Nervous about traveling at 9 weeks out

My dh travels alot for work and I have been lucky to go many places with him such as Hawaii, Russia, and all over the rest of the US. In May he is running a conference in Naples, Italy. I am looking forward to going with him (I have wonderful parents who stay with the kids) but it will be 9/10 weeks after my TAH. Now I am worried about swelly belly (I don't have anything to wear) and not being able to site see all day while dh is at conference. My dr said that I should be fine by 4-6 weeks but doesn't seem so according to what everyone here is experiencing. I felt great within 2 weeks of my last c-sec but that was 16 years ago and I am no longer 28! Will I have any problems flying? Any thoughts? Thanks, Lainie

I have a conference to attend at the end of March, and I asked my doc about traveling, too.

He said basically the same thing - he didn't see any problem with it - it was more how I felt. I'm only a few days post op, so I don't know how i'll feel down the line, but based on how I feel now, I'm thinking I should be ok for the travel.

If you get around to the time of the travel and feel like you're mostly up to it, maybe it would be fun to see if there are some non-walking-intensive things you could do while there? Bus tours, maybe a spa type thing? Find some things that can break up your day a bit and give you some rest times.

If nothing else, maybe do some siteseeing, but then take the other time to rest, relax, pamper yourself while your folks watch the kids!

Everyone responds differently to surgery - you might not be as tired or swollen as some of the other princesses here... you'll just have to wait and see and play it by ear for that...If you don't need to dress up for the siteseeing - consider some loose fitting knit dresses - comfy, easy to pack and can be dressed up a bit if need be.

You've still got some time - and depending on when you need to make your travel arrangements (I can wait until early March for mine) you might have some time post surgery to assess how you feel.

Good luck!

Thanks bookogre for your great suggestions. I was thinking knit dresses too but have yet to see any in the stores, but will look in catalogs. Hope that your LAVH went well on tuesday and that you will have a speedy and problem free recovery. Good luck with your conference too. Lainie

Hi, it sounds like the chance of a lifetime! I think that if your dr gives you the clearance to go - I'd go for it!

I'm a clog dancer and was back to it 7 weeks after my tah/bso. I did go fairly slow and easy at first. I had to rest a lot.

If you do go to Naples ( I'll go in your place - if you want me too ), just pace yourself. Stop and rest when you need to. Maybe you can treat yourself to a couple of nice loose outfits for those possible swell belly days?

Best wishes.

s

Lainie, there's a catalog called "Travel Smith" that has some great travel clothes for both men and women...easy to pack, wrinkle-resistant, very comfy, etc. I've gotten some neat things from there. Good quality, too.

Just a suggestion...happy trails to you!!!

Amoreena

I took a seven hour car trip at three weeks and a fifteen hour car trip at about five weeks and didn't have any problems. I even did about half the driving.

I did what my doc said, though. We stopped the car every hour to hour and a half and I walked around for five to ten minutes. Everyone should really do this, especially when flying on long flights. Even the airlines are telling ALL passengers to do some sitting exercises and some walking to prevent blood clots.

Now, I'm sure the main reason I did so well taking my car trips was because I did every little thing my doc said and didn't do anything she forbade. In the hospital, I got up as soon as possible after my surgery and walked as soon and as much as possible. I changed positions frequently while in bed. Once home, I didn't sit still for too long and also walked as much as possible. I also didn't do any lifting over ten pounds or pushing or pulling or anything that was forbidden. I was already a walker before surgery (about two to four miles a day) and, by the fifth day following surgery, I was walking a mile, twice a day. I was also off all pain meds. I didn't take tylenol, aspirin, or anything at all. I had some momentary discomfort getting up and down but no real pain.

I also went out to a nice dinner on the fifth day following surgery and, once there, realized I hadn't taken any pain meds that day so I endulged in a glass of wine. It was a fine celebration.

I went back to Pilates at six weeks, and started lifting weights for the first time in my life at about four months. I've been at it since.

My surgery was eight months ago and I am well healed and don't seem to have suffered any harm from my carefully active recovery.

So, if you do everything you should and nothing you shouldn't, you do stand a good chance of feeling well and strong enough for your trip. Aren't there a lot of cafes and such in Naples? Lots of places to take a little break and have a cup of espresso? Walk and gawk, then sit and sip.

Finally, let me say that I really believe that, to heal as fast and as well as possible, that you have to be careful not to overdo it. But, by the very same token, you have to be careful to do ENOUGH. They used to keep you completely off a broken leg for a full six weeks. Then they discovered that the bone heals quicker and stronger if you start putting weight on it as soon and as much as possible. Barring the unlikely event of serious complications, I believe the same is true of healing following surgery.

OK. I've probably written enough to make anyone's eyes turn backward in her head. Best of luck and have a great trip!

That was a good point about the air travel - try to get an aisle seat so you can easily get up and walk when you want to without having to climb over people!

Thanks again for all of the suggestions, etc. I am sure if I do what I am supposed to do I should be fine for the trip. This has been something that has been planned since last fall and I'm looking forward to it. I'll be thinking of you all while I sit and sip espresso and enjoying the views of Naples (a great suggestion!). I have missed a lot of opportunities to go on other trips because they would be during my period and someplaces especially in Europe it is not always convenient to find a bathroom. When you need to use one every 1/2 hour to an hour its not much fun. At least I will never have to worry about that again. Yeah! Think how much fun my family beach vacations will be too (it never failed - I always got my period at the beach ). We all have so much to look forward to. Thanks, Lainie