TAH post op recovery, May 1/2013

Hi, I was fortunate to have found this site before my surgery.I am 60 and have never had any surgery. I was very lucky to have had a very smooth recovery. I had a TAH/BSO May 1. I had virtually no pain in the hospital...the nurses were nagging that I wasn't using my morphine pump very much. I was able to go home May 4 after I FINALLY passed gas. My first bowel movement was the 5th...uneventful..no pain as I was given stool softeners in the hospital. I was given tylenol and toradol to take at home. My first shower was the 6th, my girlfriend is a RN so she helped me with that. My first week was the hardest...just a little awkward and sore, but day after day the pain got less and less. After the first week I was just using tylenol. I ate lots of fruit , soups and drank lots of water and juice. Snacked all day instead of having large meals.
I had a glitch in the second week of recovery where I thought I had a UTI...had difficulty urinating and had lots of burning. But I read here not to panic, it could have been a spasm...I am suspecting that is what it was because after a miserable day I finally had a whoosh and passed lots of urine and I was fine after that.
I had a vertical incision with steri stips. No one told me how to tend to it, but this site has been my godsend. thank you to all who have contributed!
My incision healed perfectly...
Tomorrow is my 6 week check up. My biggest complaint is the fatigue. I know I just have to keep up doing more each day. I go for shorts walks and putter around the house. I had to go to my family doctor for an allergy shot...and just being out of the house for that hour tired me out. My husband did the driving. I am hoping to return to work in the next couple of weeks..it is just 3 half days..semi retirement is awesome!
I also am having a bit of sciatic pain..due to sitting around so much lol but i am taking ibruphrophen for that.
I also still have a pain in my right lower abdomin which I noticed in the hospital. Not sure if that is the bowel or just something that was clamped or sutured. I will ask about that tomorrow. It isn't a constant pain but just takes me by surprise.
My incision tingles...my nerves are coming back to life.
All in all I have done very well. A lot of that is because I was mentally prepared and didn't panic about anything because I knew I could find the answers on here.
Thank you very much again for all the contributors!

It's great to hear that you are doing so well! It sounds like you had a fairly uneventful recovery, and that's what everybody wishes for. Just remember that you don't have to do more and more everyday. Even at 6 weeks, I took a whole day here and there to rest, or I went to bed early after spending the day working. The fatigue will go away on its own, slowly. Working yourself harder doesn't send it scurrying. Keep up the good work.

Thanks Elsie . You are right. I will just do what I feel like doing and not push myself.(I don't mind resting lol)