The more I read the more Scared I am!!

Hello all,
I am so glad you have this site. I was referrerd by a couple ladies from a site i frequent daily. Really great group of ladies there.
I am having a hyster on the 31st next Wednesday. I am Scared stiff. Let me try to fill you in as few words as possible. My mom and mother in law passed away in 2006 (June and October) just 4 months from eachother and both were sudden without warning. So here I am now having to have this surgery and I am scared. I really don't like speaking that because I put my trust in God but you can't help the human part sometimes and be scared. I was told by my Docs assistant who called to tell me the results of my last visit that I will be in the hospital from Wednesday (surgery at 11am) until Friday afternoon possibly Saturday morning. I am having a full hysterectomy, I am only 40 but have been peramenapausing for about 7 years now. My questions to you all that have completed this surgery is (and I will ask my doctor when I see him the day before surgery), 1. Does everyone have to have a catheter? (I am scared of those)
2. Does everyone have to have an enema? (I just don't like those LOL)
Everything else seems to be something I can handle but I am not sure about that catheter thing, I am extremely touchy about my private area and I think that is going to hurt.
I really want to get this surgery done and over with and these jitters before are driving me nuts. The assistant did call me in some meds for the jitters and they help but I can't take them if I am having to drive places and today is one of those days I am having lunch with my sister and can't take them until I get back home. We have a 16 yr old daughter that is ready and willing to step up and help around the house, she knows how I am and it will take some major medication and pain to keep me in the bed. We have a 10 yr old son that I know will be there for me and help me in anyway. My husband is being very supportive so I shouldn't be concerned about anything but I am. I do everything around here in the mornings so I am concerned how will they do it all. I have thought of typing up a list of what I do and give it to them but I dont' want them to think it all has to be done my way and I have to be in control. I am really greatful for this site and all of you. I am so glad I can just come here and vent, ask questions and I look forward to getting to know you all. Thanks for any suggestions you have for me. I have made the list of what to take to the hospital and what to ask the doctor other than that I am just in a waiting period and it's driving me nuts..
Thanks for listening
Tammy

1st off let me say how sorry I am for the loss of your mother and MIL..I'm sure it's very hard for you and you'll continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm pretty sure everyone has a cath. I know I did and it wasn't that big of a deal, at least I didn't have to get out of bed to go pee. The removed it the next morning and I haven't had any problems. As for the enema, I did not have one, did not have to do bowel prep prior to surgery, but this depends upon your surgeon.

This is a scary time and if it had not been for this site and these lovely ladies, I don't know what I would have done! Ask questions, express your concerns, vent, etc....we're all here for you!

Hi, Let me say how sorry I am for your loss. As for the catheter, it is inserted while you are asleep, so you don't even realize it. The catheter was removed the afternoon of my surgery after I was in my room. The procedure was only slightly uncomfortable. Then I could get up to go to the bathroom. I had no bowel prep at all, just nothing to eat or drink after midnight before surgery. Even though, I am a registered nurse, I wasnervous and scared to have the hysterectomy. The waiting was the hardest part, though. I had LAVH 16 days ago and I feel better than I have felt in two years. I had fibroids and my uterus was very enlarged. My periods were extremely heavy and I became anemic. You must trust in the Lord who is your keeper. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Hey TxTammy,

I'm so sorry for your loss of your mother and MIL. That's a hard thing to have happen in such a quick succession, with no advance warning, on top of your upcoming surgery.

You shouldn't feel bad that you are scared. We all are/were scared before. That's completely normal. Be sure to find and read the "good reports" kind of posts, in addition to the problem reports. Most of us don't have problems, and we all try to help and encourage the ones that do.

It sounds like you already have a cooperative family, which is going to make your recovery so much easier. I think a list is a good idea. You can just type it and put it wherever they will see it in the morning (refrigerator door?). They may tell you that they don't need it, but when you are not available to run that morning get-up-and-out-the-door process, they will appreciate having it to refer to. Be sure to thank them frequently for the extra things they will have to do to help you - even if they don't do stuff exactly like you would have done.

On your catheter / enema questions. I had a catheter, but I was asleep when they put it in, and the removal was not a problem at all. I did not have an enema before (I don't like those either, ewww!) Just follow your plan to take your list of questions with you to the dr. That's the best way to get answers and not forget anything.

from me. Hope you will be back on your feet and soon.

Hi Tammy,

I am sorry for your loss, i´m sure it is very hard for all of you.

The enema isn´t painfull, the catheter is already in place when you wake up, they took mine out the day after the op and I never noticed it. I was pleased that it came out at least I could go to the bathroom myself.
I know how you feel with private parts but belief me it didn´t hurt one little bit. I had the jitters before the op but once I was in the hospital the jitters went. I only can say it is the best thing I ever did to have TAH/BSO, I feel great.
from me.

So sorry to hear about the loss of your mother and MIL. I too agree with other posters here, it is okay to be scared. I was terrified the day of my surgery, but my mom & my DH were with me the entire time before I had to go and I got great comfort from that. I placed my trust in the Lord that he would guide me through safely and he did just that. Right before I was wheeled down to surgery my mom annoited me with oil and she and I held hands and she said a prayer over me and I just suddenly felt a peace come over me and knew right then that I was going to be all right. If you could have someone pray with you right before it is a great comfort.

As for the catheter and the enema. I didn't have to have an enema and they put the catheter in while I was asleep. They removed that the next morning, and it really was no big deal. I had great nurses with me before I went into the ER and they talked with me and joked around, so that I was relaxed before they came and got me. I was asleep before they wheeled me into the OR.

So here's some advice for you. Just take some nice, big calming breaths and relax. Everything will be just fine. You'll do better than you could ever imagine. And I know your mom can't be with you right now in person, but she'll be holding you in her arms that day and watching over you and taking care of you, just like she did when she was here. So take that thought with you when they take you down to surgery. Let us know how everything went. We're all here for you to help you through this difficult time.

Lisa

Tammy
So sorry for the loss of your mother and mother in law.
Please stop worrying so much, that is no good for your health at all. Relax a little, everything will be fine. Not everyone needs an enema and if you do it is not as bad as you think, the whole thing will be over in less than an hour. Not everyone need a bowel prep. That is up to your dr. It is not a great experience, but it to it do-able. The catheter is not painful at all. The nursing staff will put it in when you are asleep. You should not feel it at all when you wake up, and it is much better to have it than to have to get up to use the bathroom the first 24 hours. When they remove it, it will slide right out with very little sensation. No pain. Your worries are for nothing. Relax, have a cup of hot chocolate, relax, take a warm bath, relax, think about how wonderful your life is going to be when this is over, relax, you have nothing to worry about!!!!!!!

I'm so sorry for your loss. I agree with everyone who has already posted. It would be unusual to not be nervous and afraid of upcoming surgery. The catheter was put in after I was asleep and I couldn't feel it at all when I woke up. Removing it wasn't bad and was over quickly.

I did have to have an enema and it really wasn't that bad. Not fun at all, but nothing tramatic. My understanding is that I needed it because I had so much endo and tissue around my bowels. That way, if my bowels got damaged in any way during surgery there was less in them to leak out and cause an infection. My surgery went perfectly smoothly, so my bowels made it without any surgical damage.

Please try to let your wonderful family just take over for awhile. As long as you don't smell smoke, it can be fixed when you heal.

Take care and hang in there!

TxTammy:

You have been through a lot. (((HUGS)))

Don't be scared. I was the biggest scaredy cat of all and I made it through the whole thing.

Seriously, I would have fled right there at the hospital if I hadn't had 4 people waiting with me, two of which that drove in from out of state!

Reading scriptures in the waiting room helped me, especially Proverbs and Psalms.

The catheter thing scared me too... but they put it in when you are knocked out and the removal was painless. I asked them to keep the catheter in one extra day to make sure the swelling was done, so they wouldn't need to recatheterize me... as that was another fear of mine.

They didn't do an enema with me, they had me take the bowl cleansing medicine by Fleet. I drank that mixture slowly over a 2 hour period, so that I wouldn't feel too nauseaous. I found that 7up helped to settle my stomache after I took it.

You will be in our thoughts and prayers on that day... you are not alone.

So very sorry about losing your Mom and MIL- so close together and unexpected makes it harder I'm sure.

Scared is 'normal' - and in it's own way very healthy - it means your are not blindly following along.

My cath was put in after I was under in the OR - coming out wa no problem the next day - I had dehydration issue so they kept IVs nd the cath in me until the day after surgery. Believe me, you will be thankful for it because it means you do not have to get up to go to the bathroom.

Bowel prep is pretty standard - they want the intestines clean (nasty germs from feces) just in case - it is more 'precautionary' and to get them to lie flat (easier to operate) - but it also depends on your surgeon. Bowel prep isn't fun - but it's tolerable.

After surgery - once they tell you it's 'okay' - you need to walk as much as you can -- it gets the gas going and wakes up the bowels - and they will not let you out of the castle until you butt puff and sometimes even have a BM. As for walking - make sure someone is with you -family is good for this since the nurses can't - try a short distance every hour and push thru the pain and drugs to do it.

Talk about scared - I almost cancelled when I was in pre-op except for something the one nurse told me - I would have to take the problem home with me. I wasn't concerned about perturbing the doc - but taking it home was out of the question.