Recovery Progress Reports for Hysterectomy dates May 28-Jun 03,2012

Ok ladies. I am sure this is my hormones, but i feel like such a baby. I am reading post of ladies up and about with hardly any pain, as I am very happy for these ladies, I feel like a whimp. It is all I can do to walk around my house, actually the walk from my bed to the bathroom was very excruciating this morning. It was all I could do not to pass out in the shower yesterday. I am running a fever again this morning, so maybe thats why. Sorry so long I just needed to vent. Hugs to all my sisters!

I came home yesterday. Basically uneventful post-op, except for when they missed giving me pain med. I didn't realize it because they had removed it from my left arm to my right. That was fun. They were fishing for a vein and after 3 tries found success. My left hand was numb so we all thought it was due to the IV, but apparently because I was laying on my left side during surgery. I finally got the feeling back in my hand yesterday morning.

I was blessed to have found a very professional and thorough gynecological oncologist. She decided to do a TAH. Thank God she did. She found my entire left side scarred and stuck together. Before she cut she surveyed the situation and found my ureter fused to my left ovary. What was supposed to be an easy TAH, turned into a lengthy one. It took her one hour alone to separate the ureter. She couldn't understand how it got there. It was too high and should not have been there. Another doctor would have just cut. She took photos for me. I asked her, but she said she would have anyway after what she found.

My fibroid had prolapsed into my vagina. She performed a radical hysterectomy - the type of surgery done for cervical cancer, except I wasn't malignant. The top most part of my vagina was removed with the cervix and uterus. She opened the uterus after removal and found many more fibroids at the top. A very large vein coursed through connecting all the fibroids. Had she done a robotic hysterectomy, I would have bled profusely and a TAH would have been necessary and we all know what would have been cut in the melee. It took her another hour to separate all my organs. She used two titanium tacks to secure the ureter to its proper position.

Early on in my diagnosis, I was dropped by a gyno onocologist because he insisted that in the event of a complication, he would remove my ovaries along with everything. He said not to worry, he would remove everything vaginally. No problem. Ah ha. Well, I insisted on keeping my ovaries and he dropped me. I didn't like him anyway and and am sooo grateful I found my doctor. I am home today because of her professionalism.

She will be presenting at a lecture in the United Arab Emirates in September and asked if she could use my case to show the students that even when it looks simple, you must always, always, always, be professional - or things may turn out differently.

In the end, yes, I have had a very good experience. I am surprised how comfortable I am. I have minimal swelling and manageable pain. I can get up from a bed or chair with no problem. I had surgery Thursday and came home Saturday. I was given Hydromorphone and a pump after surgery. I was told that my surgery was much more invasive than the norm. I rested comfortably, however, on Friday morning I became nauseous from the pain meds. I am a lightweight. They had to change it and I was much better.

On Saturday morning, I felt very good. I woke up early and listened to Earth, Wind & Fire's "September" and decided to dance/walk my way around the second floor. Well, the Black Eyed Peas came on with "I Got a Feeling" and I had to dance/walk a second trip around. I had some nurses in the halls dance with me. When my doctor came to visit me she asked where I was and was told "Well, if she's not dancing in the halls, she's in her room".

I am glad to be home and surprised how much better I feel than I expected. I'll be one of those that say that my c-section was worse. They cut through my stomach muscles then and I could not get up. I can move around, no need to hold my stomach. I bought a belly binder and have yet to use it. I woke up this morning so happy, so full of contentment; realizing how lucky I was, how lucky I am, and that I will never have a period or fibroids EVER again.

God bless all of you in your recovery and I wish you all the best of health and healing.

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Originally Posted by autoskill1973 Grace have you had a bm? Is it a bump/lump? I get hemm too so I hate to put pressure when I go and I did today and was afraid of blood in both areas. Let us know. .

I haven't had a bm, even with stool softener. I think it's a little hemm. This morning, it was much less uncomfortable. And I can tell I will probably have that bm today. I ate an actual meal last night, first time.

Fingers crossed for #2!!! Haha

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Originally Posted by kitzuki Ok ladies. I am sure this is my hormones, but i feel like such a baby. I am reading post of ladies up and about with hardly any pain, as I am very happy for these ladies, I feel like a whimp. It is all I can do to walk around my house, actually the walk from my bed to the bathroom was very excruciating this morning. It was all I could do not to pass out in the shower yesterday. I am running a fever again this morning, so maybe thats why. Sorry so long I just needed to vent. Hugs to all my sisters!

You are so NOT a wimp! Everyone's recovery is different and you can't go judging yourself like that!! My pain has been fairly manageable but the nausea has been debilitating!! Let yourself rest and heal and you will be feeling less pain as time goes on. Keep us posted on your recovery I'll be thinking about you!

I did not know what to expect. I am 48 with no kids. I have never been in the hospital as a patient. I have a long abdominal scar. The doc had to cut above the belly button. The cut is almost to my chest but I have not had much pain at all. The doc removed the uterus and cervix. The uterus was the size of 6.5 month pregnancy. The doc and nurses said I am exceeding expectations. I really did not take much pain medicine at all. I am surprsing myself. God is good.

I am 5 days post surgery and all is well. I am resting frequently, eating lightly, and walking slowly. My recover has been so much easier than what I imagined but by no means am I taking that for granted. I am following doctor's orders. I am self-employed and I need to get back to work within 7 weeks at the latest.

The plan is to romve that staples on Monday or Tuesday afterwards I plan to send my mom home. She has been here to assist me so far but I do not think I will need 24 hour assistance after the staples are reomoved.

I had my first bile movement today and that was a little painful but all in all things are going well and eveyone tells me that I am doing well.
Thanks for all the prayers and support.

Just read the posts- glad to hear similar stories. The first night was rough, with pain and no relief despite morphine - but here I am day 3 with very little pain

Hi ladies my name is sierra, I am in fort eustis Virginia, I am an army wife. I am on day 4 of recovery. My surgery went well, they were able to leave my ovaries for now, there was a little bump in the road when I started to get an infection but I was put on antibiotics to combat it. I am able to keep my pain under control for the most part. This has definatly been a journey...hope all of you are doing well and having a smooth recovery

We made it! Surgery went well. Had a TVH, kept ovaries and tubes. Dr had to drain a cyst on one of my ovaries and nicked my bladder so I have to keep the cathader (spelled that wrong i'm sure) for a week. My poor daughter had to learn how to change and clean the bag for me...awkward..lol
I don't remember the recovery room at all and only a little bit of the room I was in. Surgery was supposed to be at 3 but lady before me took longer than expected. Think i finally went in around 6pm. Walked down a hallway on day two. it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Dr's and nurses were great! my dr actually called me on the second day to repeat what she told me because she knew I wouldnt remember. and i still cant remember everything...lol may have to call her, keep getting headaches and can hear my heart beat in my ears.

I had LAVH on Wed I've been up an mOving a lil more today. I thought I was feeling awesome an healed this morning. I've made several trips up an down the stairs an showered now I'm wore out. I've been full of years today is this normal? They took my uterus my left ovary an both tubes..

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Originally Posted by mytime4 You are so NOT a wimp! Everyone's recovery is different and you can't go judging yourself like that!! My pain has been fairly manageable but the nausea has been debilitating!! Let yourself rest and heal and you will be feeling less pain as time goes on. Keep us posted on your recovery I'll be thinking about you!

Thanks. I am so happy to have our group!