surgery scheduled --- scared!

I'm scheduled for a TAH on October 1st. As the days go by, I become more and more anxious about the surgery, I'm sure this is normal. I was to have this done two years ago, but I couldn't make that decision at that point in my life. I've got uterin polyps, non-stop bleeding daily, have become anemic and have had pain for years. My last couple paps have come back with abnormal cells. My mother had cervical, uterin and breast cancer----she has beaten them all---I hope I am as lucky.

20 days to go!

Any words of wisdom to help calm the nerves will be greatly appreciated.

Kim

Hi Kim Welcome to Hyster Sisters.

I'm sorry that it took so long before the Pre-Op ladies saw your post: it was kind of lost in the Arizona forum.

Believe me, it's normal to be scared before going into this major surgery. I too delayed my surgery by 2 years. By that time, I had reached a point where there were no options. The good part about delaying it, was that I was able to do all the research I neede to do and to make sure, in my mind, that the hyst was the best options for me.

I found that the best thing that helped calm my nerves was to get informed. A good place to start is by reading the Pull-Down menus available at the bottom of the Hyster Sisters Home Page. I also enjoyed reading this message board, where I posted all of my questions.

Wishing you the best of luck. We'll be with you every step of the way.

Hi Kimmie, everything you are feeling is normal, and the waiting is the worse, I spent alot of time here and in the chat room and found a couple of ladies post and a couple with the same date and a couple with dates after mine and they kept me going and they are still very special to me and always will be. You finally have made the right decission so let it all rest in gods hands now, come see us in the chat room and look at the calender for some ladies with same or close to date and contact them, it really does help, I would have not made it with out this site, my husband says that too, he says this site and the woman took alot of stress off him, since he didn't know what to say most of the time and it allowed him to concentrate on other issues around the house to keep things going. God bless and hugs to you.

Oh, I remember how terrified I was before my TAH a year ago. I was too scared to breathe! Thankfully, the ladies here really helped me through it.

The things that really helped me relax (a bit!) were reading as much as I could here, and doing what I could to prepare for my recovery. That kept me focused on what would come AFTER the surgery, which helped me remember there would BE an after...

Some tips to help you prepare for recovery:

Once you're at home, you'll need to have some comfortable clothes to wear. I found men's pajamas very comfortable, because the large, drawstring waists came up well above my incision, and the button-up tops didn't have to go over my head (hard to get my arms up). You will probably want to have large, "granny-panties" in a size or two large than you normally wear (you will be swollen and sore!).

Have a tummy pillow handy at all times! This would be a small pillow that you hold against your abdomen when you have to sneeze or cough. Keep it where you can grab it with only a second’s notice! I had a sneeze sneak up on me once when I couldn’t grab my pillow – ouch! It felt like my insides exploded.

Have plenty of no-preparation foods on hand, like fruit, soup, cereal, snack bars, etc. I had absolutely no appetite for a couple of weeks, and my frantic husband finally convinced me to drink some Ensure, which went down ok. You may want to have some of that in the fridge for times you just don’t feel like eating, but need nourishment.

Also, buy PLENTY of juice! You will need to drink LOTS of liquids when you get home to help with the gas. I got bored with the same type of juice, so my husband bought lots of different types, and put them in small containers for me (I found it difficult to lift and pour large containers for awhile). Don't drink anything carbonated, and don't use a straw (makes the gas worse).

I also found a shower chair very helpful. Standing up long enough to shower wore me out! You could also use any plastic chair that will fit in your shower.

VERY IMPORTANT: have anything you might need at waist-level. This includes toilet paper, pads, clothing, cups, food, plates, etc. Believe me, you will NOT want to bend or reach for anything! The house may look cluttered for awhile with everything sitting out on counter tops, but it's worth it!

If you’re going to be alone, make sure the phone is where you can reach it at ALL times! Several of us have gotten “stuck” (couldn’t get off the couch without help, problems in the bathroom, etc.), and have needed to call for assistance.

Also, you'll need some things to do once you're feeling a big better. Have some things handy now, because you won't be able go out and get anything later! Here are some things I did to occupy myself during recovery:

Reading LOTS of books
Writing long letters to friends and family (real letters, not e-mail!)
Organizing photo albums
Drew out plans for the garden
Bought a tape to improve Spanish skills
Watching lots of movies
Crafts, quilting, etc.
HYSTERSISTERS site!

Good luck!

:halfmast:

Kimmie,

I know exactly what you're going through. I just hit 4 weeks post, and as silly as it sounds, the waiting truly is the worst! The first couple of days, moving will feel like someone took out your insides, played kickball with them, and put them back. However, you have to get up and walk! The will kill you if you don't - take it from someone who knows. I thought I was moving enough until about 36 hours after the surgery. I was so nauseous, and heaving is not something you want to do - laughing isn't even something you want to do!

The good news is, the more you move, the better off you are, and you'll be amazed how much better you feel pretty quickly. I was only allowed to start driving this week, and I thought I'd go crazy!

Hang in there, this is the best place you could have come. I would not have made it if I hadn't found these ladies. They're awesome.

Any questions you have, just ask. Believe me, even if you think no one else could possibly understand, you'll be surprised.



God bless !!

Sheri