I am so Frustrated! HELP!!!!

Well, reading this has eased my mind... I thought I was being wimpy. I am 13 weeks out and still cannot keep my normal routine. I rest a LOT more than I used to between errands. This means cooking dinner or doing the dishes. I lay down on my lunch break for at least half an hour. Sleep hasn't been coming as easily so maybe that is part of it. But I guess it isn't uncommon. I was overwhelmed with thankfulness this weekend as I walked briskley to an antique store in my neighborhood and realized I was feeling GOOD for a change! This has been a long road. Hope it's nearing the end!

Cathy

You are not *wimpy* - I will be 4 mo. out next week, and I'm still not "there" yet! It seems like the harder I try, the more it sets me back!

We'll get there, though. We just need to be patient. I am soooo looking forward to it!

Lisa, my heart goes out to you!

It sure wouldn't hurt to give your doctor a call to ask about your wound drainage, the warm area, and the vaginal drainage. I'm not surprised that you are having drainage though, because of what was done during the surgery and your little trips out of the house.

I don't know if hormones are involved in your crying; but I do know that for myself, being weepy is a response to stress....and your body has been stressed tremendously.

I understand that it is hard to learn how to cope with being 'on the other side' of the caregiving thing. I'm a nurse too, I had been doing disaster relief work for the last several years before my pain and bleeding put the brakes on things. I've been working hard to be a "Good Princess" instead of "Superwoman".

Although I didn't require transfusions, I did become anemic. I'll have to take iron supplements until I'm at least 6 months post op. The fatigue has kicked my tail more than anything else. I am slowly increasing my activities....but I still tire more easily than I like. I am feeling better now than even a couple weeks ago. My gyn told me to expect battle fatigue for a few months yet, and to take this time to develop healthy habits.

Try to have faith in your children and DH, faith that they can do just fine while you are healing. Guilt can really eat at you. I did have flashes of sadness at first, but rather than guilt I focused on how well my family was doing instead of how little I could be involved. At the time of my surgery in early May, my youngest daughter was completing her Senior year of high school....I missed seeing her in a play, attending her awards banguet as an officer in the band, and really struggled to attend her graduation 2 weeks post op. We didn't host a party for her, but she is doing just great. My oldest daughter was deployed to Afghanistan two days after my surgery. It was really hard not being able to take her phone calls the day she left....but talking to daddy was just fine for her. My DH is my best friend, we take care of each other.....so no guilt there either.

Please be kind to yourself!

I really feel for you. Please if you have questions about draining incisions, or vaginal discharge, you must call your doctor. There are some that are normal and OK and some that are not normal and not OK. Only you and your physician working together can determine which you have.

If you go to the Checkpoints in the purple menu bar, you will find little helpful hints about where people are in the recovery process in the weeks following the hysterectomy. It doesn't matter what kind of surgery you had, it is still all major surgery, nerves are cut, there are internal scrapings, blood loss, and a recovery process. I was not anemic before surgery, didn't lose an abnormal amount of blood, but was slightly anemic at my 4 week post op checkup.

It takes time, Fireman's woman, I think you are just plain trying to do too much. The world will spin on it axis without you, the floors will wait, people won't starve. Please send your Superwoman cape to the cleaners and don't pick it up until you are well rested, feeling calm and ready.

's to you in this challenging time. You have people that love you, let them help you. I that you will find the strength to slow down, for your body's sake.

Thanks ladies. I wanna go back to work SOOO bad. But it's mostly on my feet and I know it's better to wait. I'll just keep repeating, "You only have one chance to heal right...." Ya'll are the best

I'll try. The posts just make me cry. Thanks to everyone. I will TRY - really try and just let other people think whatever they will. (I'll probably bawl my head off in frustration, but that will probably let go of the stress too.)
Thank you = REALLY thank you for understanding.
I am going to DH for a hug now. I need another one.
And another...
and another....