HELP. 3 days away and terrified!!

I just found your site today. Didn't sleep much last night. Scheduled for TAH on Wed the 28th. Family/sisters 1500 miles away, husband and 2 boys at home whom I do too much for + live in a bilevel house. I'm terrified that 1) they'll take the ovaries and 2) that when I get home, no one will realize what I need to recover. Any advice?
Thanks so much

Hi mjgrmi....sorry you weren't able to rest last night. I think once you start reading all the different posts on this website you'll feel at ease. I discovered hystersisters after my TLH and found it most helpful and wished I knew about it before my surgery.

How old are your boys? Mine are older, one out on his own and one in college, so just my DH and myself. My DH took care of me for a few days after surgery, then I was on my own during the day while he was at work. Because I didn't have little ones at home, I was able to rest.

Will be praying for your recovery....try and have a Merry Christmas!

Hi,
Welcome! i hink you will find that the anticipation of it all is the hardest part but that when it finally comes, you will breathe a big sigh and think, "this isn't so bad after all." If you can, see if you can sit down with dh and read through some of the articles on this site. Get your downstairs couch or recliner ready with pillows, blankets, and a place for your water, remote control, and cell phone. Tell your family you will not be able to lift anything more than a mug for a few days. Get them used to piling dirty laundry in one place and teach someone how to turn on the washing machine. In my case, the clean clothes became a pile of their own, but that was okay, dh, ds, and dd just fished out what they needed. Might want to invest in a few more towels and large panties since things won't get rotated as quickly. Get some canned and frozen easy to eat kinds of things. Get HBO. Let's see...if I think of anything else, I'll tell you. And...talk with your der about your worries about the ovaries and see what his/her plan is for you in case they need to come out, hrt or no hrt and when. I know it isn't easy right now, but try to relax this week. We are all here for you. You will love the post op discussion board- we're pulling for you! love, yipee

mjgrmi,
I just read what I typed and apologize for all the typos! I was trying to type from a lying down position-should have know that wouldn't work! lol Anyway, like I said, it will be okay and it may actually be an experience that pulls your family closer together (it did mine) in terms of being an effiecient "we can get dressed without mom" machine when school gets going again (if your children are school age).

I still support my position the NOTHING makes a princess more appreciated than a case of "cup o' noodles" for the family. And it's light enough you can carry it yourself. Tune out dust bunnies, family skirmishes, piles of anything that look possibly heavy or energy-sapping... in ten years you won't remember anyway. Good luck on your surgery! (Don't forget to drop your at the cleaners on the way to the castle... or at least hide it in the back of the closet for a few weeks.)

km_wish_star,
you are always so "right on the money!" Warm soup and noodles is divine. I like peppermint tea, for digestion, too. Yum.

Hi mjgrmi!

I was scared too. The waiting time was the hardest part for me. I don't have any kids, so I don't have any advice there, but read all the pre-op messages you can find. There is lots of helpful advice here and lots of things I would never have thought of myself. It has all been helpful to me. We'll be pulling for you! Hope you're feeling calm and healthy soon!

Deep breath. I had my TAH 3 weeks ago today (Dec.5) and am having a nice, but quiet, Christmas. I, too, was pretty terrified going into it. And we had moved into a new house 4 days before surgery! You can read so much, but still everything is unknown until you go through it. Of course, I can't say how things will go, but hopefully you will feel comforted by my outcome. I was walking without too much difficulty the next day. Only had one major pain episode in the hospital when I waited too long to ask for help to the bathroom and I had to get up with my bladder feeling like it was gonna bust. After getting home, I didn't find the stairs to be too much of a problem, just very slow going. I do wish I would have had more food frozen & stockpiled, but don't underestimate the power of take-out. I would get extra for left-overs. Recovery has been very uneventful, which is a good thing. While I haven't driven yet, and car rides aren't the most pleasant thing, I had visions of being bedridden and helpless, which didn't really happen. I also don't bend over & pick things up yet, but have become very good at deligating. "Please pick this up for me, please move this," etc. My dh has even cooked dinner with me sitting nearby giving instructions. I'm sure your family will pitch in and you can coach them along. Don't do something once that you know you shouldn't be doing, or you may be expected to do it again. Don't feel bad/guilty for going to sleep whenever you feel like it. If your family cleans, but its not up to your standards, don't say anything except "thank you." Hope this helps ease your mind a bit. Relax. Bottom line for me, anyway, is what I'm going through now isn't nearly as bad as what got me here in the first place.

Oh- I forgot the thing that helped me the most...on the shopping page is an "Abnostrain." While I wasn't able to purchase that, my dh rigged something similar up with a really fat rope tied to the baseboard of the bed with big knots in it. It looks weird, but has been a lifesaver for getting up and lying down!

i agree with all of the replies here. waiting is hard and the boredom during the healing process is also difficult. planning is very important!for me, pillows are a big help. prunes, cranberry juice and high fiber cereals helped me with constipation. i also explained to my daughter and boyfriend what i can and cannot do while recovering. i would go to this website and read the checkpoints or important reminders aloud so they know what to expect. once you've had your operation, settle in for a long rest and remember not to test your body because it is healing inside -- it needs to be pampered and that can only happen when you stay rested. good luck and pray when your fearful because God is good and He will not let you down. God bless!