The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy - Give-Away!

I had 1 week to get ready. My husband cleaned our room and bathroom and washed all our clothes. I talked with my two sons and explained that I was having surgery. I went to SAMs and stocked up on food, toilet tissue, and paper towels. Then, I just waited and prayed. I wish I had known about this great site before.

I prepared my side of the room. Brought some comfort items. Read all about my surgery Via HysterSisters. Mentally prepared myself. My family took over everything else!

Good luck take it easy after I am post OP 12 days and still laying around . Let your family know you need them. You will.

The best thing I am doing for myself is joining this group and getting the proper unfiltered information that I will be needed in order to continue to life after surgery. My hysterectomy is scheduled for May 1st, it was a decision that was inevitable. I still have mixed feelings about it and feel relieved at the same time, it will be the end to a long time of pain. https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/images/smilies/HSnew.gif

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Originally Posted by Kathy Dr Lauren Streicher has released a new version of her awesome book: The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy - and we are giving away 4 copies this month! For a chance to win a copy, reply to this thread. Tell us what you did to prepare for your hysterectomy! We will announce a winner each Friday for the next 4 weeks.

I did a preregistration for surgery, and discussed my financial obligations before it will be performed in May. I also set up for my mom to watch my daughters while hospitalized. My sister will be there for me during recovery, and pick me up after discharged from hospital.

My oldest daughter is Special Needs, so I've been prepping her for my surgery by letting her know that her sisters and brother will be helping her get ready for her program while I'm in the hospital and on bed rest. My 2nd daughter will be the 'alternate Mom' of the house (which she was when I went through my breast cancer situation in 2009); so I'm helping her get adjusted to everybody's school/after school schedules. My 3rd daughter will assist with cooking dinner. My son will be my special helper with making sure everything is where I can reach it with no problem.

I have researched my procedure and asked my doctor a thousand questions (thanks to my free HysterSisters' Hysterectomy Book). I am now in the process of cleaning my entire house, doing all laundry, organizing closets, stacking the pantry, and preparing my 2 rest spots (my bedroom and my couch). Two weeks before my TAH, I will purchase my cotton button up pajamas, a comfy night shirt (for the hospital), and plenty of sweatpants and leggings. My doctor will order my abdominal binders right after surgery. I'm contemplating ordering NetFlix, but I have plenty of on-line classes to keep me busy. I am also doing a 21 day meditation class to help calm my nerves.

At this very moment I'm prepping for my birthday and Easter....I have a tendency of trying to make everything stay as normal as possible.....

My surgery is just 5 days away now, my pre-op appt is done, I am registered at the hospital, my pre-op testing is done and now I am going into what some call the 'nesting' mode.

My niece is coming over tonight and we will spend the next couple of days cleaning the apartment.

*We will vacuum all the floors, clean the kitchen floor, pull down plates and what not from the cabinets and put them into the free standing pantry we have so they are easier for me to access.

*The bathroom will get a thorough cleaning, along with wiping everything down so I feel like its clean and that I do not have to fret about it every time I go into the bathroom and see a dirty spot or the rug needs to be cleaned.

It will help me pass the time this weekend because the last week before surgery is usually the worst for me.
*After the cleaning, I will go through my closets and drawers and make sure all the clothes are washed, hung up and folded. I will probably be doing laundry again on Tuesday just to make sure its ALL done before Wednesday but at least for this weekend I will make sure the BULK of it is done.

*On Monday I will go through all my college classes and make sure I am completely caught up on homework. I have been pretty good with that, but a last minute once-over cannot hurt, right?

*The day before surgery I will have an all liquid diet, and also I have a 3 hours biology lecture that night from 7pm till 10pm, so that will definitely help the night go faster before the surgery. Also, I will take the 'special soap shower' with the Hibiclens soap.

*The morning of the surgery I will take ANOTHER Hibiclens shower and then just relax. I have not given myself too much time to think during the next 5 days, because I am a worrier. But on Tuesday, I will just sit back, relax, if I do not go in till later I will just spend time with my fiancee and let him know I love him and that no matter what, because nothing is a guarantee when you have major surgery, just so he knows he is the best thing that has happened to me and for me!

Maybe these are not the 'typical' before surgery preps, but hopefully they will work for me.

Ohhhh I almost forgot, in between all this cleaning and homework, I will be going to the nail salon to get my nails done since the hospital nurse ok'd it was ok to have them done so long as the nail beds were visible!!!

Good Luck to everyone who has not yet had the surgery~For everyone who has already had the surgery, congrats and I will see you's on The Other Side (The Light Side of the Moon, since I am currently on The Dark Side of The Moon )

So far I have been reading as much as I can. I was not able to get the book offered here when you sign up so I read all the articles I can find.

Also, I have been freezing meals for after surgery

On my to-do list is to clean the house and get all laundry done, buy comfy clothes and look after all the billing (we operate a cleaning business) for it to send automatically when due.

How did I prepare? First step, came here!!! Next think I did/am doing right now, research, to find out what I SHOULD do!
I'm a total newbie to all of this...

I prepared for hysterectomy
By cleaning the house from top to bottom
So while laid in it I'd not feel so rotten

I bought lots of healthy food
To help and lift my mood
I cleared a bedside draw and filled it with medication,
For pain,for wind and dreaded constipation
I put clean sheets on my bed
Chillow pillow ready for head
I told my hubby I'd need his support
And to remember the verse
The one that says for better or worse
I looked on this sight and asked for advise
I was answered at once ,that was so nice