I can now easily see how & why I will have to take it very easy. Especially after the first week or two when I will think I can start doing a little more. This doesn't sound like it will be easy or fun and extreemly tricky. Gee, 6 weeks of focusing on me.....do we know how to do that? I know, just the opposite of what we are use to.