Update on me, 3 weeks post op, 2 weeks post infection

I've been resting a LOT and thought I should get back online and let you all know how I am doing. I had the TAH on 4/22, then about a week later the incision burst with fluid and infection behind it. I did antibiotics, and have been meeting with a wound care nurse. The wound is slowly closing, it's gone from 8 inches by 3 inches by 2 inches deep to 6 and a half by 2 by 1 and a half inches deep. Slowly but surely it's healing.

My mother was upset that they don't go back in and reclose it/resuture, but the wound care nurse explained to me that the risk of infection increases dramatically if they resuture the wound. I am still set to go back to work 6 weeks post op, BUT the wound care nurse has given me orders to go back part time for the first 2-3 weeks, and slowly work back into my full time schedule.

I went thru some really bad "poor me" phases last week, but am coping better this week. Also getting my hormone levels under control I think, and that makes a difference.

I have severe (about 7-8 on a pain scale of 0-10 with 10 being "shoot me now" and 0 being "all ok") pain in my lower right abdomen, and it's not getting much better. I think the reason is because during the hysterectomy they had to pull that side back farther to inspect my bowels on the LRQ, because of my Crohn's Disease. Also it seems that the surgery "flared" up the Crohn's a bit, but it's backing off finally, I think.

All in all, I am exhausted, but starting to feel better. Doing the wound care is difficult on my psyche more then anything else. I did manage to make it to 2 of my 3 final exams (I also go to college full time), and I got a B for my final grade in Abnormal Psychology (didn't even have to study for that class, haha), and a B in Comparative World Religions. For my American Sign Language 2 class, I have an incomplete, because with the complications I had from the infection, I couldn't get to the final exam. I'm going to sit in on this fall's class, and that that final, then she'll make my grade retroactive. Works for me! I only have one year left until my associate's degree.

Well, I hope everyone else is doing ok post op, I'll try to look thru and catch up some.

Jen

Hi Jen,

Thanks for letting us know how you are doing! I hope that your incision finally heals completely.

Congratulations on your good grades - you should be very proud of yourself.

Keep resting and pampering yourself.

s