Post-op and doing o.k.!

Dear girls,
It's Sally here and I have just returned from the castle yesteday(25th Nov). Well, so far so good.To all you girls out there yet to go, I wanted to say take a big breath...try to relax(emphasise on TRY) and remember that you are doing this for your own well-being andpeace of mind.Easy to say now I know!
Went to hospital on the 20th Nov with racing heartbeat, sweating palms and a very calm dh(so he seemed).We waited in peri-op(thats what it is called in Australia) until I was called in to another room for getting into hospital gown(you know the ones with the sexy back split!)The peri-op nurses took my blood pressure,temp etc and asked if I had had a shave. I had done that at home a good idea. They were pleased that I had done such a wonderful job upon inspection!I also had my period so had to wear those paper pants to match the paper hat. Ijust looked gorg!
Started to cry when being wheeled off to the operating room and had a last look at dh face.The nurses quickly handing me tissues which I waved at dh as he turned to go.
Everything moved fast from there on. Anaesthesist(boy is tha tone to spell) saw me and as I had agreed put in my i.v. then a epidural for pain relief after. I remember chatting and being put on the operating table but blank after that.
Woke up in recovery about 2 hours later, wide awake and looking around at the other patients. The nurses couldn't believe how awake I was. I told them tha tthis was from an overactive imagination and a brain that refuses to ever shut down!
I had a bit of trouble with pain that night as the epidural didn't actually numb the right side of the wound, so they turned it up as high as it would go. Consequently, the next day when visitors turned up I was quite ga-ga and soo tired. It was like "hey man,take a walk on the wild side". Ialso started having diahorrea(which my kids had had prior to me) Believe me, this is not a good thing with an epidural in, I could not control it! The nurses were great though, not one whisper of annoyance did I hear( no doubt they were) Cause being a nurse myself, I know just how it is.
Anyway, this is becoming very long-winded so I shall start to shorten. The wound drainage tube came out on the Wed (grateful for epidural) , the i.v. , epidural and catheter all came out Thurs. What a relief to be tube-free! Had no trouble having bowels open and weeing on Thurs but I was very tentative.
Able to shower myself by Thurs(slowly) but could shuffle around sufficiently. By shuffle, girls, it is all you can do.They give you oral analgesia to take. The main time you feel pain is sitting/standing, rolling over and walking. O.K. thats just about all the time but if you lie still you are usually pretty good. Of course,they want you up and about asap so lying around a great deal is sorta out of the question.
I found the body pillow to be a great idea and am still using it at home. A hot pack wasalso very useful for pain directly on the suture line(able to go to sleep holding on to it). When you first sit up, roll onto your side first,push up with your hands and sit up still for a few moments more until you get the energy to stand.Oh yeah, and try not to drop anything on the floor! I looked at a pen for an hour after I dropped it to work out how I was going to get it! A friend visited and picked it up for me.
Gosh, I've really gone on but so wanted to help all you LIW'S out there the way I was helped.
By the way, my path report was all clear and there was no adenocarcinoma in situ as my pap smear had suggested. So I actually did have a normal smear.But I am happy to know tha tmy doc did what he thought was best and now I am rid of the worry whether my abnormal cells will come back year after year.
Hoped this has helped ,telling my story and shall go and join the post-op princesses now.Best of wishes to everyone who is waiting, we all understand....
Sallyx
TAH with vag repair, kept ovaries they were o.k. for apparent adenocarcinoma in situ on the 20th of Nov.

So glad to hear your home and doing well now remeber to get your rest and take time for yourself. Your in my thoughts for a speedy recovery.

Thank you for a good story. It helps all us LIW to hear a good positive one. Get alot of rest and you're in my thoughts for a speedy recovery. Keep us posted on how you're doing.
Debbie
LAVH/ Dec 5th
prolapsed uterus and cervix

good for you, glad to hear that everything went ok. I hope that your recovery goes quickly for you. It was a comfort to hear about your experience. Take care of yourself.
karen40

Sally-
Welcome home, glad your experience was a positive one. Take things slow and rest!

Sally,
Glad to hear everthing went well with your surgery.
Mine went well also. Lost one overy though, as it was tangled in my mess of a uterus. I was 3 hours delayed for surgery didn't fet in until 7:30 pm. That was the worst part. Keep in touch on post op side.

Hi Sally - Glad to hear everything went well. I was done on the 20th also, but came home on the 22nd. Would have gone nuts staying in the hospital for a week. Feeling a little better every day!

Diane
TAH - 11/20