3 weeks post hysterectomy: Anyone else a Superwoman?

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Poppy Seed Hi- week three of recovery. Took everything but one ovary, which I have now named "Old Lefty". I come from a family in which we were not allowed to be sick. Now I live alone- in a cabin, and am: building fires, moving firewood, doing laundry, hanging blinds and today, planting bulbs. There is no one else to do it. It does twinge and burn around my incisions a tiny tiny bit sometimes. Am I being an idiot? Self coddling is hard for me. Active people, when could you start hiking and working out again? It messes with my self conception not to be capable.

I went back to work 2 weeks after surgery but only for a few hours. Hurt like hell but I had to. We live paycheck to paycheck. I then had to take a few days off before I could go again. It was a slow process.

Poppy Seed,
I am new here also and at 1 weeks and 2 days post-op, VAH, all gone except ovaries. My left has a cyst that seems particularly angry. I call her contemptuous Lucy! I understand your struggle. I did not grow up and live life with others doing things for me. I've always done it all, for myself and others.
I found I was feeling really well earlier this week, however I made the mistake of doing too much and moving too quickly. whew! my sutures on the left pulled and left me noting the importance of being patient and taking things slowly.
While this period of 'take time to heal' can be incredibly challenging it is crucial for the best outcome with healing.
If any bending is involved or you feel things pulling, take a note that movement or activity is likely out or needs to be altered a bit to accommodate your body's needs at this time.
I was looking into the risks associated with not healing right and the body pulling, creating more adhesions and I noted to myself that it was not worth the rush to get back to a sense of normalcy no matter how much there is to do.

I hope you can shift things to work for you and appreciate your strength in being alone through this.
Sending you wellness!
M

I too prefer to do most things myself, for myself and the way I want it done. My work reputation as a super woman and super therapist means a lot to me, too . But I am a good therapist, and a smart woman, and I am lucky enough to have people who want to help me. They see me taking this seriously and they realize that if I am taking a step back, or 10, that there is a darned good reason for it. I only want to do this once, if something goes wrong it shouldn't be because I was impatient. Because I am really having to work at this good patient stuff. I struggle with waiting for someone to come home and do the chore list, but they havent let me down and its getting easier. So I have been channeling my control freak tendencies into pre-planning and organizing, getting ahead on grocery and household shopping. Now after surgery, keeping a little notebook with med schedules, noting my food and never ending bowel battles. Yes, I think I can smell a sink drain, it's on the list for someone to lift the gallon of bleach tomorrow morning and fix that!! Someone didnt sweep well enough in front of the cat boxes after they changed the litter. But they changed the litter. And seriously who leans in to within an inch of the mirror and splats Toothpaste on there, no one will ever admit it but they are cleaning it now, not me!!! Love to you all!!

Poppy Seed,
My sincere apologies as I did not mean to scare you with regards to mentioning adhesions as a risk with 'doing too much too soon' and not healing properly. I should have clarified what that meant and am grateful Cussette responded and explained it for sisters to better understand.

As I read the sister responses it struck me that whether we are alone in the healing or have support, we as women in general struggle with pacing ourselves and allowing the healing process to run its course. In particular, when it is at a much slower pace than we are used to or would prefer.

We as women are all warriors to various extents and have been taught or learned to survive 'by doing'. We have becomes masters at figuring out how to manage many things or everything, handling the most complex challenges that come our way, and as a result can be incredibly resourceful.

I know women like this and am one myself. It has been difficult to not have the freedom to move as I please and do the million things that are required in a given day for myself much less my family. I have been blessed that my children have been doing well with this learning curve of mama not being readily on-demand or accessible in the usual ways. It has been very good for them and my spouse.
With this, I have also been noting the relationship I alone have with my body.
When we have issues with our reproductive organs we get to know our bodies incredibly well, often far better than we would prefer.
This can serve as a strength during healing; the challenge is, listening to our bodies and noting those moments before choosing to do a movement that just might be too much or outside of the new and currently developing parameters of healing.
Bending down and stretching does not look like it did before my LAVH.
I can squat, carefully and that works, but not excessively.
I can stretch at arms length and reach up but not beyond the extent of my tiptoe reach.

I have never chosen to sit down, stay down, or rest so much in my life. But I've learned enough thus far to recognize how important that is for me to do. I have had to practice giving myself permission to slow down, take it easy, or simply not do the seemingly simplistic thing my mind says I can do but my body quickly reminds me, bares consequences.

I hope each sister can pay respect to their relationship with their body and all it has been through before, during, and after surgery. This is a journey; one of healing and allowing the body to reset in a different way now that many organs and the like have been removed.
May we all listen, heed our body's responses or reactions (the pulls and twinges that make us take pause), and be gentle with ourselves.

It isn't easy when there things and people that need tending to, however this is our time to tend to ourselves first and foremost.

I appreciate all of you sisters; the wisdom that is shared, the support offered and encouragement given, as well as the lending of care by empowering one another as we all make our way on this journey to heal as best as we each can.

Thank you and be well.