24 hours to go

My surgery is scheduled for 12:30 tomorrow. I'm really worried though, about a bunch of things really. I have to fast over 12 hours (and the no water has me hyperventilating already!) I came into work today, instead of getting some rest at home simply because I'm a bundle of nerves at the moment. I feel as though I'm going to be sick...lol. I'm meeting with my supply teacher in less than an hour, and am going to attempt to explain to her everything that has to be done on a daily basis around here (I'm a teacher/librarian in a large high school). I just want to be prepped and lying in that hospital getting it done already! This waiting is excrutiating.

Phew! I feel a bit better.

Bookworm.

You are so close !! I will admit that the day before was the worst for me also. But boy, was it worth it, I am feeling better than I have for 25 years. Maybe working today will help the day go faster for you. After your surgery though, don't let yourself worry about what is happening at school, you will just need to rest, sleep, and relax. I am almost 3 weeks post castle and about the only thing I can't do yet is do anything fast or lift over 10 pounds. Follow the rules and you will be back at it in no time !!

Best wishes,

Kay

Hi Bookworm

Boy oh boy, your predicament sure does take me back a couple of weeks! I was in the SAME boat as you. I had to be at the castle at 12:30 PM and for days had been dreading not being able to have my coffee, or even water. I was lucky that I did get to sleep well the night before surgery, my doc had given me a small prescrip. for Xanax and it really calmed my nerves. I also was SO busy come surgery morning that the morning really did just zip by. I didn't miss my coffee as much as I had thought I would.

Good luck with everything. I hope that by staying busy you will get tired and sleep well tonight. It will all be over before you know it. Try not to fret too awful much, I know, it's much easier said than done. The waiting was really tough for me as well.

I'll be thinking of you! Best wishes...

Reety

You'll do fine. I think it's a good thing you're at work, sorta helps keep your mind from worrying (**, as IF). I'm the "turnip-off-the-truck" librarian (15 yrs of public library experience and a lapsed elem credential) at a small rural high school. They hired a sub who had been in a library once or twice, so I had 2 days of training and a test run on her own. Hope you have a more competent sub....but, actually, school was the last thing on my mind while recuperating. I read, watched tv, ate ate ate, friends dropped by occasionally and I am back as of last week. I'm having students shelve and do bending stuff and plan to read and shift shelves this summer. Just think, you'll be on the road to recovery soon!!!!

Hi Bookworm,

First, I love your screen name. How appropriate!

Second, I understand why you're at work. I accepted a very challenging work assignment the weekend before my Monday surgery in order to keep my mind off the surgery. I think it was a good choice -- and it gave me all sorts of kudos for dedication in the work department. Gotta love that!

Third, try not to worry. I know that is easy for me to say, now that I'm on the other side. However I think we all worry and justifiably so. For many of us, this is our first major surgery and it is frightening.

I had my surgery 10 days ago and I'm AMAZED by how fast my body is recovering. Nothing I feared has happened. The surgery -- which was a very invasive vertical incision TAH -- went well and my recovery has been steady and uneventful ... walking the day after surgery, solid food the next day, discharged the day after that, and now feeling better and stronger every day. All the plumbing is working to standard specs as well.

At this point, I am controlling pain with OTC pain medication (extra-strength Tylenol) and I'm not even taking the full dose. My staples come out this afternoon.



I'll think of you tomorrow and send good thoughts your way for a successful surgery and uneventful recovery.



Keep well,
IslandScribe

Breathe Bookworm,breathe! Work is just work and your health is way more important than worrying about what will happen while you are out. I will be at the hospital at 530am tomorrow for my LAVH. I am quite calm so far,,, I left work early today because there was too much to do for tomorrow and I really wish that I had taken the entire day off.Things at school will be fine but more importantly,so will YOU!!! Tomorrow we will call you Princess! Karen

Hi Bookworm! You are doing great. I know you are worried but here's a wonderful thought for you. In a little over 24 hours you will be on the road to recovery. Just think how wonderful that is!
And here I am with my "panticipatory" anxiety just waiting for the
beginning dr's appt to see if the aliens and their nest have grown, and then talking about what we can do about it.
.......Just remember where you were and how far you have come!
.......I'm so proud of you! Best Wishes for a speedy recovery!

Bookworm,

As the clock strikes midnight, I am aware that as of this moment, I am in serious prep mode for surgery tomorrow March 10th as well. I was also originally scheduled for 12:30. But I heard today that I get the added time to wait until 1:45 as they have shifted the surgery schedule.
I am diabetic, so I am doubly concerned about not eating or drinking until surgery as I get weird if I don't eat on time. This should be fun.

But I am very happy to finally be close to this day. I have literally run through the last 2 months, between work and home. I am a Benefits Manager for a 12 site medical group with 150 employees. I had to close the year for pension, set up all the employees Paid Time Off for the year, do the year end payrolls with the payroll person and now we are beginning our benefit open enrollment. I had to teach a colleague how to do pension funding, benefit invoices, new hire meetings and benefit enrollment, and the process of doing open enrollment for all the employees. Oh Joy! On top of that I learned in the last month that 4 employees were going out on medical leave while I am gone! So, my colleague had to learn how that is handled as well. I made calenders showing what to do when. I made packets of all the materials enough for 6 new hires to get benefits. I updated a 42 procedure manual which was written by me 3 years ago and everything had changed. I AM EXHAUSTED!

On top of all that, my 80 year old mother decided she finally would allow me to help with her bills etc. I cleaned out her house of the 5 years of financials. She is wealthy and has many investments. It took me a month every night putting those years in order and filing things. Then I set up quicken to manage her stuff and recreated the last year for her accountant to do her taxes. Of course, I also had to do our taxes before the surgery. My husband was laid off a year ago and has been full-time in school for a one year program. He studies every night. I have been like a single parent. My husband can't lose class or study time taking care of me. They only allow one absence a year. This week is his vacation week, but they couldn't schedule the surgery until Thursday, so I will lose his help for most of the week.

I am looking forward to being under anesthesia and morphine. I want to feel nothing, do nothing for anyone. I am thrilled at the prospect of not working. I feel bad for my colleague, who found out she was pregnant 3 weeks ago and is constantly tired. She now has two very large jobs to handle. We have a skeleton staff due to the low medical reimbursements and high malpractice rates. Yes, there will be pain, but I can take a pill for that.

I took out things I want to do when I feel a little better. Things that were put away for years, that I never have time for like a book, embroidery etc. I get to have a life in a few weeks for a brief period of time. I dread going back to work and all that awaits.

So, yeah, maybe I don't relish the waiting tomorrow or the pain I will feel for a few weeks, but I do look forward to reclaiming my life for a short time.

Good luck tomorrow, I will be thinking of you.

Best wishes March 10th Ladies.

I also dread the no water rule. Water is my security blanket. I don't leave home without it. I envision myself drinking 3 gallons of water the day before in hopes my innards will be moist and I won't feel the need for water until I am allowed to have some. I don't care about the food part.

But right now, I need to stop sneezing. That is currently the thorn in my side along with my extremely stuffy nose.

's to all

Thank you for all the wonderful advice, kind words, and words of wisdom. You are all amazingly supportive women.

The surgery went very well. I've only been put under one other time (D & C) and am still amazed at how surreal the experience is... One minute, they're tying you up to the table and the next minute (or so it seems), they're waking you up and moving you to the recovery room. Absolutely fabulous!

Morphine was great. lol... No hallucinations, but the woman in the next bed was laughing, then crying...freaked me out in the middle of the night. Then there was the guy in the next room who would cry out (scream out really) "Reba! .... Reba!". I'm glad that I brought some earplugs. Earplugs, teamed with a pillow over my head worked wonders...

The nurses were angels. They are really overworked and underpaid, and yet were so kind, supportive, attentive...angels.

I am feeling very good. I am sleeping alot, but am able to stay up for longer periods of time. The incision is healing well, and since I stayed in the castle for four days, they took out the staples before I came home. I went out for a walk with my mother today, not too far, but enough to get some exercise and fresh air. It's a wonderful time of year to recuperate really.

The doctor was a bit surprised at what was found. (I never did have an ultrasound beforehand...) I had had heavy cramping and bleeding since I was young - so... endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts and scarring of the ovaries, abdominal mass, dysfunctional uterine bleeding...both ovaries had to be removed since they were in really bad shape, stuck to something or other (this information was given to me when I was "feeling no pain" , so it may not be too precise). Apparently, there had been so much internal bleeding throughout the years, that the uterine wall was four times its normal thickness.

Whatever. Heh. It's out. I already feel like a new woman. I feel, strangely, younger. I have a whole new physical life ahead of me, full of good health, physical activity, no more cramps or unexpected floods... no more planning our lives around my cycle! YES!

Thank you again for your support and encouragement.

Off to bed again (now that the tylenol has kicked in!)

Bookworm