hysterectomy for prolapse

Day one: up at 4 am, showered, gone by 5. Hospital at 5:30. Soon after, I was in pre op. I slept well the night before and was calm, alert and a peace with surgery. Larry, my husband, was a lot more nervous. While prepping me for surgery, I asked that they put the IV in my hand because I have rolling veins and I did not want them chasing them. The nurse wound up chasing the veins in my hand and finally blowing it out. So instead on trying in my other hand she put it in the bend of my left arm. ( you know where they draw blood). Now I am not as calm as I was. I knew it would be a big aggregation because I would not be able to bend that arm. Asked everyone that came in after if they would please start a new one somewhere after I was asleep. All agreed.
Here I go to the operating room. I meet the robot. He seemed friendly, quiet and reserved. A gentle giant. I asked my doctor if they were friends he said they were old friends and not to worry. Out I went........
I awake in recovery, ill and uncomfortable. I am trying to take the oxygen mask off my face. I did not like it. I remember my back hurting and also my left hip area. I am not one to complain or be rude but I do not remember being calm or nice. My husband said I was fine and that my sister even came in. I have only a vague memory of this and not one that I can say for sure happened. Just remember being ill and uncomfortable. The ride to my room, I do not recall or the couple hours after. There was not a lot of pain. I was actually surprised at how I felt. The first minutes of coming out of anesthesia has been the worst of it so far. And that is do to being so disoriented. I am a side sleeper so I turned from one side to the other every hour or so. This was done with little uncomfortableness but once I got to my side all was good. I liked a pillow at my belly, between my knees and in my lower back. Honestly the most pain I had was in my back and left hip and thigh area. Doctor later said this may be from the way I was on the table.
I did not have a morphine pump. I was on morphine in recovery. When I got to my room and awake , I slept a lot the day of surgery so much of it is a fog, I asked when I could have more pain medication. At the appropriate time she gave me two darvaset by mouth. This made me very nauseated. I was put back on morphine by IV.

Day 2: I slept on and off through the night waking every couple hours to turn. Catheter came out at 6 a.m. I just wanted to say that the leg compression thing, I really enjoyed. It was quiet relaxing and I turned with them pretty easily. I never just stayed on my back. My sides were the most comfortable for me. Oh, for got to mention in day one. My throat was very sore and talking wad raspy. Felt like something was stuck in my throat. During the early morning was able to get a bit up and I felt much better. Sorry for tmi. Your throat will be sore and you will talk like a frog.
So after cath came out I was given morphine again at 8a.m. I still got a little queezy from time to time. Doctor came in around 10 and told me what all I had done. Hear goes. I had robotic assisted hysterectomy, vaginally for the bladder sling, something to do with my urethra, rectocele repair, and repair to my anterior vaginal wall that was torn and had collapsed. He said he was happy with how everything went. Okay.
By 12:00 I had not been able to use the bathroom. Nurse talked about cathing me again. I started drinking a lot of water determined to go on my own. Peeing was difficult for me a first. Blowing my nose as easily as I could helped me remember what muscle to push with. Also standing, kind of squatting over the toilet helped also. Once I peed it was on then. I was peeing every 30 minutes for a couple of hours. This bothered me of course because this was something I was wanting to be healed from with this surgery. Nurse said the fluids and the trauma and bladder learning to work without the cath would take a little time.
She kept asking me if I was able to pass gas. I have not even felt gas pains at this point. My husband and I walked some around 3:00 p.m. this second day and I felt some gas movements inside. Passed a little right before we left to go home around 5:00 p.m. *******IMPORTANT******* I was feeling fine and was trying to convince my doc to let me go home. He was leaning toward me staying another night with all I had done and the nauseousness. I had not had pain meds since 8:00 that morning. They did not ask if I needed them ever, I had to ask for them. So withall the goings on I did not think to ask for any. Big mistake. After I got home hugged all my kiddos, mom had practiced with them how to come to my side and hug and kiss me, my left side incisions and insides were hurting. BAD. Two Percocets later, my husband helped me with a hot shower and I felt like a new woman. Like rinny06 said. Keep up with the meds. I needed some at about 2:00a.m. this morning then again at seven.

Day 3: so far so good . I wrote all this. The bathroom peeing thing is still not second nature I have to concentrate. Had gas pains when I came home but did not find them unbearable at all and easily passed. I notice the incision sites more today. Some feels a little itchy. Going to walk some today and just take it easy. Hard not being able to snuggle up my babies. My three year old especially. He and the girls are really sweet and helpful with my mom though. They are extra careful around me. I will keep updating. This surgery was a lot easier than expected. It is uncomfortable at times but not the pain you expect. I am excited about further results. Love to all.

Livingbyfaith5, I am glad its over and done with, and not as bad as you expected! And I am so jealous that you were able to pee! Haha! Yes! Make sure you stay on top of your meds! And be careful when you cough and sneeze. Try and keep a drink near you so you can try and avoid those. Painful!

As I type this, I am back in the hospital and have been here since Tuesday. I got a stomach ache, chills and fever within an hour. By the time we got to the hospital, I had a 104 fever. After scans, blood draws and xrays, its discovered I have an abscess behind my bladder the size of a hockey puck. The infection had gotten into my blood. So I have been on high dosage of antibiotics for the last few days. I am waiting to see if the abscess is shrinking and if my wbc count is getting better. My dr said I happen to be the 1% that has all these complications.

On the plus side... I finally got my cath out yesterday at noon, and have been successfully peeing on my own for almost 24 hours. So Wahoo for that!

Livingbyfaith, I'm so glad it's been easier than you expected! Thank you for the updates, and keep them coming - I'm pouring over every word.

Rinny, I'm so sorry you're part of that 1 percent! I hope you get good news at your next checkup. It's definitely your turn for some good news by now. Hang in there lady, and keep us posted - it's so helpful to hear how things are going for those of you who are a few days ahead of the rest of us!

I think I've decided to go ahead and get the sling. It turns out my doc does a TOT, not TVT, though the difference doesn't really have anything to do with my decision. I just don't want to have to take more time off from work and get another surgery down the road for something that I could take care of now. And even if I don't need the sling right this second, there's such a good chance that I will once they move the bladder back up - and there's pretty much a guarantee that at some point I'll need a sling - that I'm going to trust my doc and get it done now.

Rinny, my goodness you have been through it. Still praying girl. Hang in there. I am in awe of your strenght and positive attitude through it all.

I am typing on my kindle in bed, so I am not sitting at my desk if this gives a better idea of how it is going. Today was uneventful. Had egg whites for breakfast. I made them myself. I got up to walk a bit after typing this morning. Mom was helping the girls with their school, the pan was out so I had my five year old take out the eggs for me and I fried them up. Stood at the bar and ate them. Kissed everyone and back to bed I went to rest. Took the pain meds and slept great for three hours or so. Had a visitor when I woke up. Talked with her from my bed for a few minutes, then went back to sleep until my sister came over. She is still here I stayed up about an hour talking with her now I'm back in the bed. She told me I was mean in recovery. I do not even remember her being there. I am so embarrassed. She said I was pulling at the wires saying rudely, get these wires off of me. She said I snapped at her, my husband, and my nurse. I am mortified. My husband did not tell me any of this. I feel I need to write an apology. My sister said this is normal for some coming out of anesthesia.

I still am aware of my incisions. They don't hurt but are tender and feel like they need to be itched. I pored a cup of tea from a gallon pitcher about half full. I noticed no pain in my stomach area or any where. I really feel good and in great spirits. My sister had me laughing as usual for us and that was a little sore.

Oh one thing that made me more comfortable and feel better while in the hospital. My husband would put a little toothpaste on my brush and I would brush my teeth in bed. He gave me water and I spit in the vomit pan. Makes you feel so much better.

I have had a good experience so far and excited to here from all your experiences and hope they go well.

Rinny dear, I feel for you and really have know idea what your going through. I hope it is over soon. It does not feel so great writing about how well it is going with me when you are suffering so.

Going to sleep for a while thanks to Percocet. My eyes are heavy. Peeing is still a concentration effort. No bowel movement yet and sitting is a little uncomfortable but not unbearable.

Aw dont worry about me. Finally home from the hospital today. We each have own issues with recovery. Everyone's experience is different and we come here to share and lift each other up. I figure I can't go anywhere but up from here.

Wishing yoa quick recovery.

Day 4: I had a decent nights sleep woke up only a little tender at my incisions. I was determined to rest today and take it easy. I had strawberries and oranges for brunch. They tasted so good. Lounged around in bed getting up to walk and see my family. Around 4:00 roasted some broccoli in the oven to eat. Could not eat very much I got full real fast and felt very bloated at this point. Took another hot shower and I just felt full and kind of nauseated. I was surprised I felt full because I have not eaten that much since the surgery. I figured it was maybe the gas I've read so much about. And my bowels had not moved yet. I had not had any problem passing the gas, and have been doing so, and it was never painful. So I ate two gaviscon tablets my doc told me to get. *****NOTE***** Doc told me to start taking these the day before my surgery. I did and believe this is why I have not suffered with horrible gas pains.

I also tried staying off the pain meds so much yesterday. It was not bad at all. I did take them before bed. I attribute the full feeling mainly to constipation and swollen belly. Which I may add, so far is not that bad. This swelly belly I read about, mine is just a little swollen from the surgery, if any at all.

Day 5: Woke up feeling great this morning. Had a feeling the bowels may move today, so I stayed home from church, which was hard I wanted to go. But not sure what the movement of the bowels would be like I just stayed home. Hope to go tonight. Drank a good bit of water, saw the family off to church, mom went home for the day, started reading my Bible and sure enough I had the urge to go. Now I have read a lot about this being horrible. It was not ideal, but lets just say you feel so much better after.

Oh the lower back pain I've had for years is not present with me. I do notice my back feels a lot better. I can even tell the pressure from the prolapse is gone. As my belly and other part heal more and swelling goes down, I'm sure it will be AMAZING.

Felt so good this morning had the thought of telling mom I could handle things from here. But, am going to try and not be superwoman and over do it. My mind and right now my body, tells me I can ,but I am listening to wisdom and going to walk and take it easy. This is going to be a battle for me.

I do not know if I am answering questions you all may have. Please asked anything you would like to know and I will answer the best way I can.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by rinny06 Aw dont worry about me. Finally home from the hospital today. We each have own issues with recovery. Everyone's experience is different and we come here to share and lift each other up. I figure I can't go anywhere but up from here. Wishing yoa quick recovery.

Well I'm a little worried Hope you recover soon. After you start feeling better I would love to know if you can tell if the surgery has made a big difference. Hope you've started the climb upward.

Livingbyfaith5, please watch the broccoli -- that is a known gas causer. You may want to google foods that cause gas. I am almost 5 weeks and I still have to watch not to eat gas-causing foods. Be sure to take GasX!

I had tvh for prolapse 5 weeks ago. Rectocele unchanged so going in for further surgery 4/1. Otherwise feeling good, bladder no longer pushing out......hysterectomy fine, but rectocele was very disappointing. That is why I did surgery now.....and worst results of all the procedures....I have ehlers Danlos so lax tissue also.