Recovery Progress Reports for Hysterectomy dates Feb 02-Feb 08,2009

Hi there, sisters. I've worked 2 eight-hour days, and I feel fine. Enjoy your recliner time- I know it's boring, but when you go back to work then your special princess time is over, trust me! I've got all of my work caught up and have done some damage control for the stuff that was "done" for me in my absence. (ha ha- I know I sound like a wicked control freak, mostly because I am...) On the way home from work, I pick up something at the supermarket and then go home, cook it, feed it to my 4 favorite people, and then clean up the aftermath. I feel normal, and everything is as though the surgery never happened.

Sounds like most of you are doing very well... YAY!
Some cautionary advice for those of you getting out and about more:
1. Shopping carts are not a good idea. A shopping cart at Walmart hurt me last week. You have to use your abdominal muscles to steer it and all of a sudden...oww. Get someone to go with you and push the cart, just to be safe.
2. Your back muscles might be really weak, so be careful doing anything involving bending over. Last week I posted because I had hurt my back trying to change my sheets. I hurt it again yesterday just by bending forward quickly trying to catch something that was falling.

Big hugs for all my sisters- I'm cheerin' for you!
Michele
Just letting you know because you're all doing so well and it's such a bummer when you take a step backward.

Oh what a day! I posted my first post this afternoon when I was feeling pleasantly on the road to recovery, heading to the chaise and the sunlight with my book, when the washing machine connection thingie burst and hot water started pouring out at high pressure!! Kitchen, den, washroom, living room - all under water before we managed to stop it. I was trying to protect my computer and books - had no choice but to do more lifting than was probably good for me.

At the moment, there are men in my home with suction machines, trying to get the water out of the carpets. I'm trying to make the best of it but what a jumble this has made out of my "quiet recovery time"! I've retired to my bedroom with my laptop to try to rest, since I don't think there's much else I can do.

Hi,
Had a total abdominal hysterectomy on 2/6. The worst part was panic attacks after the anesthesia wore off. Had to have nebulizer treatment once in the recovery room and once later on that night in my room. Felt like I couldn't breathe. Nasty nurses didn't help much. Luckily, I only encountered 2 of them, but unfortunately, they were both on the same shift, the night of my surgery.

The gas pains were unbearable the second night in the hospital. Finally let go of that gas at 5 a.m., and ahhhhhhh, the relief!

I've been home for 8 days now, and really feeling pretty good, except at the incision site. It's still hurts, and once I forgot all about my surgery while laying on the couch and sat upright without support. OUCH!!!! The right hand side of my incision has been reminding me about that ever since. I hope I didn't pull anything, but I think I'm fine.

Only taking one 800 mg Advil a day now, and only take pain meds once today. I'm wondering about weight loss from the surgery. A nurse friend told me that after the swelling goes down, I could possibly have lost 10 pounds due to the uterus being out, along with ovaries, cervix and fallopian tubes. Is this true or just wishful thinking?

Hope everyone is feeling well. This is my first post.

Thanks.

Jill

Glad you're feeling a little better! Just remember you are still recovering and need to take it easy!! As for weight loss, I asked my doctor (since in addition to my regular job I also work part-time for Weight Watchers) and he said maybe I'd lost half a pound! I did keep my ovaries, but was hoping for more than that! LOL

Glad to see this follow-up! Had mine on February 2nd and it's been GREAT! I did get an internal infection but the antibiotics cleared it up in no time.

Now I've hit a wall. I am DEAD tired. Glad a few of you operated on the same day are back to work... I can only manage half a day this week but last week could have managed 8 hour days!

I am thrilled with this surgery (keyhole). I feel 10 years younger and once this tiredness is over — I think I overdid it last week — I'll be back to normal!

Hugs to you all

Addi

A little background since I am new to this.

My surgery (lap-assisted radical hyst) was on Feb. 3rd and everything went well during the 4 hours I was on the table. I had told the anesthesiologist that the only other time I had had general anesthesia I was really nauseous. He gave me a patch to put behind my ear but apparently that wasn't enough. I don't remember it, but I guess I began to violently retch when they pulled the tube out of my throat. My DH said they kept me in recovery a few hours longer until they knew the nausea was under control. I'm glad I don't remember it!

When they brought me to my room, I got a good shot of morphine and slipped in and out of consciousness. According to my DH and my mommy, I had fabulous conversations with them. They said they wished they had the video camera to record some of the things I said and did. My husband asked me a question at one point and I guess my answer was that "Brittney Spears has 3 kitties"! When he asked me what I was talking about, I rolled my eyes at him and went back to sleep. My mommy said I asked her to take the air booties off of my feet because they made my hair messy. I guess I got a little upset when she and DH started giggling.

I got to go home the next day....with my catheter. My oncologist said it had to be in for a week. When I went to see her to have it removed, my bladder still wouldn't respond so in it went for another week. It's out now and I can't believe how much better I feel!

I am very surprised to see how many of you are already back to work. I'll be out for at least 6 weeks. All I have to say is Thank God for TiVo! Daytime TV stinks! I filled up the DVR before I went in and now I am catching up on some of my favorite shows and watching movies I normally wouldn't have time to watch. It's really all I can do.

I'm still quite a bit sore but my five little incisions are healing nicely. I'm bored out of my mind but I realize I have to rest in order to heal.

That's all for now. Thanks for having a place that we can share our stories. It's nice to see how others are recovering.

Tiffany

The word of the day yesterday was HAPPY I had my 2-week post-op yesterday. My pathology report was clean! He said that my incision looks great and that the rest of the steri-strips could come off! He confirmed that the bleeding I'm experiencing is normal and that I just have to have patience; it should begin to taper off soon.

He said that the numbness in my thigh is a normal complication of the surgery. He explained that in my TAH, they used a clamp to keep my incision open while they did their work and that clamp sometimes pinches or pushes against the nerves that run to the leg. He said that nerves take a long time to heal and that eventually it will heal and go away but it might take up to a year. At night when the numbness goes away and my thigh throbs, is prickly and is on fire, I can use Motrin to control that.

I'm released to drive but frankly, I don't feel like driving anywhere because I don't have the endurance/tolerance to walk very far or stand very long. Maybe next week, but at least I know I can go somewhere if I have to. After my appointment, we went to Walgreens for a few things and then off to DQ for a celebration ice cream cone

I am now approved to begin walking outside. I'm frankly too tired from yesterday but maybe Saturday and Sunday when the weather is supposed to be nice, I'll try a little The other great part of yesterday was when my friend came over to clean my house. I paid her because that's her business but it was well worth it after 2.5 weeks of no cleaning! DH is working 6 days, 10-12 hours per day, so he is lucky to help with dinner, laundry, trash, dishes, etc. It is so nice to rest in a clean house

My husband removed the steri-strips and I got to see my 10-inch incision! It looks good.

Warm, heartfelt get well soon wishes to all of you!

Hi gals!!!! Day 16 post op from TAH/BSO and Bladder Sling and I'm feeling pretty good. No pain killers, not even Advil now. I even sneezed today without bracing for it and felt no pain and didn't pee my pants!!!

My incision is healing nicely...took the strips off yesterday. I am putting Neosporin with Pain Relief on it and seems to really be helping. Looking forward to next Tuesday when I can take a BATH!!! Still can tell that I'm not healed on the inside though....left side grabs me every so often as a reminder.

The sun is shining here in MO, but it is really cold out. So, I'm just kicked back in the recliner in the sunshine...feels good.

Eventhough I have had 3 days in a row now of feeling good, I'm still going to take it very easy. My doctor has cautioned me over and over....take it easy for 6-8 weeks....until then....take everything nice and slow, no lifting, no pushing shopping carts, absolutely no straining of any kind!!

My parents came to my house yesterday and cleaned for me. What a nice surprise, dad even shampooed the carpets!! What a huge burden to be lifted is that!!!

Princess time is important and short lived I'm sure, especially if your family is like mine, once I appear to be back on my feet they look at it as I'm ready to run a marathon or something.

I keep telling them....April 1st....NO FOOLING!!!!! LOL

Hello ladies! Well I'm 15 days post-op. Had my post-op exam yesterday. The path report came back good, so that was a blessing. The doc says I'm healing as expected, but it should be about four - six weeks of course before I can get back to a full recovery.

Today, though I've had chills, and a sense of urgency with every sip of water. I've had pain all along, and the doc explained yesterday, that it was probably due to movement of the bladder during surgery. She questioned perhaps a bladder infection. However, I found out today that I do have a bladder infection! Couldn't get the antibiotic fast enough!

Still taking it relatively easy. I take a nap when I feel tired. I'm back to work on March 2, so I'm trying to take advantage of the down time I still have. I take a around the neighborhood and that's always nice. We've had sunny weather with a chill in the air -- but it's been really nice, so very good to get out.

My husband has continued to be sweet and still tries to pamer the and I will continue to let him

Tomorrow, I'll see how I do when I attend a seminar for 3 hours. I think I'll be fine, I'll just get up when I need to and stand if I'm tired or uncomfortable from sitting.

Glad to have this site to give my thoughts and read yours. Take care of yourselves as we all heal.

I went to my follow up date on the 11th. The doctor did not tell me much.I go back to him on the 26. I have my ups and downs. I feel good in when I wake up but by 5pm I need some pills and my bed.