Hysterectomy dates Nov 05-Nov 12,2007

morning ladies, 5 days out and feelign great. Down to 3 advill for swelling and 3 doses of extra strenght tylonol a day though if needed more not afraid to take it just dont feel the need. Went out to grocery store today for short trip and did ok.
Night time is the worst as I can't get comfortable I end up getting up at 5 am sick of just tossing and turning to get comfy.
I am waiting for the slump to ht as I am sure it will. As of today happy and doing good.

I have been in a LOT of pain... the percoset isn't touching it. I got up and walked out to the mailbox todau (forgot it's a holiday) and am sitting here at the computer while the kids take turns vacumming the livingroom (DS 14 did a bad job so DD 10 is taking a try) This is NOTHING like a c sestion! I did poop yesterday! DH is trying to protect me and in the process rather snappy with the kids. Tomorrow will be better!

I started preparing for surgery the day before by doing the following:

1. 8am Large bowl of Fiber One cereal for breakfast and lunch. Lots and lots of water all day. I had no problem w/BM after surgery

2. 11 pm I had a LARGE cup of coffee (didn't want a caffeine headache)

3. Laxative (Preop RN said enema, I called my Doc and he said laxative. Always check with your doctor. He is the one doing the surgery.

Day of Surgery:

1. 6am Took normal meds and a 5mg Valium w/ a sip of water. (worked great for nerves)

2. Surgery scheduled for 12:30pm arrived at 10:20 was taken right in. Don't forget your Advanced Directive.

3. Asked immediately for a injection of Versaid (works wonders)

4. In surgery at 12 noon, in recovery by 2pm and in my room by 4pm

5. Pain was similar to bad menstral pain and was controlled with 800mg of Motrin every 8 hours (still taking every 8 hours)

6. As soon as I heard stomach sounds I began drinking lots of water and eating my Fiber One cereal w/ice cream. If you do not wait for stomach sounds you will probably throw-up because your stomach is not awake yet.

7. Catheter out at 6pm, up and walking immediately after it was removed.

8. Continued drinking tons of water and peed by 7pm.

9. Home by 11am. Taking 800mg of Motrin every 8 hours and GasX. The GasX has taken care of all gas pain from surgery.

Today November 12:

Eating lots of Fiber One cereal, lots of water and 3-4 walks per day.

Getting a lot of rest.

I feel very blessed all has gone very well for me.

I pray for everyone that is waiting. Truly waiting is the hardest part.

I am feeling pretty good today. I am just down to taking the Aleve (prescription strength) during the day and Oxcycotin at night to sleep. Still hard to get comftorable at night. Resting today, but went to my daughters last soccer game & party on Sunday. That went ok but I was tired when I got home. It's nice reading about how everyone is doing and can relate to what your going through.

Went to dr today and had staples and catheter removed. I can pee!!! Hoorah!!

I forgot any of my meds today. I had a call at 6:00 a.m. to tell me a friend had died and it threw my day off. After the drs appt I had to go by the funeral home because anohter friend's father had died. Finally when I got home I took my antibiotics and the anti-inflamatory. About an hour later I gave in and took the first vicodin since Friday morning.

I was able to have a bm on Friday morning. I'm still apprehensive and happy about each one. That is when I have the most pain.

I planned to do some sewing tomorrow but I think I will rest until I go back to the funeral home.

Sounds like we are all doing well.

CS

I had a LSH on 6 November. I went home the next day. I took my pain pills faithfully for a few days after the surgery. I became constipated and in lots of pain the 2nd day after I came home. I was up all night and in lots of pain. Finally, I had my first BM, which was very painful. It felt like labor contractions and I had the cold sweats.

I have been taking stool softeners and trying to add more fiber to my diet and drink lots of water. I walked around the block a few times today and feel alot better.

I stopped taking the pain pills and started to take Aleve, but my incisions became painful today and I have resumed taking the pain pills. I am hoping that by taking the stool softeners and after that first painful BM, the worst is over.

I had my LAH on 11/9 and went home Sat. afternoon. Lots of gas, and some pain, but I can now control it without vicodin and just acetominophen. DH started out really good and did great, but went back to work today and was grumpy coming home. He kept hinting about the office needing cleaning, orgainizing and complained about my filing system, saying the office had to get cleaned. He didn't ask if I wanted to see my horse or go out for a walk before collapsing on the couch. Seems to have gotten out of caretaker mode pretty quickly and I am not ready yet. SIGH. No one else around, so I am being good about taking it easy and his office can wait or he can do it himself! Geesh- I love the guy, but he can be clueless.

I was scheduled for a LAVH and went in to surgery on Friday (Nov. 9th) morning. Unfortunatly, I had so much scar tissue and so many adhesions (doctor said he was surprised I wasn't in more pain than I was...my uterus was connected to my bowels and intestines) that he ended up having to do a TAH instead.

I had a morphine pump where I could dispense my own morphine but I only used it about five times total...and most of those times were just so I could sleep. Honestly? I swear I experienced more pain from the IV in my arm and the fact that I laid too long in one position in bed (making my back ache) then I did from having the surgery!

They put those surgical stockings on me (the really tight ones) and alos put these plastic-like leggings on me that they'd fill up with air and then deflate every few seconds (I guess to keep the blood in my legs circulating well so I wouldn't form a blood clot).

I was in the hospital from Friday morning until Sunday afternoon then got to come home. I'm feeling WAY WAY better than I thought I would. The nurses were wonderful. The only real gripe I had was that I went without eating from Thurdays night until almost Saturday night (then it was liquids only). Jello never tasted so good!!!

I am so glad it's over! And thanks to all you Hyster Sisters for all the information and support...it has really been PRICELESS to me!!!

Well, leave it to me to have something so strange that the pathology team has to send my parts to Mayo Clinic to have their team evaluate everything! Argh! From what my doctor said, the largest fibroid (I had multiple fibroids) infarted (it's like having a heart attack;I think it's a funny word to use), so that's what caused that stabbing pain I had back in October that sent me to ER for two days. He also said that the infarted fibroid was very fleshy (whatever that means....) but it did not have any cell mutations, so that means no cancer (whew!). My doctor said that my uterus was the size of a 16-18 week pregnancy.

I'll get the whole report on November 26 when my doctor comes back from vacation. I got my staples out today, and it feels a lot better to not have that pinching feeling in my tummy.

I still tire very easily, though. I'm off to the couch.

Thanks again for keeping me in your prayers. It really keeps me going.

~Michelle

I wish I could say I'm doing better (LAVH and bladder sling 11/5/07) I guess the hysterectomy was fine - I'm no longer taking pain pills but just Ibruprofen. Unfortunately, I am still having floods of urine coming out of the incision where the supra-pubic catheter was. I just had it removed yesterday because of the leak. I went in Friday and they had me using the strap to the leg bag thinking it would help the incision seal up. Didn't work.
Yesterday they removed it and said self-catherization would probably work to seal it. Not working either! Every time I get the urge to pee I sit on the toilet and a stream starts but as soon as that happens the incisions starts its own stream and my uretha stops! Plus the dressing over the incision is always soaked in urine so it's always wet and can't seal. Just called the doctor again and they are to get back to me. I would wear a maxipad every day the rest of my life before I would agree to the bladder sling. Anyone having similar problems?