dVH/RALH: Preop Paperwork & Some Questions About Day of Hysterectomy Surgery

In Saturday's mail my preop paperwork arrived. I was surprised by some of the instructions.

When I had my abdominal myomectomy in 2006, all I remember is no food or water after midnight.

I have that same instruction with this preop paperwork but also the day before my surgery I basically have to do a bowl cleanse. I had to do one of these before my colonoscopy in 2012 but I know I did not have to do one before the myomectomy in 2006.

Is the bowl cleanse common practice now before a hysterectomy?

Also my hysterectomy will be at 1:30PM and I will have to be at the hospital at 11:30AM.

Which raises the question what am I going to do waiting until time to go to the hospital? I cam imagine myself going crazy. All other procedures I have had were morning. I am a morning person and find it very difficult on a normal day sleeping past 8AM, with the hysterectomy on my mind I will be up even sooner.

Any ideas on how to keep myself from going crazy waiting to go to the hospital on the morning of my surgery?

Lots of ladies have mentioned a bowel cleanse before their hysterectomies. I think it depends on how the procedure is being done and your doctor's preference. I don't have to do one.. Thank goodness.

My surgery is also in the afternoon. I have no idea what I'm going to do all day beforehand. I think it's going to feel like torture! I think I might just get lost in a book if I can focus. Maybe go do something fun. Take a nice walk, visit with some girlfriends or family.

Hope all goes well for you

The bowel cleanse is a precaution that your surgeon wants to take to prevent him from injuring the bowel during the Surgery. If it is full of fecal matter, it is bigger and could get in the way. A colon cleanse is WAY better than a perforated bowel.

Arriving so early to the hospital is nesecary so that the nurses can get you warmed up, an IV started, get the pre-op checklist finished and give you time to meet the anesthesia team/Doctor. If you are alone, bring a book or your phone. Likely the staff can lock it up for you when you head in to the OR. You should also be able to have your family stay with you until you head in.

Good luck with your hysterectomy! Mine is only two days away.

I was lucky to have a 9:30 am surgery time, so I had to arrive at 7:30 am. If your hospital has the option, try to pre-register so that you don't have to worry about that the day of. I took my phone and a book with me (I had a family member with me who was staying during the surgery and who could hold my phone and bag), I read magazines, I walked around the waiting lounge.

If I had had more time to kill in the morning, I probably would have spent it going for a walk, doing some more last minute cleaning or gardening and I would have saved my antibacterial shower for right before I had to leave. Anything but watch TV, since I knew I was going to be doing a heck of a lot of that during recovery!

I know after waiting for the surgery day the morning seems like it's going to last forever, but it will be over before you know it! Good luck!