15 days away and freaking out

I have been a member of Hyster Sisters for a couple of months. Had a TAH (kept ovaries) on 1/28/04. While all the information I have read has been extremely informative, this is the first time I felt compelled to reply to a post.

Ladies, please don't freak out. Yes, this is major surgery but if you have faith in your doctor, everything should be fine. Just think of the end results - no more heavy bleeding, cramping, pain etc. No more trying to schedule your vacations around your period. No more ruining sheets and clothes. You can wear white pants now!

You will feel discomfort maybe even some pain for a while. But in the grand scheme and the long future ahead, it will be worth the price.

The key to remember after surgery is to rest, rest and more rest. Pamper yourself. So what if the house gets dirty! It won't hurt anything. Hopefully you will have a great support group of family, friends and significant other. My DH has been terrific.

Buy yourself some sweats that are a size or 2 larger than you normally wear. They are comfy and warm. Have a good supply of books, puzzles, hand held games to pass the time. Log on to the HysterSister site - it's amazing how this passes the time and has lots of support and advice.

If concerned about work, especially paperwork - telecommute if you can. I did all my month end paperwork via e-mail & will again at the end of February.

As far as smoking is concerned, your doctor and/or the hospital may be able to give you a nicotine patch if you feel you need it. Ask about this. The first day after surgery you may be woozy enough that you won't crave cigarettes. I didn't.

Do not 2nd guess yourself. Just remember the benefits this will bring. Prior to the surgery I was 2nd guessing myself. According to the pathology results, I had more problems than what my ultrasound indicated. I have no regrets at all now.

Good luck to you all.

Amy

i put this in a new thread instead of replying. oops. i'm new to all this, so apologies for that.

thanks, all, for your replies. i hope everyone is doing well!

babyless, you get yourself something to help with the stress. it's too early for me re prescription drugs, but i am relying on my current meds of cassis martinis!

i was also in two minds about a myo vs hyst, but when i was on the fibroid chatrooms, i couldn't believe women were having their third and sometimes even their fourth myo! i think one major surgery is all i can take. am looking forward to getting rid of the pains and twinges and nasty bleeding, so a hyst is the right choice for me. at the rate my 'roids have grown in the last two years, i didn't want to risk two surgeries, either. my doctor is great, though, and she said i can change my mind even in the or on the day! her support has been very good and she has left it completely up to me. i work part-time doing medical transcription for obgyn.net and have learned a huge amount about my particular problem and that certainly helped with asking the right questions. i feel very knowledgeable going into this - and i'm positive everyone here has also done a huge amount of research. feel confident in any decision you make and that will help you feel better, i'm sure.

lvmyhusband - how you doing? i'm doing the countdown with you! keeping fingers and legs crossed for you.

fuzzee,

Thanks for asking, I am doing well! I'm actually getting more excited than nervous! I just have so much to do. My dh is a god send helping me get things ready. I'm so stressed about getting everything done. He's so relaxed about it and saying things will get done.

My house is a disaster because I went out of town last week so I have to do that surgery or not.

Just not enough time in a day . . .

9 days and counting

Amy and Nancy:
Thanks for being the "voice(s) of reason" on this issue. When the US tech. slide the monitor over so I could see how big my fibroid uterus was I knew intellectually that there was no turning back. The lesson here for me is learning to surrender to the inevitable. I will be turning 50 four days before my surgery. I keep remembering the phrase from the poem "I've Learned" re: accepting loss with the "grace of a woman, not the tears of a child".

i have polled a couple dozen women who have had this procedure and not a one regrets it. many, in fact, wished they'd done it sooner! my friends and colleagues are honest (sometimes brutally so) and if they'd had problems or regrets, they would have told me.

my biggest worry right now is wondering when my new couch will arrive . . . . . !

Freak out!!!! I'm 33 yrs only. babyless!!! with Endometrial Cancer a typical and complex grade II With No symptoms. I have 9days before my life is gonna change completely. My anxiety just builds as the days get closer. I try to control myself but just can't help it I work my butt off. It still doesn't matter because all will change in 9 days! I know that I'm saving my life but also know I'm never gonna give life. That door is going to be closed!!! for good. Most of the time I feel Good about everything. My faith and trust in God keeps me that way. I just can't help myself about the record that goes on in my mind a reminder that my life is gonna change! So forgive me for not being calm but I just can't help it.

God bless to all

Babyless,

I know how hard it is. I also don't have any children, I was never able too. We tried for 9 years to no avail, we tried the fertility stuff etc. I don't think that it was meant to be for us. Its still hard to deal with sometimes, but I have been suffering since I was 13 or 14 so I am ready to be done.

I think it helps me too because I had the ablation last year so I pretty much dealt with the finality of no children then. I think it will be harder for me when it is done.

there is always adoption for you. My DH and I decided against it for us because of his age difference and by the time we were done with the fertility treatments, we had built our life without kids. We only have the furry kind! Its been a rough road, but I am happy with my life. I have so much more than a lot of people with kids and I just remind myself of that when I feel down.

Hope your feeling a bit better.

My surgery is going to be on 2-20-04, which is 4 days from now, and i am scared to death. I keep asking myself if im doing the right thing. Babyless, im right there with you, God will watch over all of us. I have also been having bad dreams and feelings that im going to die. Have you been doing that too. Its probably just me being scared. Just wondering if you have been doing some of the same things. The anxiety is horrible. I hope you feel better about the situation, think positive thoughts. Gods watching over you.



Glory

Hey sisters in waiting....I'm having my LAVH and ovaries out too, on Feb. 26th. I'm SO LOOKING FORWARD to getting this over with!!!! I'm a nervous wreck! My son (19) came home today VOMITING I'm so afraid of catching something before my surgery. I'm paraniod. I don't know how to calm my nerves. The Dr gave me a script for anti-anxiety meds. I think I need to take them regularly just to maintain some form of sanity.
I hope all goes well for you girls....God Bless. ~Kimi~

Nancy:
You are so right about not finding any women who have regreted their hystos. I'm thrilled to get rid of this pouchy belly.
I took a yoga class tonight with my first yoga instructor. Now-I had switched to a more challenging style about a year ago. The Ivengar yoga she teaches is very gentle and soothing. Tonight was the first time in the last few weeks that I really felt my body relax. Hmm...When this is all over it would be fun to teach a yoga class for pre-and post-op HysterSysters. ;o)