Recovery Progress Reports for Hysterectomy dates Jan 11-Jan 17,2010

I was supposed to have an LAVH, but after begining the surgery, it was discovered that my bowel was attached to my uterus, as well as my ovary. My Dr. switched to an abdominal removal. Couldn't remove my cervix as planned because it was "too attached" and thus dangerous. Managed to keep both ovaries. Soon after surgery, I stopped breathing and had to be re-intubated. Needless to say, throat was very sore and had a lot of lung congestion and coughing---NOT easy with the incision, let me tell you.
In any case, I'm up an around, but it's slow going. I have this one friend who keeps telling me about a friend of hers who was back to work in 2 weeks....I can't even imagine! Still tired, with lots of abdominal pain before and during a BM. Also, lots of stabbing pain coming out of nowhere.
Things are progressing...slowly, but at least moving forward.
Thanks to everyone's posts, I know now that my healing is MY HEALING, and it's not that different from anyone elses. Thank you to everyone, and happy healing to all!!

linkae,
So glad you are doing well. How scarey for you. My doctor won't even consider letting me go back to work for a month and prefers 6 weeks, which is what I'm taking. I have to wonder what procedure those going back in 2 weeks actually had and how many have complications later. I have a sit down/desk job and am 15 days post op today. I can't even imagine being back at work at this point and having to sit in that chair, in one position, for 8 hours! You and your doctor will know when it's best for you to go bck to work and you're right, it is your healing. We're all different and each of us has to go at our own pace. I'm just glad you're doing well after surgery.

Whoo hoo! I got to sleep for 7-1/2 hours without having to get up and go to the bathroom! I don't know when the last time was that I did that, and now am waiting to see if it happens again tonight. I think I am more sore today than I was a week ago, so I know it's my body letting me know I'm still healing and not to overdo it. I try to do a little more each day, but am also still taking it very easy. I had adhesions removed before and do not want to go back and go through that later down the road. It's good to see so many of us progressing, even if it takes longer than we want some times.

__________________
Joiningr4Support
TVH, BSO, AP repair, bladder sling 01/12/10

	Quote:
Originally Posted by linkae In any case, I'm up an around, but it's slow going. I have this one friend who keeps telling me about a friend of hers who was back to work in 2 weeks....I can't even imagine! Still tired, with lots of abdominal pain before and during a BM. Also, lots of stabbing pain coming out of nowhere. Things are progressing...slowly, but at least moving forward. Thanks to everyone's posts, I know now that my healing is MY HEALING, and it's not that different from anyone elses. Thank you to everyone, and happy healing to all!!

I just love it when friends and family start telling you about miraculous healings of others like you are somehow defective. Today my DH said that I looked so good and would I clean the bathroom because he hates to do it. Too bad so sad. I do feel better for sure but I'm not about to bend over and scrub the floor. You had a traumatic surgery to boot. If I were you, when I did start to feel better I would give myself yet another week of just maxing and relaxing. Here's to our healing and our taking care of ourselves. When you are expected to run a marathon after major surgery like that I"d like to quote Nancy Reagan: "Just Say No!"

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Creole38 I Today my DH said that I looked so good and would I clean the bathroom because he hates to do it.

Oh, like you like to do it?! You go, girl!

I had an abcess that "exploded" on Sunday and went into the emergency room, got it cleaned up and packed and all is good again... until tonight... atleast one more abcess on the incision... should I get the DH up to go back to emerge or is this something that can wait until the morning... 13 days posy op

Day 15 LAVH BSO Post Op and I think it is going to be another good day! I took a 800 Ibuprofen last night, but no pain meds yet today. Slept well last night, but I keep having these wild sexually explicit dreams! Weird!

Anyone else having frequent erotic dreams since their surgery? I haven't said anything to my DH because he has been complaining about the "no sex" thing already! I know he can hardly wait for my Dr to give the green light for that activity. If my Dr says no to that activity for another 4 weeks, my DH is going to be a real bear to live with! LOL

One of my steristrips came off last night, but I still have two remaining. They are coming loose. Should I pull them off or wait until my first post op appointment on Monday? Anyone have any suggestions?

One another note, I weighed 145 the morning I went in for my surgery on the 13th; weighed 149 (holy crap!) when I got to come home on the afternoon of the 15th; and this morning I weigh 143! Yippee!

The whole weight thing is a pretty important issue to me, because at one time in my life I weighed 241 pounds!!!! I have lost 100 pounds and I am a Weight Watchers leader so I do not want to gain any weight from this surgery. I am really worried that I will. Anyone else worried about the whole post hysterectomy weight gain issue??

Anyway, I hope all you sisters have a great day!!

Congrats on the weight loss Crazyhorselady! That is fantastic that you lost all that weight!! I weighed myself last night and am down about 8 pounds from pre-op! Pretty excited about that! I think part of that is my lack of appetite since surgery. I'm definitely NOT complaining! DH and I have a trip to Mexico planned the end of March (doc game me the green light on that), so anything I can do to lose a pound or two by then is appreciated.

I don't have any steristrips so can't help you out there. I'd recommend calling your doc's office to get their advice. Make them work for their money! teehee

Crazyhorselady,
No, do not pull off the steristrips. I have had multiple surgeries with steristrips and have always been told not to pull them off as it could open the incision. If they are coming loose, use some scissors to trim the ends. Congrats on the weight loss! I went through WW in 2002 following my Dad's heart transplant (he was thin and my uncle was extremely overweight and died waiting on a heart so I had incentive). I lost 53 pounds in 11 months. Unfortunately, I was dumb and gained it back. My weight is pretty much the same as it was before surgery (I weighed more when I came home from surgery than when I went, but it was gone in about 3 days -- I think it was from all the fluids they gave me.) and once I can be active again I am going o work hard to get the weight back off again. I gave up until after this surgery, but the last thing I want to do is gain a bunch more weight. I need to lose it for my health and once it's gone, I will be smarter about keeping it off this time. You are an inspiration!

Thanks joining4support for the advice about the steristrips. I definitely do not want open any of my incisions. I will leave them alone until my 2 wk post up on Monday and my Dr tells me otherwise.

Also, thanks for the weight loss congrats girls! I didn't have my only child until I was in my 30s and I had to undergo fertility treatments to get pregnant with her and from all the stress (I had a miscarriage previously) I gained 100 pounds and tore all the way through to my rectum when I delivered! (Unfortunately, thanks to good old "free Navy healthcare" it was not repaired correctly.)

I lost some of the weight over the next few years but I had to join WW 5 times (and try every other diet out there!) before I finally made the decision to actually follow through and make being healthier a lifetime committment. I know my horses really appreciate me not being so heavy! LOL!!

It was actually a photo that a friend of mine took of me from behind on one of my horses (looked like I was sitting on an innertube, but it was my butt!!) and my discharge papers from my rectal-vaginal fistula repair/sphincterplasty surgery (Awful! Yucky! 12-wk recovery!) I had in January of 2008 (which said OBESE 45 year female!) that made me finally decide that I was not just fluffy and that I really needed to do something. So I joined WW for the last time in 08 and took off the remaining 40 plus pounds and have kept it off!

I have put up with so many health issues related to my Who-Ha and HoHo that I think after I recover from this I am actually going to feel really good for the first time in years! (I had endometrial ablation in 12/07; the fistual repair in 01/08; a Lynx bladder sling lift in 06/08 and now the LAVH BSO on 1/13/10). I am 47 and I believe that my 50's are going to be AWESOME!!