SAH: First ever hospitalization and surgery

I just got scheduled for my hysterectomy for May 31 and have never been a hospital patient before. I have worked in them in IT but this is different.

I haven't had all the big symptoms that many of you have and thought the ones I did have we're just part of getting old and fat.

I had a pap with atypical glandular cells and I had an enlarged uterus. The doc ordered an ultrasound and i knew the tech from when I worked at the hospital. She seemed alarmed by what she saw and said she was going to have the radiologist read it right away and fax the report to my doctor. He called then and said they couldn't tell on the ultrasound if the mass was in the lining of the uterus or in the ovary but whatever it was it needed to come out and sent me to a GYN.

The GYN took some tissues from the cervix and uterus and that came back with no cancer or hyperplasia. He said if it is a uterine fibroid it is not cancer but if it is an ovarian mass they won't know for sure until they take it out and look at it. He wants to do an open procedure and remove the mass intact and then remove the uterus. Whether he takes anything else out depends on what he finds when he gets in there. He is having a general surgeon assist him.

I'm mostly nervous about being in the hospital for 2-3 days as a patient because I never have been one before. I know the chances that they will find cancer are pretty small so I'm not too concern about that.

I have a preadmit visit at the hospital on the 24th and see the GYN on the 30th and have to be at the hospital at 6:30 am on the 31st for the 7:30 surgery. What will my day be like after I get to my room in med-surg?

Bonnie,
Once you wake up, you'll be very sleepy - I dozed on and off for most of that day. They asked what my pain level was, and I kept telling them zero. I was amazed! I was able to get rid of the catheter and put on my own PJs the afternoon of my surgery. It'll be hard to get up and down that first day, but the nurses will help you. I was walking the halls that evening. I wish you good luck!!!

Thanks. Hopefully mine will go that smoothly. The GYN just called me and the CA125 test results came back on the high end of normal but below where he would be concerned. Earlier the biopsy of the cervical and uterus tissues came back with no cancer or hyperplasia so everything is looking good so far. The only thing left is to find out where the 10x11 cm mass is located and make sure it's okay.