dVH/RALH: Planning only 10 days recovery am I crazy?

Hello to the wise sisters...

I am scheduled for dvH on March 17th and planning to go back to school (1 hour class 4 days a week) 10 days later. I thought this sounded fine, as did my Dr, but now I'm thinking I might be crazy.

I am a full time student and work part time as a front desk attendant at a gym. I have planned to take mostly online classes next quarter (Spring quarter starts 3/28) but must take one on campus class. I plan to take 2 weeks off work then start back just 2 days (3 hr shifts) and build from there as I feel able to.

I've had prior abdominal surgery (lap gastric bypass, open salpingectomy & lap tubal preg removal) with long recovery for the first two, good rebound on the last. That good rebound is what made me think I could go back to school so quickly. Now that I actually have a date I'm really starting to question my planning. I'm also just freaking out about the surgery in general. The thought of not depleeting my iron supply every 3 months is a happy one, but waking up in a hospital bed yet again is super scary. My SO won't be there when I come out as he has to work and I'm not sure that any of my friends will be there either.

Oh, I'm just getting more worked up as I type. Hence why I am rambling. Any calming words and prayers are appreciated.

I feel ya. I have to be back to work 1/2 day on Day 5, work full days Day 6 and 7, and then have a weekend off, then back to regular schedule on Day 10. I know I'm pushing it, but that is all the leave time I have. I can't go into leave without pay unless there is a dire emergency and I have no choice. That being said, I have a desk job. I do NO lifting, NO bending, NO pushing...nothing physical of any kind. The most physical thing I do is walk to the printer.

I am having the Da Vinci procedure. I have 2 friends who have also had it. The first one said there was no way she could have done it the first week. The second one went shopping all day on Day 4 and went back to work full time, full schedule on Day 6. Never had any problems at all.

I have had a little easier time with recovery on other things than my first friend, and I'm hoping against hope that I will take after my second friend in this!!

Because of co-workers being out on maternity leave, I had to do the surgery now or wait until July. I'd have more leave time in July, but AF is killing me. I need this done sooner rather than later!!

If your doctor says its fine, go for it. My doc suggested I take at least a week, but said he would be fine with me returning immediately on half days. I'm hoping he'll approve of my current plan, mixing full days off, half days, and full days on for the first week.

Thank you so much for responding! It feels good just to know that someone else is planning a short recovery as well. I think that my gyn agreed to it only because although I do a fair amount of walking at work, I also, do no lifting, pushing, twisting or anything straining.

I wish you all the luck as you jump forward so quickly. You will be in my thoughts for speedy healing

I'm having a TVH and will be back at work after 2 weeks. Mine is more an issue of not being able to sit still and having control issues. I know what will be happening while I'm off, so I want to get back as quickly as possible. I work in the medical field and I have a fairly active job, but I'm hoping for the best. My doctor and coworkers all think I'm crazy, and I've been told that if my coworkers think I'm pushing it they'll force me to take a longer leave, but I'm determined to go back.

It definitely depends on the person. I had an LAVH and am normally very active and work long hours at an Urgent Care- how I am feeling I could not even fathom returning to work in a few days.

A woman on the post-op board started a thread about wondering why she wasn't feeling much better 2 weeks out from her dVH/RALH...

Both of us felt we would be recovering better by now. The fact is, some people really do recover very quickly and would be fine with that early return to activity- and others of us don't- even if we are normally high activity, fit, motivated people prior to surgery. Unfortunately, we can make plans, but won't really know how this will affect us until afterwards. NOT trying to be a downer here- just trying to prepare you for the possibility.

Good luck with everything!

Amy
LAVH 1/31/2011

Oh no Daisy. I thought you were doing so well. The first couple days after DVh you were rocking it. What happened? Did you push too hard too soon? I have a feeling I may have to fight that. I am a goer/soldier through/type A by nature.

I've been preparing all the boys that live around me that I intend to be better by Day 10, but need 6 weeks to fully heal.

Well, to be fair- I am sure some of my backsliding was due to a UTI that finally hit full force yesterday afternoon. Dr said UTI is number 1 cause of fever after hyster.

I really have tried to be very good and take it easy overall- DH has watched me like a hawk!! Now that antibiotics for UTI are kicking in and I feel more human, I hope to be back to my cheery self! Still can't imagine potentially returning to work at 10 days post-op even without the setback of the UTI though- that would be just 4 more days for me and there is NO WAY!!

Amy
LAVH- 1/31/2011

Ugh, I was hoping that this would be the end of the UTIs

I'm still having burning 7 days after starting some major antibiotics. I fear it didn't work and surgery will be delayed...not that I'm excited for surgery..but I want it over with. And the timing is going to get worse later this month and untill summer.

I know- I thought about your UTI issue when I wrote that. I guess it's from having the catheter in so long after surgery? I had mine in 24 hours....

I sure hope your recent UTI doesn't delay your surgery at all- I know how it feels to be ready to get it over with and pushing it off is NO fun. Maybe a UTI (as long as no fever) is NOT a reason for them to reschedule anyway? After all, if you are already in hospital, they can give you heavy duty IV antibiotics....I don't know how you've dealt with frequent UTIs over the years anyway- I have had two EVER and they are miserable.

Well, I was in bed when I wrote my last post and now that I am up and about I can tell that I am MUCH better than I had been the past 2 days.

Amy

They told me they take the cath out in the OR. I'm kinda glad about that, but that does make me have to get up to pee while in pain though.