Travel

Hi Ladies,

I have another question. This time it is about travel. (I live in Italy.)

I had a TVH (kept ovaries) on 9/17. My doctor assures me that at 4 weeks post-op I will be able to travel to the United States. That entails a 1 hour ride to the airport, 1 hour wait for the plane, 13 hours of airtime with a stop and changeover in London, then a 1 hour drive from the airport in the US to our hotel. After that we plan to spend 9 days just visiting my family and some friends. Can anybody out there that has had the same surgery tell me what 4 weeks post-op feels like and your opinions on whether this is a reasonable thing to expect to do. BTW, my husband says we can use a wheelchair in the airports instead of doing all that walking.

Thanks so much for your help. Everyone has been so great here. I'm so glad I found this site.

Ciao!
Carol

I am 4 weeks post-op, but my surgery was abdominal. The thing that is causing me the most discomfort now is sitting. Walking feels good, but to conserve your energy you might want to take advantage of those wheelchairs in the airport. You certainly can't carry your own bags – nothing heavier than your purse.

For the long airplane ride, try and get an aisle seat, as stretching out the legs helps. Also maybe ask for an extra pillow. And get up to walk as often as possible.

If you take REALLY good care of yourself beforehand and don't overdo, hopefully you will be fine. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice! I appreciate any and all comments.

I'm at 4-1/2 weeks having had a TVH - I advise bringing a pillow on the plane with you for sitting on because that is what will hurt the most, plus it will help with stitches not pulling as much.

Also get out of your seat on the plane & walk around every 45 mins or so.

Take advantage of the wheelchair as well - you could probably walk but by do it - conserve your energy.

As I said - sitting will be uncomfortable - not painful, but you will move around a lot trying to get comfy. I'm back at work & sit all day so I know - I change position every 20 mins or so, but it doesn't hurt.

Have you ever rode a bicycle for a long period of time? If so, do you know the ache you feel from sitting? That's what you will feel.

Enjoy your trip!

Hi Carol,

I travelled at 2 weeks post op (9 hours total travel time with 1 layover) and man-o-man was I tired and sore toward the last 2 to 3 hours. I am now 5 weeks and feel I could have handled it much much better!

I took completely advantage of the wheelchair assistance in the airport - and so glad I did. Bring a pillow and snag more on the plane. Also, put your purse, back pack or carry under your seat so you can put your feet on it to elevate your feet a bit. (Makes all the difference)

Don't forget extra strength Tylenol! (Or if you have any leftover "Heavy Duty" meds from after the surgery, you might wanna keep a couple handy) just in case! I think you'll be totally fine, but don't push yourself too hard. Listen to the other ladies when they say get up and move aorund - you'll be sorry if you don't.

Have a wonderful trip!
W

Thanks again ladies. These tips will come in handy!

That sounds exhausting to me. I would definitely plan on using either a wheelchair or those little shuttle train thingys to avoid walking so much you are getting overtired.

At 4 weeks post op, I had to take my 7 yr. old son to see his specialist 650 miles away...which turned out to be a 12 hr. driving trip for us. Fortunately, I had a brand new van to drive, so we did it in comfort--just me and the boy--while dh was off on another business trip. I drove the entire trip in one day since he was scheduled for a procedure, and then when we were done with our medical details, we spent a few days visiting before I drove back all in one day. It wasn't too bad; I was only slightly tired, but a couple of weeks later I was enormously tired. I think I was running on a bit of adrenaline and probably pushed past the reasonable point. I am just saying it can be done, but if it has to be timed that way, plan on taking it very easy and getting in any naps if possible.

Ciao!
Mary W