Time in surgery

Hi Everyone,
My surgery is scheduled for 9/23 and I'm wigging out again. I'm having an SAH and hoping no adhesions are present like experienced 12 years ago. For those that had this procedure how long were you in surgery?

Another question is I know you're suppose to take it easy at least the first 2 weeks so I'm wondering if I should be able to bake 10 days after surgery. I have a home business cakes and pies business in addition to my full time job in computers. Since I'll be confined home for awhile because I won't be allowed to drive I'm hoping I can still fullfill my orders.

Thanks so much. You guys are wonderful!! :-)

My surgery was also a SAH and took about 45 minutes.

I went into the OR at about 10 minutes to 11 AM and they put me under and then shaved me and put in the catheter.

I woke up in the recovery room at about 1 PM and was taken back to my room around 2:15.

Your mileage may vary.

As for baking at 10 days, that sounds like a little too much. Lifting things, or mixing or pushing and pouring can be a little dicey. You'll be tired, maybe dizzy, maybe on narcotics. You might feel great and want to do it all and might be able to, but I think you should really take that first two weeks at least to let your incision heal. The incision heals best if you're not standing too much and putting pressure on it. Your body wants to use all of it's energy to heal and when you distract it with activity, it doesn't get to heal as quickly.

I was able to do the dishes at two weeks, but plan on everything taking longer.

Take care.

Thanks Juniper. That's what I was afraid of. However, I've already committed and folks are counting on my work. I have a stool in my kitchen and will try to use it more rather than stand like I normally do.

Thanks so much for your response. It's really helped me to start thinking of another aproach to get this done. I'm really hoping they won't find anything else and have to do more which will cause a longer recovery. That's my biggest fear. 12 years ago I had adhesions that had attached itself to my ovaries, tubes, intestines and kidney area. I'm so afraid its resurfaced because I'm having all the same symptons which wasn't detected on a sonogram only this time, the sonogram showed large intramural fibroids pressing on my bladder.

How long ago was your surgery? Do you feel better now? Are you glad you had it done?

I'm only six weeks into my recovery, but you'll be happy to know that after about the fourth day I really noticed a difference in my bladder. I'm now able to hold my water just like I did years ago. I actually left the house today without peeing before I left and didn't regret it at all!

I also had intermural fibroids, which in a way is good, because they are less likely to attach themsevles to other things like the ones on stalks do. It makes everything into a rather neat package when the doctor goes in there.

I'm heading back to work part-time next week and probably could have gone back sooner, but I figured I'd take advantage of the extra time to keep myself healing and once I get back.

I have good days and every once in a while I have bad days. Usually if I overdo it. I've had some bleeding, even at five weeks. So please be careful with getting back to work so soon. Try to put your activities into small bits, so that you get lots of time to rest in between. For every hour that you're on your feet, plan on sitting with your feet up for ten minutes. It will make a huge difference in the stress on your abdomen.

You should also plan for your baking before you go to the hospital and put everything where you'll be able to get it on the counter or easy reach shelves. Just reaching for things or stretching in the first two weeks can cause major pains.

You also might want to consider the swelly belly band (I haven't tried it), some women say that having something supporting their belly makes standing much easier.

You can read about my recovery in my online journal by clicking on the little WWW link by my name.

Take care.

my surgery also took about 45 minutes (SAH). no problems out of the hospital in 2 days. I had absolutly no energy to be in my kitchen, I have a soap making hobby/ business and there was no way i was making soap! at two weeks i went back to work but it was a struggle. at about 2 weeks i was making dinner and reached for something on the top shelf and really strained something i hurt for a few days.

think about recruiting friends, to help you fulfill your orders I think at that point you'll be able to get through it with some help. don't push yourself to hard you'll need lots of rest in the first few weeks.
jane321

Thank you so much Juniper and jane321! I was just reading other posts earlier and was wigging out again every time I see the words "major surgery!" and the pain/discomfort after surgery. Really makes you want to cancel and say "maybe the fibroids aren't too bad and I can just tough it out till meno". :-)

But because you both have had SAH I feel a little calmer. I'm hoping they don't find adhesions attached to other organs again which will cause a longer recovery. Great idea about putting things within reach. :-) My baking business is what I do part-time in addition to my full-time computer job which I'll be working also if they need me but I can telecommute which makes it better.

Thanks so much again!!