Almost 7 weeks post-op, having some pain and bleeding

Meg, I am so glad to hear things are looking up!! I just want to hug you. And I do have to tell you that I got tears in my eyes when you talked about you son. How sweet is that!! i guess this is a good thing. My 14 year old shooed me away today when I tried to raise the basketball net. He made me go inside and rest.
Colleen, how sweet that your grandaughter wants you better now so she can spend time with you. Life is good. For all of us. We may be down and out for the moment, but not for good.

I am not spotting like I was. That has stopped, but the pain is still here. Lots of muscle spazms. Headaches too. I had alot of headaches starting from when I woke up from surgery until about a week later, and now they are back. I guess I'll have to keep an eye on that.

I hope everyone out there is having a wonderful weekend do far. Love you ladies!!

Meg,
Sometimes it's the things the little ones say that make us realize how much we are needed/wanted. Those words are ones you will never forget, and how sweet that he was able to express them when you needed to hear them most.

Colleen,
I know exactly what you mean about your granddaughter. I have one that's 4, one that's 2 and a grandson who will be 18 months old on Monday. It has been so hard when they reach up with their little arms and want me to pick them up (the older two understand more than the youngest). The youngest does understand though because he has crawled up to sit on my lap and then won't move. Tonight I wanted to pick him up so bad and my oldest grandddaughter said, "you can't pick him up grandma. You're not supposed to lift." Out of the mouths of babes! They had heard me say earlier that I needed them to pick their stuff up because it's hard for me to do, but also know I'm not supposed to lift.

Just don't forget to turn our clocks ahead ladies. Probably one thing we don't need right now is losing an hour of sleep, but I'm sure we'll find a way to make up for it.

It's been lovely to hear from you my friends.
I am constantly telling everyone I come in contact with how much this site has done for me and how grateful I am for the ladies I have come in contact with. All of you are my life lines. Even though I 'm surrounded by family and friends I still felt so alone before. I didn't know anyone personally who had had a hysterectomy and so no one could relate and I had no one to discuss my feelings with who would really understand. There was no one to ask questions of and no one to vent to....unless I wanted everyone to think that I'm crazy because my rantings/pity parties made no sense to them. I'm so glad that you are here. It gives me a great sense of security.
Today was a bit of a better day physically...still spoting but not quite as much pain....but was a more difficult day emotionally. Guess I can't have everything my own way hey? I just seem to get very blue and I have to work pretty hard to get out of it. Which is extra difficult because I usually can't pinpoint the cause of it. I know that my hormones are wonky and that I'm emotional because of....well....EVERYTHING. I am trying to acknowledge it and then let myself feel it in the hopes that then I will be able to pick myself up and move on. So far I am surviving...I just really hope that it goes back to normal soon....though...what is normal??????
I'm thinking about you all and wishing you a lovely Sunday (Darn the time change!!!) and I look forward to hearing from you. Be Strong!!!
Hugs,
Meg

Sprite97,
I would definitely check with the doctor about those headaches. There are all kinds of reasons, of course, but since you had major surgery, you want to make sure it isn't related to that. I hope it gets better soon too!!
Joining for Support,
Grandbabies are wonderful but right now, they are exhausting, lol. We had ours for 6 hours the other night and when we got back from taking her home, I was so sore, I could hardly move. That bed never felt better
Meg,
I think we have a new normal!! It is wonderful to come on here and be able to express ourselves and for me, even more, is that you all make me feel like everything will be ok, that I am healing within the "normal" boundaries and that is such a relief. I too, still have some pains, pretty sharp ones too but I truly think it is our bodies way of saying "hey, slow down, doing too much!" I belong to another forum and I have a friend on there, Meg, who has struggled emotionally since her hysterectomy - she has had a really, really hard time of it and has had to go on anti-depressants. Do you think you should talk to your doctor about that? We all heal differently - I was already in menopause when I had my surgery so the hormones don't fluctuate as much for me - I am blessed that way, but not all women are. You might need some help! Just thinking of you and want you to feel better
Today, my hubby and I are going to the Strawberry Festival. We have tickets to a concert there and don't want to pass them up, but wish me luck as this will be a LONG day. I plan on spending Monday in pj's and bed!!
Hugs to all of you,
Colleen

Hello my lovely friends,
It was good to hear from some of you yesterday! It always makes my day better!

Sprite97, how are your headaches and muscle spasms? I hope you are improving. I had terrible headaches in the hospital after the surgery and kept getting them for a few weeks. I assumed that it was because of all of the drugs that they had me on but then again I do get migrains and so that could have contributed. If you don't regularily get headaches normally than you should talk to your doctor about it and make sure that you're okay. Ask about the spasms as well.

Colleen, How was the strawberry festival? I was jealous when I read that as where I live we still have tons of snow (though the sun is shining today!). How did you hold up? I hope it was fun and that it didn't wear you out too much. Did you get to rest all day today? I appreciate your advice about my mood swings. I have recently spoken to my doctor about it and he is putting me on medication. I felt kind of embarrassed to say so until you mentioned it. I guess I shouldn't feel that way. Everyone needs help sometimes right? Thank you for your concern for me.

Today my friend and her husband took me to Costco. I actually walked quite a bit. I was really proud of myself. But about half way through I suddenly have crazy bad spasms in my abdomen and my friends ran and got a wheelchair from customer service and pushed me around the rest of the time. At first I felt really embarrassed but then realized that I should be proud of myself for how far and long I walked and I should be proud of myself that I know my limits and asked for help when I really needed it and didn't just try to be a martyr. Yippy for me!!!

I have a question. I know that it's kind of an icky question but where else am I going to ask things like this right? So just about half an hour ago I was using the bathroom and when I finished there was a bunch of thread with knots in it on the toilet paper. At first I though "what it the world?" and then realized that it must be from my stitches. Has that happened to any of you? Is that normal? I didn't think that I would actually see them. Yesterday I was at church and suddenly I had TERRIBLE stabbing pain in my vagina and also had some more spotting. Would that have any connection to the stitches?
You are all likely going "Oh brother Meg, that is totally normal and I can't believe that you don't know that about the stitches!" If that's that case then I plead ignorance!!!!!

I was also impressed that I was able to sit through some of church. The week before I went for a while too but part way through I suddenly felt incredibly nausous (this happens to me sometimes from the painkillers) and so I hurried to the bathroom and threw up. While I was in there two people, meaning well I am sure, asked me if I was pregnant....... Needless to say I found that a bit hard. But I guess people don't assume that a 32 year old has had a hysterectomy right?

So here is my super long essay like entry Thank you for listening/reading my friends.

I hope you are well. Much love and hugs! Keep in touch!

Meg

Meg,
Those definitely sound like stitches. I have never seen any come out except for the one that came out when my doctor examined me, and I asked the nurse if I could see it. Some will say it's black, some have gray, and some I've even heard say purple. It looks exactly like thread because it is a type of thread -- a really strong one. As to whether it has any connection to the pain you had yesterday I can't answer that since it didn't happen to me.

I am sorry about what happened in the bathroom. Even though people wouldn't think about a 32 year old having a hysterectomy neither should they think or ask if you were pregnant. I'm sure they meant no harm, but imagine if you would have said, "no that's not possible because I had a hysterectomy" how they would have felt? Sometimes being well meaning is not good even if it is church. It sounds like you handled it well. Good for you! Working in the medical field I try to be super careful what I say to people because you never know what someone might be going through.

Feel free to come here and ask us questions any time. My philosophy is that the only dumb questions are the ones people don't ask because they think they're dumb and don't want to sound dumb. Have a good evening!

Meg, ok, so I was going to have a nice long little chat today. But I can't get the words out fast enough....go to your DR.!! At first when I read the stitches thing, I was thinking...yeah, thats normal etc. But the stabbing pain along with the bleeding makes me nervous. Please let me know. Better safe than sorry right?
I have to go make dinner now, but I at least wanted to respond back to that. PLEASE take care of yourself. I'm sure it's just a bad case of overdoing it, and if that's all it is I apoligize. But I have grown to really care about my sisters here.
Talk to you soon.

New to site and SO grateful.. i'm 3 weeks post LVH (took both ovaries and tubes; uterus and cervix). THe first week the bleeding slowed down and stopped. Then i spent a couple hours prowling Walmart and got crampy. My doc said "NOOOOOOOOOoooooo.. rest !! rest !! and made a horizontal motion with his hand" Well i couldn't resist, so I asked "How long before wild monkey sex >G<" Poor man about had a heart attack.. lolol.. NOOOOO sex.. muttering monkey sex under his breathe.

I went into work and just did a few letters, but that was getting up and down from chair; twisting from computer to desk and all of a sudden i was having severe pain... once again I did the look to heaven thing and said "Not even this !?!?!?" So far I've figured out I have to carry a few outfits at a time to the washing machine; only do one load at a time. Do short grocery store trips and don't get a big bag of oranges, a melon and a frozen turkey !!! And ASK FOR HELP !!!

This is SUCH a lesson in not being so blasted independent and i HATE IT !!! Thanks again ladies... I suppose i really should check in with doc, i'm not bleeding much, but it continues to be bright red with a very odd odor.. dangit.

Meg,
The Strawberry Festival was fantastic!!! They were delicious so good, we bought some and brought them home. We also saw Sara Evans in concert and she was wonderful too, we had great seats. However, as soon as we got home, I hit the bed, I was so sore, my poor hubby was frisky and that was the first time I said "no way", lol. But the next day I took it easy and no pain, yeah!!
You should definitely not be ashamed of the meds. Many, many women need them. I am lucky in that I was already in menopause. But I also have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome so have considered going on a low dose for that, supposed to help sleep at night, so I can rest.
The stitches are normal. My doc said I would probably see them and I kind of wanted to but never have. I would call about the sharp pain and bleeding though. Any bleeding at this point, you should especially call about.
and I am impressed you are at church. I haven't gone yet, too uncomfortable sitting on those hard seats!

and Bets59,
I would call your doctor, but it sounds to me that you are overdoing it. I could not have been doing all you are doing at 3 weeks. At 3 weeks, I was still in my pjs and on the bed or recliner. Also, bright red blood is a concern. Let us know!

Colleen

I'm both so excited others are experiencing the same thing and oh man my heart goes out to those of you with kids at home !!! Am experiencing the same thing... i took a few clothes at a time to the washer and still the cramps !!! I'd actually gotten off some of the pain pills and then the screaming right sided pain that needed more. Was all set to call the doc, but I KNOW it's all about needing a LOT of horizontal time. I figured 4-6 weeks; but have heard from a number of people that 2-3 months is more realistic; 6 months to a year more like reality.. VERY glad to have found this site !!