Home from the hospital today - I made it

I had my supra-cervical TAH (removal of uterus, tubes and ovaries) on 12/9 at 11:15 and done by 1:30. I woke up in the recovery room in DIRE pain. I am a big lady - overweight - plus I have a high tollerance for medications, meaning I usually need more than most to have an effect. That is anything from novacane for dental work, antibiodics for bronchitus, you name it.

In the recovery room, they kept giving me shots of Dilaudid - which was NOT touching my pain. Then they switched me to Morphine and eventually that lowered the pain to a 6 or a 7. I was in missery. Afterwards, the nurse told me that the amount of pain medication I needed in the recovery room, would have put some patience in a coma. I was sore.

Moving around the first day in bed it tough. Catheter came out the next day and they made me get out of bed and walk. WOW, talk about feeling every muscle. Ouch ouch.

Yesterday, I had a shower, which every room on the surgical floor has. It was great to shower, I felt so much better. My incision is about 8 inches and my DH said I have 18 staples, plus doc said I have internal stitches - many.

Haven't had a BM yet, I worry about that. But the worst is behind me. The hospital was great, St. Peters hospital in South Brunswick, NJ. Great hospital, it's quiet, clean and the staff is great.

On the way home, I wanted to get a new bed pillow and a couple other things. We stopped off at a Walmart and I drove one of the handicapped buggies, which was kind of fun. But, I did too much today, I am sore. Had to log on though and let everyone know I made it and I am ok. This website has been a great source for me and I will continue to post back here and read other posts. I ordered my swelly belly band, you do need support of some kind. Women were walking around the hospital holding pillows to their tummys for support. It did look kind of funny.

Anyhow, you folks are great. God speed. Going to go put my feet up.

All the best in your recovery. Now take it easy and let everyone pamper you.

It does get soooo much easier with time.

Darend, I am just 2 days ahead of you. I was actually up walking before they took the catheter out. I think I surprised everyone, but more than anything else THAT was the thing that helped me feel better...getting up and moving around. I left the "castle" the day you went in and have been doing fabulous ever since. Today seemed to be a transitional day...feeling better, but not sure what to do. Pain meds are running out, but the pain is diminishing too so that should be OK. I'm a big girl too so my surgery took 4 rather than 2 hours. I also had lots of scar tissue from a surgery when I was 7. This time when they went in after the ovary, they couldn't find it because it was plastered on the back of my uterus - yikes! Other than that all went according to plan and things are clearing up pretty well. The bruising is just starting to fade. Boy has it been UGLY the last few days.

Best to you in your situation. Don't try to do things too fast. Let your body and mind tell you when it's time to rest.

Thank you all for the kind words.

kreative_ily - I wish you a fast recovery as well. I have a high tolerance for medications, meaning it usually takes me twice as much meds to achieve the same results as normal people. When I was in the recovery room, I had several shots of delodid, that wasn't working - I kept saying pain, pain. Then they started me on Morphin shots, that took the edge off from a 9 to a 6, but that was after several shots. The nurse told me later that the amount of pain meds they gave me in the recovery room would have put some people in a coma. Doctor gave me 25 percasets for home scripts and I take 2 every 4 hours. I know I will run out. They claim the pain meds are addicting, but when people are fresh out of surgery, they need the pain meds to heal and rest. Ughh, oh well.

No kiddings, it is a big surgery for sure and it feels it. This website has been a great thing for everyone, both pre-op questions and jitters as well as recovery sharing. Now I can help and give advice and share my experience with those that are on the pre-op side. I am so glad the surgery is behind me now.

I hate myself for being the weight I am. I think it complicates things and it extends healing time because the excess weight pulls and strains muscles that have been cut. It sure is an incentive to go on a diet after I heal.

Anyhow, thank you and keep in touch. I usually check into this site a couple times a day, both pre-op and now post op to read new posts. Talk to you later.

Diane

Darend,
I too am a big lady of 280 lbs, so I hear ya on the weight thing. I do firmly believe it teds to bother us a little more than most, having these surgeries. My thing is that I could barely wipe after surgery, scared to bend. I have a sagy belly and it tends to pull down causing slit pain in staple area!
I went in on the 6th and came home 9th. I too stopped by Walmart to grab a few things....boy dont people look at you funny when ya ride in those carts! LOL
Well good luck sweetie and best wishes!

Hi Susan. Yes, I do think stress on the staples is worse when you are big. I weigh 289 and every step I take when I walk causes my belly to sway a bit and it pulls on the stitches. Yes, the simplest things that you don't think of are tough after a hysterectomy, like putting on shoes, tying laces, putting on underwear and even cleaning yourself after the bathroom. geesh. I am waiting to be able to have a bowel movement. Haven't had one since the surgery on the 9th. I keep taking stool softeners orally, eating soft foods, to no avail yet. I am afraid its going to hurt when I go to the bathroom the first time. I normally tend to be constipated, but I hear the meds make it worse.

Susan, did you find that due our our size, and we are about the same weight, that it takes more meds to have the medicine take effect. Just wondering how it is for you.

I also am the same weight as you two. I had to talk to the nurse privately about being able to reach behind me. She said if it was a problem, then just shower after a BM and then you should be standing up and a little more able to reach back there.

For me I find having a full bladder the most uncomfortable and there is a funny pang when I am emptying it. Comes with the territory I think. Passing gas is more painful for me than actually having a BM. My surgery was on 7th, came home on 9th and first BM was on 10th. So hopefully yours is coming soon. Remember to take the Milk of Magnesia to try to keep it soft.

Everyone's body is so different. I don't have the high tolerance for meds as you guys. It just took 2 percocet to put me out. So I don't think it has to do with weight. Just body chemistry.

I think I was luck that I was able to come home from the hospital with their version of the "swelly belly band". It's 10-12 inches wide and they had an XXL for me and it is helping with the drooping belly. My doc wouldn't cut at the bikini line this time because of the droopy belly. He cut about 3 inches below the belly button. Kind of a drag now having two huge horizontal scars on my gut.

Funny story in the hospital...after they took out the catheter I needed to put on some undies so they could put the pad on for me and the only thing they had in the hospital was toss-away-undies "one size fits most" HAH! looks like they might fit up to my knees, maybe. Good thing I found this site and they reminded me to take the granny undies with me to the castle.

When do you ladies get the staples out? My doc just used desolving sutures on me.

My doc said that the staples should come out 1 week after I leave the hospital.

hahahha, yes, I was offered one of those one size fits all undies....what a joke. don't think so.

oh well. We are just more of a woman.

Welcome home Darend hope all goes well with your recovery