Upcoming hysterectomy 6/28: Long car ride, catheter, getting in/ out of bed after TVH with anterior and posterior repair

Hi,

I am scheduled for TVH with anterior and posterior repair, uterosacral ligament fixation for prolapsed uterus, bladder and rectum on 6/28. I have a couple questions. I am having the surgery done at a hospital about 3 hours from home. I've been told I will spend one night in the hospital the night of surgery.
1) will the 3 hour car ride be painful the next day? Any tips?
2) will I be able to get in to and out of our king size (high off the floor) bed, or should I expect to sleep on the couch or recliner?
3) if I go home with a catheter, will I be able to remove it myself? I can't imagine driving back down there!

Thank you!

Hello Nov123,

You are having a big surgery. Is it possible to spend at least one night in a hotel near the hospital? If not I would ask your surgeon for a recommendation of someone local who would be willing to help you if you end up in pain or with complications. Most doctors won't touch someone else's post op patients. As for a three hour car ride, I would have a small pillow between you and the seat belt, have a bag in case you get nauseated and stop at least once to walk and void.
I think initially you will have trouble getting in and out of your bed. My bed is tall also and my husband had to help me. A recliner may be easier.
Ask the doctor or nurses about removing the catheter. It should be possible but the trouble is that you may not be ready and will end up in the ER due to being unable to void.

In the mean time, stock up on stool softeners, ice packs for your swollen perineum, soft pillows to sit on (no donuts) and some soft wet wipes for cleaning yourself.
Best wishes on your surgery.

I had a lot of that same stuff done. I like the idea of finding a nearby hotel to stay a night. My ride home was about 5 miles and I was so ready to get out when we got home! We did have to stop at a pharmacy drive thru, but still...

Definitely stop and walk a few times, no matter when you leave for home.

My bed is also tall, and it was hard to get in and out of, but not undoable. I did not like having help from others pulling me up! Ouch. I'd rather take extra time to do it myself and figure out how to do it with minimal difficulty. I did not use a recliner for several days, but mine is stiff and requires lots of effort to operate. Yours might be easier. Before leaving the hospital make sure they've taught you the correct way to sit up from a lying position. It's helpful.

I recommend going slow and figuring out how to move as easily and painlessly as possible. Make yourself get up and get your own meds and water and food, etc. Not only will it help build strength, but will build confidence.

For the car ride, I also suggest a small pillow to sit on; also keep in mind that typical roadside fare might not be a good choice if you're nauseated, so pack a cooler bag with healthy snacks, and look for stores on the way where you can stock up. For getting out of bed, I suggest that you look up and practise the Log Roll technique; doing strength training exercises that focus on your back and shoulder muscles, between now and your surgery date, can also help by giving your core muscles a rest. Best wishes for a successful surgery and a smooth recovery!

Thank you for the replies! I really appreciate it! <3

I had an LAVH with all the repairs you'll be getting. The car ride home shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't want to do it after that for awhile but for the ride home you gotta do what you gotta do. Normally in the hospital they have you on morphine or something heavier and then they get you started on pain meds. You should be fine as far as pain goes. What I would do for the car ride home is put your seat belt on and then recline your seat back as far as you can. Bring several pillows to lean against or to put around you to be comfy. I have a bed that's high off the floor. I've had 2 of these surgeries. I had one 12 years ago and one 6 months ago. I would not have wanted to sleep on the couch or a recliner. You'll want to lay flat after the repairs to get ALL the pressure off that area at least for the night. During the day you can recline in a recliner etc. But to sleep comfortably you'll want to be in a bed. My husband built me a very sturdy wood box out of 2x4's that's wide so it won't tip over. You could do something like that and put it next to your bed. They removed my catheter the day I went home so I didn't have one in when I went home. They made me urinate before I could leave the hospital. Hopefully you won't have one to deal with.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiger_Eye For the car ride, I also suggest a small pillow to sit on; also keep in mind that typical roadside fare might not be a good choice if you're nauseated, so pack a cooler bag with healthy snacks, and look for stores on the way where you can stock up. For getting out of bed, I suggest that you look up and practise the Log Roll technique; doing strength training exercises that focus on your back and shoulder muscles, between now and your surgery date, can also help by giving your core muscles a rest. Best wishes for a successful surgery and a smooth recovery!

OH YES, and do the log roll.