TAH in 4 days! Anxiety attacks

I CAN'T STAND THE WAITING!!! I have 4 more days to wait. I am extremely tired from lack of sleep. I go to sleep for a few hours , then wake up with anxiety and worry. It has helped to read some of the pre op posts. I know that I am not the only one with pre surgery fear. I have been crying on and off for days. I had my pre op appointment on Wed. The Dr. told me all the things that could go wrong including death. All I could think was that I am leaving my three kids alone. I am 42, but we waited several years to start our family, so my kids are young.
The doctor kept saying that my situation is special because my uterus is so big. It was scaring me. He will have to cut vertically because of the size. I wanted to clean the house really good this week, but I can't seem to get motivated because the anxiety is waring me out. My hubby has been a great support which is helping. He said not to worry about the house.
I am so glad I found this site. Hopefully, I can post after it is all over and have great news to tell all.

I hope to keep at least one or both of my ovaries. Dr. said he will see once he is inside.

Blessings to everyone.

bessiejo, my thoughts and prayers are with you. It is normal to be stressed, but everything will be fine. Don't worry about cleaning the house--in the big picture, it is no big deal. I am usually a clean freak, but I have looked at the dust for 3 weeks now and not cared. Your health is what is important. Your DH sounds wonderful, just like mine. Lean on him now, it will comfort you a great deal. My DH has vacuumed and cleaned bathrooms for 3 weeks now--these are the things that get to me the most when they are dirty. Take care, it will all be over soon.

Dear Bessie Jo,
I felt the sameway before my surgery. I had a total abdominal hsyt. ovaries, cervix everything was removed, and I'm just fine and you will be too. I understand about the house I am the same way, but please don't stress over that stuff it's really not all that important in the scheme of things. Let your DH help you and it sounds like he is. Just take the time to rest and heal. I read some really good books. One a friend gave me was Chicken Soup for the Christian Women's soul, and I can't tell you how that helped me. It's full of wonderful inspiritional true stories that were of great comfort.

My prayers and thoughts are also with you. Just be good to yourself it's all going to work out just fine.

Chris

I can soooo sympathize with you. My surgery is at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow...I'm doing my phospho soda now...I'm terrified...I'm crying off and on...my family keeps reassuring me I'll be alright...but they're aren't the ones that keep hearing "high risk". I'm diabetic, very overweight, asthmatic and I'm 59. I have endometrial cancer and that's scary enough. I still don't know how they will get through all this skin that's hanging on me from losing over 70 pounds recently. I can't believe I'll be only staying 2-3 days like the doc says....doesn't she realize I'm old? LOL...I'm scared to death to have anethesia...I've never had it...I react to so many meds that scares me too...I'm a absolute basketcase. I haven't slept more than four hours each night this week...I need a TAH with ovaries and lymphs....vertical incision....

Anyone know how long this will take? The surgery schedule from my gyn says two hours...but there will be a second surgeon...the gyn/onc -and maybe that doesn't include his time?

I'm an emotional wreck..I feel physically fine...and it's hard to accept that tomorrow at this time I will be in awful pain, bedridden for weeks and have to go through all this....I know I should look at the positive but it's soooo hard tonite....

I hope I come through this and will post back to you when I can....

my prayers are with you. It's so normal to feel the way you do, I did too. You really will be ok. They have really good pain medication they will give you so will be very comfortable. My Dr. also gave me something when I arrived to help calm me down. It's really going to be ok. It sounds like you have a really supportive family that loves you very much and that's a big help.

I'm sending you some big hugs sister.

cp

Bay can I relate, it has been 5 years since my TAH, they took everything ..I was stage 3 and so scared, I too have asthma and COPD and n=knew I was going to die....well let me tell you, at 63 and months of being scared to death, the week before I cleaned the whole house just to keep busy! My mind also! I sang and worked as much as I could!
Know what? I went in at 6 am, they stuck an IV in, gave me an asthma teatment and I knew nothing since....plop, was out and woke 5 hrs later...feeling great! The first thing I did was comb my hair and put my face on! The Dr came to see me, and said he was in the wrong room! LOL...
anyway, I was fine....ues there is some pain, but meds help that, the wanted me to go home the next day, but I asked for two nights...went home, everyone helped, in a week I was dusting lightly, not bending, but loved my pinchers...those things you squeeze to pick up stuff you drop...was great!
Each day you do a bit better...each day you feel better...
Have no fear, only the fear itself of the unknown is the worse, so please, hang in there...I felt so foolish after for months of real terror!
God Bless
Nan-c

When you wake up from surgery, you will chuckle at yourself for being so frightened or at least I did. Many of us are in panic mode before surgery it is normal. Just TRY to relax and you will be in recovery before you know it.

Calitta

I know just how you feel, i went in on the 23rd for my tah, and was never so scared in my life. i have 2 children and everyday i was scared i would be "leaving them" as you stated. I read 100's of girls like us who kept saying "the wait was the worst part" and I can tell you, as scared as i was, it is true. I feel so much better, i had ovaries larger than oranges, cysts everywhere, fibroids, an enlarged tipped uterus, terrible endo.... and I am anemic, smoked a pack of cigg. a day before my surgery, have an anxiety and thyroid disorder and only weigh a little over 100 lbs, so i was not the picture of health and thought it would be a miracle if i made it through. Well, I did, with flying colors and you will too. I was amazed that I was released in 48 hours and soooo happy to be home with my family. Focus on coming home healthy, your family there to take care of you, and how much better you will feel when you have recovered!!! no periods for the summer!!
When the surgery is over you will wonder "why did i worry so much?!". I keep am enmaculate house and was worried too about getting it "ready", trust me, it dosent matter and it will be fine. your health and well being come first. I spent the 2 days before visiting with friends and family, having lunch, shopping.... it helps!!
Good luck to you, you are in our prayers, and will look forward to hearing about your recovery on the "post op" boards.
lisa

Oh Nanc...I just had this wave of peace settle over me with your post....THANK YOU SO MUCH....I know most of the girls on here are so young and they seem to spring back so much faster....I think I will pack my makeup shortly.....B L E S S Y O U

You know what? Your surgical prep team will be so nice that you will totally relax. If you want, one of them will hold your hand until you are out. And you will wake up after it's over. The things you worry about won't be half as bad as you imagine. I was really scared of them removing the cath and the N-G tube (they left the nose tube in after I woke from my first surgery, but not the second) and the drains (also the first surgery only), but none of that hurt at all!