LAVH: What do I need to have done before I go into the hospital and after questions

I am nervous about getting everything done that needs to be done before I go to the hospital for the surgery. Is there anything that will make it easier on everybody ( and yes me mostly) when I get home? What kind of things do I need to have bedside and in the bathroom?

What is it that I need to do for the nurses before they will let me out of the hospital and go home? I have seen a lot of things about discharge lists?

I am having a total hysterectomy and they are taking an ovary (trying to leave me one for the hormones) and cervix. It's lap assisted and they are "delivering" my parts through my vagina. I am also having a bladder sling. How long will I be down with this kind of surgery? I know they are all different and she's (my Dr) is telling me i'll be in the hospital for at least 3 days maybe more depending on what she has to do once she get's in there and how I am "coming along" after.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.. Just kinda flipping out here.. sorry

Thank you for posting this thread. I was just about to post one similar.

I am having my surgery August 7. It is also LAVH and I'm keeping one ovary.

I just want to make things as easy as possible. I am not used to being "down". I am always on the go doing everything around the house and driving my youngest to and from school. I just can't seem to imagine what it's going to be like not doing what I normally do.
I hope we get the answers we are looking for. Good luck to you with your surgery. Mine as of right now is not until the 15th.. But have pre-op apt on the 8th to get results to blood work and such. I have been told that life is so much better after it's all over and done with. No more pain and I will feel 10 years younger... I am 43 that would be GREAT if that's what happens. I am not too sure..lol
My mother had to have the same surgery's I am having at the same age and her mother had to have it too.. at my age.. Scary how things happen that way.

I hear ya, I'm not used to being down either. I have 3 at home, that start school a week after my surgery.

I had my pre-op today. I am 33 and totally ready to not be in daily pain. I'm ready for the surgery, but nervous for the recovery. I am a planner and want everything to be ready at home for my husband and kids.

Good luck to you too!

mines ot till october, yet im sat heree panicking about the same thing. ive got alot of mobility aids in my house, but im epileptic too hence some of the mobility aids as i still shke after seizures sometimes. Im going to do all my weekly housework the night before i go in, alongside prepared meals in me freezer for the houshold, 6 kids and a husband whose away for half a week per week. im a trained kickboxer so im doing as much training as i can get in beforhand as i kow ill be outr of fights for a while.

Hello, My LAVH will be on August 17th, 2012. I am anxious for it to be over and recovery period done. I am trying to put together everything my family will need to take care of me for the first two weeks. Any suggestions from any of you would be appreciated. We just moved to this area so I won't have any local support, but my 18 year old daughter will be a big help and my 15 year old son and my Husband also will be there to help. I would love to hear from anyone who is on this site. Thanks. Also I can't figure out how to post a message on this site except in answering another person's post. Can you explain how? Rainbow6

I recommend you consider how to help your children become as independent as possible during your recovery. No matter what their ages are, they will want to help take care of you and take on some responsibility (at least during the 1st days). Freeze meals they can easily put in the microwave, purchase milk, juice, etc. in kid friendly size cartons for them to pour on their own (you won't be lifting a gallon jug for weeks); include them in the decision making on how they can help during the weeks you cannot lift, bend, twist, etc.
I found having extention cords around the house helped me when I needed to plug in electronics. I bought lots of pillows to sit on (made standing up easier) and also found them handy when trying to get comfy at night.
I am a teacher and suggest you let the teachers know what is happening. The teacher will want to be sensitive to the concerns your children have about you. Also, this will help the teacher understand if paperwork, homework, etc. is not completed as thoroughly or timely as you intend. Beginning of school routines are often difficult to establish even at the best of times! Good luck to you!

Wow! While reading this post I feel like you ladies are inside my head. I am scheduled for LAVH on 8/8 and it will be a game time decision on the 1 ovary I have left. I too am a super busy mama, two boys that will be starting school on the 15th, my oldest plays football and my husband is the coach, not to mention I am an operations officer at a healthcare facility and working my master's degree. I am not a good patient and I know that, I hate having restrictions and that is the only thing I am dreading about my surgery. I want my life back pain free and I know that I need time to heal but the not knowing how quickly I will recover is what is wreaking havoc on my mind. I wish I had a crystal ball to let me know when I will be back up and running like normals. Sending good vibes and throughts to all of you ladies as we head to the castle, it does make me feel better to know that I am not the only one worrying about how to balance a healthy recovery with a busy family.

I am having LAVH 8/7/12, just had my pre-op appt today. They're taking my uterus and cervix. I have 4 kids, ages 9,12,13, 15. This week I have shown my daughters ( 12 & 13 yrs old) how to do laundry, they already they knew how to do it sorta, but we are doing practice runs, lol, so that next week they can help keep up on it w/o overloading the washer etc.. My hubby is FABULOUS and will be so much help but he can only take 2 days off of work. I've also got my one daughter on lunch duty and have made some arrangements for my 9 yr old son, b/c he's the one that will get bored.lol.
So I am getting nervous, but I feel like I'm doing as much as I can to get things ready. Good luck to everyone else!!!
~ Melissa

A couple of things I didn't think about until after and a few things I did before that really helped. I live alone so some of these might not apply, but can't hurt

I did all the laundry I could the night before my surgery. Know that probably added some stress and work the day before, but now two weeks out still haven't done laundry and trying to figure out how with restrictions but at least still dont HAVE to do it yet. Really glad I did that before. I stocked up on all regular medications that I could before hand as well as all those usual daily things such as toilet paper, soap, etc. That way when I do go shopping can just pick up really essential items instead of everything.

Things I didnt think of that had to figure out: you can't/won't want to bend for awhile so make sure things you use on a regular basis are at waist level. Also want things lower than head as don't want to reach either. My aunt went around and moved things for me and found a grabber which helped. I also am not a flip flop type of person, but would recommend getting a pair. I fortunately did think of that and did throw in the pair for the hospital because not only could I not put my tennis shoes on myself, my feet had swollen so much in the hospital no one could get them on.

In terms of recovery time, it all depends. I had lap and only took the uterus two weeks ago and doing ok. Have one very stubborn pain they think is a muscle that got irritated and for some reason running a temp, but otherwise feel good. It's hard to not do anything, I totally sympathize with that, but as my surgeon has stressed the more you can rest and behave in the beginning the better you will do. I am hoping to go back to school, am a teacher, in a little less than 2 weeks so really trying to behave. I can't tell you how many times I have read rest, rest, and listen to your body on this site helps tremendously. Plan on doing that as much as possible.

Hope this helps!! Good Luck on your surgeries