What were your most difficult challenges?

Dear Princesses,

Just curious - but what were your most difficult challenges within the first few weeks of post-op? Is it difficult getting dressed, bending over, going to the bathroom, shower, etc.?

I'm trying to mentally prepare myself ahead of time, and I would be grateful for any advice.

Thanks!!

ps - I love this site. My next step is to buy a HS pillow and the granny panties.

For me it was letting someone do everything for me!!!

But, as far as "Adjusting", for me it was showering, and my DH was there to help me. He would wash my hair for me the first few times as it pulled to stretch my hands above my head and then he would wash my legs, as it is painful to bend over and do that!!. Drying off my legs and hair, so again, DH did that for me. Also, putting on panties, and you guessed it, I sat on the edge of the bed, and DH slipped them up until I could grasp them and pull them over my hips. Now you see why I made my first comment!!!!At one week post op, I figured out that if I sat on the edge of the tub and stretched my leg over to the other edge, I could shave it pretty well. We have one of those removable shower heads that is attached to a hose, so I used that to rinse my legs off, but again, DH was close at hand in case I needed him.

Each day I am able to do more for myself, but it is still slow going and I still rely very heavily on my DH. When this is all over with, I'm going to have quite the bill!!!

It really is important that if you can make arrangements for someone to be with you 24/7, do it, and make sure it is someone that you won't mind being naked in front of!! In a situation like this, modesty goes out the window, TOTALLY!!!! I don't know what I would have done without my DH! He even stayed at the hospital the entire time with me...even slept on their awful little fold out chair/bed!!!! The only time he left me was when my mom and dad got there, and then he just went down to grab a bite and bring it back with him!! He is a true gem!!!

Oh gosh, can only pick one?
Well right up there on the top of the list with most
unfavorite all time bad experiences was probably the
day my gut went tilt and ceased all peristolic function
and then my urinary function stopped and I had to have
emergency surgery on my bowel.
Bowel troubles are one of the hugely common post
hysterectomy problems that we don't get enough info on.
Be sure that you move your bowels before leaving the
hospital and then make sure that you don't go more than
24 hours without a bowel movement.
At the first sign of bowel distress call the doctor.
I had just called mine and was told to handle my
troubles at home just hours before I was admitted to
the hospital for emergency surgery.
Drink lots and lots of water and take 1tsp of metamucil
every day. The metamucil binds moisture to your bowels
so they won't dry up and begin a very critically
bad ddying process, water is the essential
moisture.
A regular moist poop is a blessed thing and will help to keep
you out of post op complications.

As for those granny undies.......get a size or two bigger
You will be oh so glad you did
Kamie

BOREDOM!!!!!

That really was my biggest problem post op, but in reality what Cat mentioned was really the hardest. Letting someone else do things that I have always done was hard. My biggest challange was to let things that I dropped lie on the floor until someone came to pick them up. In the castle, I dropped a roll of tape that the nurses had left for me to replace the tape on my leg after showers (yes I took a lot of them. They always make me feel better) that held the catheter in place. Before I even thought about it, I was squatting down picking it up. I have to admit, getting back into a standing postition was a challange.

I was able to shower without any problem the day after surgery. I could put my foot up on the cammode and dry off each leg without a problem. And I could hold onto one side of my panties and left the other leg into them. So getting dressed on my own was also not a problem. So really getting things off the floor and boredom were my two biggest challanges.

Caren

I am 24 days post op. Am back to a normal life except for sex and heavy lifting. Yes, I vaccuum and do laundry with DR permission.
My greatest challenge has been gas. I mean blinding pains that make me sweat. They are fewer and farther between at this point, but they seem to like to strike first thing in the morning.
Also, allowing someone else to do everything for you when YOU are used to being the caretaker.
I found after 2 weeks of "rest" I was becoming depressed and witchy. And MORE sore. So I began with baby steps and find that keeping up with my normal routine is the best medicine for me both mentally and physically.
Shower chair and hand held shower were a Godsend.
Hospital table by the bed the first week made everything I needed within easy reach and could be easily pushed out of the way when I needed to get up.
And I still tire easily.
Hope this helps!

I also had a hard time letting others do things I normally do. No one does things exactly the same way I do, but I learned to ignore towels folded *wrong* and dishes put away *wrong*, I was happy that it was getting done.

Constipation is very common after ANY type of surgery, especially if you have a general since that shuts down your body's functions. Not all DR's and/or hospitals require a bowel movement before you are allowed to go home, passing gas and bowel sounds are indications to them that the bowels are working again. Although it's unfortunate, if your insurance co has only authorized 2 or 3 days, they won't keep you to wait for a bowel movement, they will ask to extend your stay only if it's a medical necessity.

Check with your DR before surgery about what steps to take to avoid constipation and what you should have at home if you need to take something.

Some general guidelines are to drink lots of water and juice, and to take lots of little walks.

I have found an excellent remedy for the bowels, and it really isn't too bad...try the sun sweet pitted prunes with the essence flavors! They come in orange, lemon and cherry. I eat at least three or four a day, in addition to the Milk of Magnesia my doctor told me to take, and I have had no problems with my bowels, once I got that first one out of the way! And yes...LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER!!!!!! A suggestions for the prunes, I find that I like them better if they are fresh from the fridge! Don't know if I could stomache them if they were room temp! I also eat lots of fresh fruits too!!

I wonder, is it possible to get too much fiber into your diet???

Mine was the unbearable pain!! Tossing and turning and not being able to sleep, not being able to pay attention to the TV. Could not set still long enougn. I only had 3 days of pain pills but they made me sick if I took enough to relive the pain.

was not overdoing it. I am a very independent person which comes from being a single mom for 15 years and having to do everything myself. So it was hard for me not to try to do everything myself after surgery. I actually caught myself on my fifth day post-op, pulling my recliner out from the wall. Bad princess!!

I was basically on my own from my second day on, except for the cleaning the house, laundry, and getting groceries. My daughter did and still does take care of that for me. But from the second day on, I got my own meals. I got in and out of bed by myself. I showered by myself (but only when my daughter was home). I wasn't nearly as helpless as I was afraid I would be. I thought getting out of bed would be difficult, but there is a trick to it. You lie on your side, swing your legs over the side of the bed, then push your upper body up with your bottom arm. (I practiced every night for a week before surgery.)

Another challenge was showering. My second shower after I returned home wiped me out totally. I had a plastic chair in the tub, and sat in it while I bathed, shampoed my hair, and shaved my legs. But whenI got out, I was so exhausted that I could barely dry off.

Getting dressed wasn't hard because I basically just put on granny panties and a jumper or long gown everyday. Nothing complicated, just slip on shoes if I went for a walk out.

Sitting up for any period of time was hard too. I spent (and still spend) most of my time in my recliner. I can sit up though now much longer. As a matter of fact, I went to church tonight and made it through the whole hour and a half service.

Right now, at three weeks post-op, the challenges I'm having are totally different. I can't walk through a store, especially Walmart. My muscles right now are very weak and shaky and my back hurts. Guess I need to do some strengthening exercises to get my muscles back in shape.

I hope everything goes well with your surgery and recovery. Just remember, the waiting is the hardest part of all.

s,

Lisa

Hi, not much I can add to such good advice. I had LAVH Burch sling, posterior-anterior repair and enterocele ( herniated retrocele). I had my first shower using chair with help, but after that was fine except I learned to be careful not to have water too hot. It's winter over here (NZ) and after trying to warm up I felt quite faint and light headed. have had cooler showers since then!

Small walks as early as practicable really help, it's worth taking a pain killer to have the extra mobility, it gets the gut moving again. Yes, first bowel movement can be horrible, although my second one was worse for some reason. They are manageable now.

My biggest challenge now is not overdoing things, remembering to rest and trying not to get upset that my bum is getting flat, spread out and pimply cos it's never been so sat on before!!

Wishing you all the best for your visit to the castle, for me, it has only been postive, nothing since the op. could be worse than 7 years of back ache which no pain killer ever wiped out. I still can't believe that my back doesn't hurt, DH thinks there is a stranger in the house as I can move so freely now.

Happy healing, Linda