Wondering

Hi out there! My date for TAH is coming so quickly and I am getting pretty nervous. (July 27) My DH has been gone on a mission in Guatamala for the past week and a half so I have been alone and having too much time to think about the upcoming event. Not to mention the fact that my DH is in a third world country with many dangers for him.
I have been wondering about a few thing that maybe you all could help me with. My husband has offerred to get me a hospital bed for the first couple of weeks so I would have an easier time pulling myself up-do you think that is neccesary? Why do some dr's do vaginal and some do abdominal? My dr looked at my pictures from my endo surgery and told me that my right ovary looked pretty ugly so he's going to take it. It hurts a lot! Especially when I am ovulating. Will that make any difference in my life only having one?
Finally I have my period and will have it for the surgery-it *****!!! I am taking record amounts of ibuprofin just to survive the pain. I know it is the last one but I am struggling with this one more then ever and I have no idea why. I also wanted to tell you al a cool website that shows pictures of the whole procedure, pelvicfloor.com. Maybe the pictures are what is making me so freaked out.

Hi nlgerlach,

Let's see:

First of all, call your doc right away and check to make sure you're still ok to take ibuproferin. They wanted me off that one before surgery because it can thin the blood. I was only allowed to take Tylenol up until the surgery.

I was having my period too when I had my surgery. They gave me stretchy mesh panties and a pad to wear, so it wasn't bad at all. I'm really overweight, and even I had no problems with them.

Personally, if you have a recliner chair, I wouldn't bother with a hospital bed. Don't think I'd bother with one either way. If you think you'll have problems getting out of bed, they have a thing in the store called Ab-no strain or something like that.

I think the difference between abdominal and vaginal is a preference/training thing on the doctor's part, and depending on what you're having done. I wasn't a candidate for vaginal work because of the size of my fibroid. I also wasn't able to have the bikini cut because of its size.

As far as the one ovary thing goes, from everything I've read, you should be fine with just one. It gives an adequate amount of estrogen into the system to keep you going until normal menopause.

Finally, I can honestly say, at 5 days post-surgery, that it wasn't nearly as bad as my mind made it out to be. I'm still pretty tired, but I'm feeling better each and every day.

Good luck with your surgery!

I sure wouldn't bother with a hospital bed. Those things are terribly uncomfortable. I could not wait to get home and on to my own comfy pillow-top mattress. I had no problems trying to get in and out of bed. Sure, you are a little sore, but if you have any problems, I suggest putting a heavy chair up next to the bed to give yourself something to hold on to.
I wasn't a candidate for a vaginal either. Most endo patients aren't. They need to be able to see inside your abdominal cavity so they can clean up as many implants as possible. I also had extensive scar adhesions that had to be cut away from my other organs.
One last period! One last hurrah!! And then NEVER again!!!!!
Won't that be wonderful??
See you on the other side!!

Hi,

I think ChrisRyan hit most of the highlights, but I'll just add my little two cents from a bit further down the road...

One way to avoid the expense of a hospital bed plunked in your living room is to put a kitchen chair next to your bed. You can use the back of the chair to push up from, which lets you use your arms to get up and down, rather than your abs. Or, if you have time to shop a little, an adult walker at the Goodwill is usually less than $10 and very handy for keeping nearby to get up and down using your arms.

A recliner is also a great option, if you have one, or if your couch is firm, you can semi-campout there, and use a strategically placed coffee table for helping you up and down.

Another GREAT help once you're home is a first-aid ice pack. If you lay it right across your incision (after the staples are out) or across your belly if you have the other kind of surgery, you'll dull down pain and swelling and be able to cope without prescription pain meds sooner.

Don't worry about taking Aunt Flo with you to the Castle. LOTS of us do - and it's sweet revenge on the ol' gal to have her evicted!

Do spend the time you have left doing things like pre-preparing yourself some easy to reheat meals, stocking the fridge and pantry with things like fresh fruit, juice, and simple non-spicy snacks. Pudding cups, jell-o, the little cracker sandwiches, etc., are all great when you know you should eat but nothing sounds good. Soup is also a great choice. Just keep it easy because you may not be feeling up to a lot of time vertical while you prepare things to eat. You need to eat to give your body the calories to mend.

Make sure you have a cup with a lid and a straw... so you can carry water around with you wherever you go in the house. The more water you drink, the less you'll have constipation and gas build up.

Also, Gas-X is your best friend once you get home, along with either Metamucil or Milk of Magnesia. You don't want to strain in the potty, it will hurt your tummy.

Pictures of extreme cases may only serve to freak you out, I would avoid them the next few days. Most of us have bad enough nerves right before we check in, anyway! Take that nervous energy and do every thing you can to make your home as comfy for your recovery as you can. Make sure you have all the spare pillows gathered up and put the good pillow cases on them to pamper yourself. Arrange small tables to handy spots where you'll be resting, so you always have a place to put a drink and snack while you're propped in case you drift off.

I was nervous about being dizzy in the shower. I went to Goodwill and picked up a shower bench for $5. My shower already comes down off the wall on a hose, so it was very easy to take care of cleanliness those first few days without being dizzy. And make sure you have something near your toilet so you can help yourself up and down without needing your abs (counter top, railing, or that walker I mentioned earlier, etc.).

Hope this helps. If you need some more preparation ideas, I'm sure there will be a hostess along soon to post some links for you to read here. Or, you can do a search up there at the top of your page.

Take care of yourself, don't push too fast. Resting with your feet up as much as possible is one of the greatest tools for healing from this surgery.

Hi,

The other ladies addressed your questions very well. Aren't they great!!

I just wanted to add that you can tie a rope to the bottom of the bedframe and use it to pull yourself up with too. There's a similar item in the Hyster Sisters store, but I don't think you'd have time to order it before you'll need it.

Best wishes and lots of s,

Lisa