TAH: The waiting is SO hard....

Hi, ladies,

My first pre-Op post, looking for advice, ideas, support... diagnosed a few weeks ago with painful pelvic mass, from ultrasound & CA125 test could be ovarian cyst, tumor, endo tumor, or...? Fibroids, too, which I could have tolerated longer (I'm 52 and perimenopausal ) but now I have to have TAH/BSO July 23 and the waiting and stress are terrible. Overwhelmed with things to sort through... really invasive surgery by a gyn and oncologist together, possible cancer, surgical menopause , figuring out time off work, all at once. Doc made me stop jogging, yoga hurts too, so lacking usual stress outlets (can still walk, thank goodness). Any advice?? How to cope with the waiting, the fright, the overload of info....?

This is a wonderful site, I'm so glad I found it....

Hi Pagrovian.

Something that's helping me is to make lists. As I read through this and other sites, I have ongoing lists for questions to ask the doc, items to take to the hospital, stuff I'll need when I get home, etc... The lists make me feel organized and more in control of my own destiny.

Hope this helps.

Hi Pangrovian and

The weeks from the time the surgery is scheduled to the day one checks into the hospital can be stressful, for sure.

It may help pass the time to engage yourself in some mindless but time-consuming mini-projects around your house like "micro-cleaning" (using toothbrushes to scrub the corners of cupboards, etc.) and stripping your closets of seldom-worn clothes to bag up for donation to charity, etc. I hate cleaning as much as the next person but when you are worried and can't concentrate on anything substantial I figure you may as well use the time for something productive.

If you are truly overwhelmed with fear and losing sleep and not eating well because of it, you may want to consider doing as I did and ask your doctor for a sedative to help calm you down.

I am sending many positive thoughts your way for a successful surgery and uneventful recovery.

s,

I have my hysterectomy scheduled for July 20th. I am going crazy already. The things I have been doing to occupy my time is writing down questions, cleaning and shopping for post op clothes and stuff to make my life easier. I hope it gets better for you!!

Thank you ladies...seems like I have filled a binder already with lists...and questions...and research...and forms.

Checking things off, getting house set up for post-op needs and supplies, and talking to everyone I know who has been through this to plan and prepare. Work is beginning to be a welcome distraction at this point! It's so hard not to spend every minute thinking about the upcoming TAH.

The "micro cleaning" is a great idea...might be a long time before that ever happens again.

If there are others scheduled for mid-July it would be great to hear where you are in this waiting game.....