Upcoming Surgery

I am scheduled for a TAH/BSO, incisional hernia repair, and possible bowel resection 3/14/03. I am getting more and more nervous as the date is approaching. I am a nurse- I figured this would make it better but it hasn't. Before surgery, I have to see 2 other surgeons- one to do the hernia repair and the other who may be doing the bowel resection. I also have to have a colonoscopy done on 2/24 which is what I am the most nervous about. Has anyone had similar experiences? My GYN said the adhesions are very extensive and the surgery will also be. After my other 2 laps, I woke up with a NG tube which is what I am dreading this time- this was worse than the incision. I would appreciate any advise anyone can give.

PS I am new to this site and still haven't figured out how to navigate.

Hi Lori and welcome!

I'm not a nurse, but I am a respiratory therapist. It doesn't seem to help much when I am the patient though, as I'm sure you feel pretty much the same!

I had my hyst because I was positively diagnosed with cervical cancer. So...my circumstances were not the same as yours, but there were similarities in the unknown.

For instance, my ONC GYN (who was doing the surgery) let me know that I would have a s-p cath post-operatively for an unspecified length of time. I totally obsessed over that thought and worried about that more than anything, probably much the way you are worried about having an N-G tube.

My Dr. also let me know that my surgery would take between 4-5 hours, which is quite a bit longer than the usual. I would think that your surgery would be expected to take awhile too with the other work you are having done.

I didn't have to have a colonoscopy pre-operatively, but did have to have a C-T scan, which showed a "questionable shadow" in one area, which would not be determined if it was anything or not until I had the surgery.

So, with all that said, I'm here to tell you that everything went well and waiting for the surgery (I had a 6 week wait from diagnosis from a LEEP procedure) was really much worse than the surgery itself! You'll see that posted here so many times; we all seem to worry so much waiting for our surgery, that it must be the natural thing to do.

As far as outcomes for me: my hyst removed my cancer and I have not required further treatment (except for my frequent check-ups that will go on for 5 yrs before I am considered "cured"); and I ended up with a s-p cath for just under 3 weeks post-operatively, and even though I was more than ready to have it removed, it was not nearly as bad having it as I anticipated it to be.

I hope that everything will go as well for you! As far as navigating this site, I'm sure you'll figure it out, but if you have problems, send a message to the Tech Desk and you will receive any help that you need.

I'm glad that you've found us and we'll all be here to support you until you become a , and then after too!

Best wishes and s

Hi Lori
I am a nurse too, and sometimes I think we know too much...you know that old saying...knowlege can be dangerous but ingnorance is a bliss..LOL I am scheduled in 2 weeks for TAH, poss BSO and a Burch...I have been nervous also.... The more I think about it....the more nervous I get...But being able to express my concerns and searching this site has been just wonderful...

Again being Nurses...we understand more of what is going to happen and tend to worry about everthing that could happen and not focus on ourselves as patients....We are trained to think of all the possiblities of problems for our patients and to anticipate there needs...But when it comes to our needs we put them aside...

Talking to several of my friends helps, I am learning to focus on ME...and it is hard.....But we will get through this...Hang in there..There is a Light at the end......

Take Care
Steph

Hi Steba. I am still trying to navigate this site. Good luck with your upcoming surgery- let me know how it goes.

Hi Lori! I'm an RN too, and it seems like I've forgotten everything I know from taking care of many other women who've had this procedure (mine's scheduled in 10 days). It's just different when we're the patient--we know all about the clinical stuff, but these are OUR bodies undergoing this life-altering change, and because we do know what can go wrong, we tend to fear the worst.....and we make some of the worst patients! It's really hard for us to give up that control and allow ourselves to be placed in some one else's care, when we're the ones who care for everybody else. (At least, it is for me. I'm not particularly nervous about my upcoming TAH/BSO, but I'm not good at letting anyone take care of me..........maybe that's why I tend to get in my own way during the recovery process, try to do too much too soon etc.)

Anyway, I'm going to try to relax and even enjoy this time, as it will allow me to get my life back in the long run....no more bleeding, no more crippling pain, nothing to get in the way of my natural energy flow. Good luck, Lori, and please let us know how things go for you.

Hi, Lori! Just wanted to welcome you, too. It took me awhile to learn my way around this site, since I wasn't very computer literate. To find old threads about any subject you're interested in, go up to "search" in the upper right corner, and type in the words you want searched (like bowel resection).

It really is different being on the receiving end of surgery and medical care, instead of giving it! Here is an old thread by RNs, and there have been many of us here! https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/sho...threadid=54094

Best wishes for a smooth surgery and recovery! s
Ruthie

Hi

Welcome, Lori. I guess with all the focus on the problems that can happen you (and most other nurses herei) tend to forget all the patients who DON'T have problems!! I can also say from experience that in many ways it is easier to go through some of these situations than to witness them.

As for the colonoscopy, having had a number of them myself, I hope you don't spend too much time worrying about it. If you are medicated you probably won't even remember having it. I have a sensitivity to medications and prefer to have mine unmedicated. (Last one was in November 2002 in preparation for my upcoming hernia repair.) The neat thing about being completely alert is that you can view the procedure on the video screen and you have nothing to deal with afterward - just get up and walk out!! I also like to be able to get the results in the moment and be able to discuss the situation with my doctor.

I hope you can let go a little and let yourself be taken care of by the professionals, in whom you must have confidence or you wouldn't be turning your well being over to them. Your job is different this time!

Joselle