TAH: Upcoming hysterectomy Dec 11th- Christmas Travel?

I'm scheduled for Monday the 11th... our hope is robotic, but dr has said high chance of open due to all my adhesions and complications. She will insert the scope up high, have a look around and make a decision... if she starts robotically, she said she may switch to open at any point if things are worse than she realizes. I'm have a TH with BOS, adhesion removal, possible bladder repair (high chance of damage resulting in catheter for two weeks). We are suppose to travel 3 hours to husbands family on the 22nd (11 days post op) and stay there until the 24th then travel 4 hours (toward home and past) to my grandparents for the afternoon on 24th then the hour back home followed by midnight Mass (my 13yo daughter will be serving). Are we crazy to think this can happen? I have seven kids (age 1-17) plus we have two Japanese students with us- we have a 12 passenger van but it will still be very tight. The email I got today about family plans includes lots of walking and going... I feel like I am going to be stuck alone with the baby while everyone goes out and has fun. I meant to ask my dr about car travel but forgot-- guess I need to make a phone call. I have all my shopping done and I am almost done wrapping. I keep joking that I'm getting a hysterectomy for my 40th birthday this month... We planned my surgery date now because hubs is a teacher and has Christmas break off so he was able to add a week on and be home with me for a total of three weeks (our baby is medically needy). Any other time I would not have three weeks of help.

I could ride that far with no problem, but your schedule sounds pretty packed for 2 weeks post op. It will be hard to tell until after the surgery whether or not you’ll be up to making all of those trips.

I would be very concerned with a schedule like that! I'm concerned with my own travel and it's nothing like your schedule! My daughter-in-law wants to have us over for Christmas day and that's a 25-30 drive across the county. I just told her if I have the energy and if they can put their big dog in their sunroom I should be ok. I don't plan to cook and will find the most comfortable seat and stay there. Of course I am 12 years older than you so that might make a difference. I will have my TAH on Wednesday, Dec 13th.

Wishing you the best on Monday!

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Originally Posted by Jamie1292 ...Are we crazy to think this can happen?...

In my humble opinion, yes, you're crazy. Not only are you having an abdominal hysterectomy, but you're also having extra work done for bladder repair.

I had an abdominal hysterectomy with *no* extra work and a really easy recovery. At 14 days after surgery, I finally no longer needed daytime naps but I was still turning in for bed at about 7 PM. I could finally walk at my normal stride and speed - on flat ground. I hadn't dared to start experimenting on hills yet. I couldn't bend over and I couldn't lift more than 10 lbs without pain.

Christmas comes every year, but you only get one try at recovering well from your hysterectomy. I'd honestly suggest postponing the travel plans until next year. I don't see the point of going all that way when you're likely to pass out on the nearest flat surface in exhaustion once you get there (which, by the way, means that someone *else* needs to look after the baby).

Midnight mass with your daughter serving, however, sounds lovely! Have a late afternoon nap to prep yourself beforehand and enjoy. :-)

Thanks for the response... I feel like hubby won't cancel the trip for his family unless my dr shuts it down-- so I'm going to have a serious heart to heart with her and see what she thinks. I'm getting more anxious as I think about the schedule and the drive. Midnight Mass will definitely be happening!

I think everyone is different - will you have a plan if you can't go or suffer during the trip? Will the extended family understand that you may need time by yourself and cannot participate in the usual Christmas activities this year? You could set back your recovery by over-extending yourself.

For myself, I've been reading the recovery posts and paying attention to those especially with my type to see what I can expect and I see a decent number at around 2 weeks in general who are still experiencing extreme tiredness, pain of some type, bowel issues, standing for long periods causing pain. I personally wouldn't expose myself to a situation where I might feel obligated to overdo it.

Grandparents will understand if their visit is delayed

I'm personally worried about a long 9 hr drive around 8 weeks recovery because I won't have an option to lie down.

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Originally Posted by Udella ...I'm personally worried about a long 9 hr drive around 8 weeks recovery because I won't have an option to lie down.

Everyone's different, but for me eight weeks was a totally different situation than two weeks. By eight weeks my body was completely back to normal except for some minor swelling in the evenings. I was slinging 30-40 lb boxes around at work, hauling backpacks filled with groceries back from the supermarket, digging and hauling buckets of manure in my garden, etc.