Top 10 Biggest Worries

I would just like to point out that I posted on the first page of the thread, and am already back from the Castle. Here's what I can tell you....
GO Lytely was inconvenient, but in no way terrible, probably because I did a liquid diet the 24 hours before. No cramping at all...that's a bonus, right? Morning of surgery I still thought of running away (would have been a waste of a good bowel prep), but gave up the idea as soon as they gave me some Versed to chill me out. I also told the anesthestiologist that I was scared of being only partially knocked out, and he told me that in the ten thousand times he's done this, it had never happened before. And it didn't happen to me either.
All I rememember about the OR is that Dobie Gray's "Drift Away" was playing on the stereo. When I came to in Recovery, the doctor leaned over me, as he promised he would, and confirmed that he had nicked NOTHING and everything went great. I was so out of it I kept mumbling "Help me...help me" over and over again. The pain meds were great, when I had a problem, people listened and tried to help me. The catheter was no big thing at all. Given how often I usually have to get up and go each night, it was kind of a gift anyway. I had great visitors who brought great flowers and gifts. My only problem was with gas pains, and I promise you, when I finally could let one rip, applause was heard through the bathroom door coming from visitors and staff.
The worst was what my mind did to me in the days before srugery. If you're visiting this site, it's because you already know different meanings for pain and discomfort than most people. Convince your mind to give your body a break, and enjoy bending over to pick stuff up from the floor a few more times before it becomes a post-op ballet move to recover things from the floor.
Best wishes to all Ladies in Waiting. Stick together, and you'll be allright.

My top ten fears/worries:

10. The most morbid - since my mother died at 22 of ovarian cancer not long after they did surgery to try to remove the tumor(s) - even though I know I only have fibroids - that the same will happen to me.

9. That I will gain even more weight. ..which will make belly dancing look obnoxious 'cuz my belly will be the only part dancing (I belly dance).

8. The hot flashes - in the middle of Arizona summer.

7. I'm afraid I will either cry or yell all the time because they won't find the right combination of hormones. :cry: Though, since my clients are teenaged females who cry and yell all the time - I guess I would fit in better.

6. I am scared that I will dry up and look old and I am only 44.

5. I am afraid that I will be to afraid to go to the bathroom and end up really constipated.

4. I already have a very light colored moustach - I don't want a beard to match.

3. What if I am cleared to go back to work part-time and cannot bend well enough to shave my legs? Did I mention the living in HOT Arizona part?

2. Pain.

And the number one fear - that I will either not be sexually attractive to my male significant other, that I will not be able to orgasm, or that all sexual desire will be gone

Wow...I feel better. This is not a very funny list, but this is the first time that I have told anyone about all of the things that are making me feel nervous. Thanks for listening.

Dawn

I wanted my hysterectomy sooo bad that I don*t think I had 10 fears..but I did have some things that bothered me:
1. what if I died? since I elected to have this surgery, would it be worth dying for?
2. how much pain would this involve--how long would it last (the pain part)
3. did I want to be put to sleep knowing I*d barf the rest of the day and the next?

But everything turned out just peachy. I had NO pain--none (well except a little lower back pain) and at my 6 week check, my dr. told me that during recovery, I asked him why I didn*t have any pain (tho I don*t remember that)--just can*t believe I had this surgery and had no pain.
At my first pre-op (had two--my first was turned down as I was just getting over a cold), the anesth. said definitely I would be put to sleep--no options. But as I lay in pre-op the morning of surgery, the anesthesiologist told me they*d decided to give me a spinal to prevent nausea and I kinda freaked...so the head anesth. came in and talked to me for 20 minutes and said "honey, I*m gonna give you a little medication that will make you feel like you*ve swilled a six-pack--you will not remember the spinal--I promise." And it was true--I didn*t. I woke up during surgery trying to scratch my face (reaction from morphine), vaguely remember recovery--and was in my room before I even woke up.
I could kick myself for waiting so long to have a hysterectomy..it is the best thing I*ve done in years.

I am post-op now but my list is still pretty fresh in my mind and some of it I still don't know how it will turn out:

1. Dying or becoming permanently disabled because of the general anesthetic

2. Feeling panicked while they are trying to put me out with anesthetic

3. Getting an infection and having it spread to my 7-month-old Total Knee Replacement, which was a tough surgery and is still pretty fresh in my mind.

4. Getting a urinary tract infection from the catheter

5. Pain after surgery

6. Being nauseous after surgery.

7. Not getting my partial denture back ASAP after surgery and having to face people with no front teeth

8. Throwing up and splitting my incision or aspirating the vomit into my lungs

9. Difficulty in having a BM because of pain

10 Sex problems after surgery


I could probably think of a few more but I'll stop now. I can see I am not the only one who gets carried away with worry and stress. I am happy to say that so far my fears have been unfounded.

I didn't have too many pre-op fears (it all happened so fast) but I did worry that:

1. The doctor would get in there and the uterus would be fine, and he would want to know why I wasted everybody's time.

2. That my partner would forget to come home and feed me (I was trapped upstairs for the first week or so post op).

3. That I wouldn't heal fast enough for my beloved summer job (the surgery was rushed to accomodate this).

The reality: The doc said there were even MORE fibroids than he thought. My partner never forgot me and even walked all the way home one day when he realized he had forgotten to leave me the phone. And I am almost 4 and 1/2 weeks post op and doing great!
Thanks for the wonderfully funny list, ladies!

I am almost 4 weeks post, but I need to add my two cents.

1. I had an epidural. I was terrified that I would be awake. They told me I wouldn't, but I was, and it was okay. I wasn't scared, in fact, it was kinda interesting. At one Point, the Anesthesiologist said, jokingly, "Why don't you just go to sleep? I have given you 4 times the amount of this stuff I usually would! By the way...it took me forever for the epi to wear off, but I did not care.
2. I was terrified they would use an oxygen mask on me. I am terribly claustrophobic, and it scared me to death.
3. I was afraid they would cancel me at the last moment. They didn't.
4. I was terrified that I was going to toot in front of company. On the day that I left, I didn't care who was there, so when I let a huge, long-winded one go, it was to the applause of my mother in law ans my husband. That was a first in my life.
5. I was afraid that I would have the catheter when I went home. I did not. Whew!
6. I was afraid of the pain. I had none. Only a little discomfort and heavy feeling.
7. I was afraid that I would toss my cookies. I did not, but came close a few times until I realized it was percocet. Vicodin was better.
8. I was afraid my dogs would jump on me. I have three...one is 4 pounds, one is 135 pounds, and one is a golden retriever puppy, 60 pounds at 5 months. They are well behaved, most of the time, but every now and then, they get excited, and tear all over the house and take flying leaps. They did not, in fact, they were so gentle and sweet. Even the golden retriever puppy seemed to sense that I could not take a hit, so they (all three) would gingerly crawl beside me in the bed. I never needed pillows to prop. They always picked the perfect spot!

That is my list!

mss

Okay...since I'm having a bladder suspension done at the same time, I'm now worried about having to come home with the ding-dang catheter.

That replaces the worry about my pre-op, since it's over and was a breeze...just long.

Peace of mind and a calm spirit to all!
Simi

Okay this is great!!!. I go into the castle tomorrow the 13th and started feeling nervous and the whole nine yards. So I started reading the list again!!!!! It was great as it was the first time. I sitting here laughing and am not nervous at least not like I was!!!

So, if you start to get nervous again and worried, go back and read the list all over again, and again. It helped me today.
Denise

Denperry,

All my best wishes are with you!

this has been a great topic and I am sure I will be reading over all the posts over and over as I have two weeks left and that date is still not confimed!

keep us posted on your recovery
Sue

Thanks! Oh I will definitely let you all know about my fabulous vacation to the castle. Stayed tuned same time next week.

Denise