TVH 8/3/10 - children mentioned

This may be kind of long, just wanted to tell the full story just once to help with my healing. I've been dealing with heavy periods ever since I was in high school, so for at least 25 years. I was diagnosed with endometriosis in 1991 and have tried many different treatments for it, some have been more successful than others. My husband and I tried many years to have a child after our son was born in 1997. After all these years and knowing that having more children was not to be, I decided I needed to do something about my periods, I was fed up with planning my whole life around them. This spring I went to a new dr. who put me on provera and she told me it would stop my periods completely. I was elated, finally I was going to be cured! Instead, I started my period and had it for most of this summer, and it was worse than ever. I said that's it, I'm having a hysterectomy and be done with it, I'm tired of trying this and that, this is the only way to get rid of it once and for all.

So on 8/3/10 I went in for a TVH with uterus and cervix removal - I opted to keep my ovaries. My husband and our 13-year-old son accompanied me. It was supposed to be an hour or so long with about an hour in recovery before I would be taken to my room where I would stay for one night. I fully expected to have it all over with by noon. I was taken back to the pre-op area to put on my gown and get hooked to the IV. It took the nurse several tries to find a vein but she managed to get one started. I was asked why I was having surgery which of course it's all in my chart but I figured it was just standard procedure so I answered I was in for a hysterectomy. I answered all questions and then my husband and son were allowed to come back to wait with me until surgery time. After they come in, another nurse comes in and again asks me what surgery I'm going to have - I'm a little taken aback since I thought all questions were asked/answered before my family was allowed back due to privacy. But, my son knew why I was there so I had no problem answering that I was having a TVH. Then the nurse asked what led me to have to have this surgery - not something I wanted to discuss in front of my son! I should have asked to have my family step from the room but I didn't, and answered that I had abnormal, heavy bleeding. A little TMI for my son to hear! I had different people come in and out, normal pre-op stuff. Then it was time for me to go so the same nurse comes to take me to OR and as my family leaves out, I tell her how proud we are of our son. She tells me, 'you should have more children.' WHAT??? Didn't I just tell you what surgery I'm about to have, why would you say that to me? I tell her we had tried for years but were unable to and left it at that. By now I'm feeling kind of uneasy but didn't feel it was the time to say anything, we're entering the OR already.


I talk briefly to my dr. and it's about 9:30 when I'm given the anesthesia and go to sleep. The next thing I'm aware of (and it really feels like I just blinked), I'm being wheeled into my hospital room already and it's 4:30!!! I was so out of it but I did hear my husband and son in the room and I believe the dr. came in the room at some point. Apparently during surgery, my dr. was unable to easily remove my uterus and cervix because they were not normal-sized but she knew I didn't want to have an abdominal if at all possible (my reason was I have nobody to come stay with me during a longer recovery period). She had to get another surgeon to scrub in and the surgery itself took over 3 hours, with about a half hour on either end for whatever it is they had to do. I lost nearly 800 ml of blood but didn't need a transfusion. She told my husband it was the hardest surgery she'd ever done. My family left by 6:30 and didn't return until 10:30 the next morning so it was a long night by myself.

I slept only an hour at a time because of the nurses coming in - luckily I had a catheter still so didn't have to get up to go to the bathroom. I pushed my pain pump frequently, I was paranoid about not keeping my pain level under control. I was due to go home that morning so they removed the IV & catheter plus the 'plugging' they place in the vagina - that was unpleasant but not painful. I was able to get up to go to the bathroom with assistance and it was not painful, just kind of a strange sensation. All day I felt weak and no appetite and thankfully, my dr. said she didn't want to send me home after all. I was started on iron and stool softener and after that my appetite was a little better. After nearly 24 hours in my room, I was finally able to get up and walk in the hall since I was told this was the best way to get rid of the gas. I've had other abdominal surgeries before and in comparison, the gas I had with the TVH was not really that bad and only lasted a few days. Anyway, by the next morning, I felt much better and stronger. I was released to go home 54 hours after I checked in and was so relieved to get home in my own bed. I know it will be worth it when recovery is over and I can start life up again. I'm just relieved that I don't ever have to do it again!

I'm so grateful for HysterSisters - it's been so helpful....I signed up a few months ago when I decided it was time to think of having a hysterectomy and I learned of the alternatives - before, I thought there was only one way to remove a uterus! It's also great to read others' stories and know I'm not alone. Thank you so much, I'm so glad to have a place to tell my story!