What do I do next? Just got my castle date!

Well! I scheduled my surgeries (yes! I get two for the price of one!-- well.. probably not the same PRICE, but at the same time!) for next Tuesday, the 13th! And, dates with at least two surgeons and they've all been put on alert and may invite additional ones for the party if they choose! Specifically- my hematologist (I'm a clotter) and my nephrologist (I killed a kidney in a childhood accident).

My story starts a little differently. I wasn't actually considering a hyster.. had actually been told for years by old gyno that it wasn't an option for me (due to the clotting). So... I had always assumed I got to live with Aunt Flo along with coumadin... not such a happy existance, but Hey! That's what cookies are for, right?

Er... well.. maybe I shouldn't have eaten that last cookie.... fast-forward several years and now I need to loose some weight!

So... last January I embarked on a wonderful weight-loss program at UAMS in Little Rock; our governor had lost a boat load on this diet, written a book and is now contemplating running for President!- so... just think if I were to go on that diet! I could be healty, look great (my hubby's only comment was that if I began to look like governor Mike, he'd leave!), write the great American novella (friends tell me I'm a tad like Erma Bombeck!) and if I had the energy I could run the country! The upshot of all that great notion was I did lose over 100 pounds (don't get your panties in a bundle!) it was all safe, doctor supervised (I have to have regular blood work for the coumadin, capice?) and can't stress the little kidney!

But.. because I was eating lots of good leafy veggies as part of the diet (which stresses behaviour modification along with the meal-replacements and for me one "real" meal a day) I noticed a real difference in... 'er.. pardon, me- gas. Yup! You guessed it... I didn't, but it was a gall-bladder! While visiting with the surgeon for this non-negotiable surgery he asked if there was anything else he could do! I very flippantly replied that he could do a hyster... to which he replied... very do'able! "Hello??? Do what??? No way! Are you kidding me?" Well, sure he says... let me send you to the gyno upstairs and we can do them at the same time! At the least- I could have an ablation!

New gyno guy says either procedure-- but, the fiboids that are there may not allow the ablation procedure to be very effective long-term. But, the LSH and removal of the uterus lap rather than vag would be less invasive and can be done at the same time as the GB...

Well! Woohoo! I signed up and got my date for the castle and a hyster to boot!

but.... I've never "studied" hysters as it wasn't an option.... until now! So... Quick! I need to know what to expect! How many more choices do I get to make? I'm planning on leaving cervix and ovaries (unless they open me up and decide they need to go, too)... do I leave someone "in charge" outside to give the go ahead on these things? Like a sister as my advocate?

Anybody else have(ing) double procedures?

Anybody else have pre-existing DVT (in my case post-thrombotic syndrome, PTS)?

Anybody else with withered kidney syndrome?

I've not had surgery since I was an infant and the only times I was in the hospital was pregnancys (only one miracle child!) and the subsuquent "milk leg" blood clots.

Where do I sign up to be a lady-in-waiting?

Thanks-

Sally (who is already a Princess! by virtue of her given name "Sarah" and because her family treats her so!)

Wow! That was a fast surgery date! I have been waiting 2 months! I have the opposite clotting problem-my blood doesn't clot. The docs must think surgery is so risky for you that they want to take care of everything at once. Good luck with everything!

It is all different depending on what the dr wants. I will be signing a release stating that I will be having a LVAH. The "plan" is to take the cervix and uterus. But depending on what he finds, he will have permission to take other things if needed. That way they won't have to close you up, ask, put you back under, and open you up again. I also have a clotting problem, I don't clot!! I am so very happy that after thinking that you were going to have to suffer for life, you are going to get better. You must be thrilled. My date is the day after yours. I am just getting my bag ready, cooking and freezing meals, cleaning my house, making arrangments for my kids. My brain is going a mile a minute. Keep your spirits up and good luck!!

grrrr.... well.... I guess it'll be okay though.

New date is scheduled for 26th of March. Now I've got more time to get my very own palace reorganized, cleaned and stocked for care-givers/company.

Good luck to those of you having your surgery this week!

Sally

Hi Sally!

I'm having multiple surgeries and multiple surgeons too. A LAVH is planned with my gyn, then a general surgeon is going to do an umbilical hernia repair.

A LAVH is "planned," but I like autismadvocate I had to sign a consent form to approve a TAH if necessary. I'm concerned because I have an enlarged uterus with good sized fibroids. But I also had two large babies vaginally (10.5 and 11 pounds) so I may be "stretched out" enough.

We'll be having surgery the same day. My surgery was just scheduled last week ... I plan to keep busy getting things ready (cleaning the house, preparing and freezing meals, etc.) so hopefully there won't be too much time to be anxious during the next two weeks. Visiting this site helps so much! We'll be "ladies in waiting" together.

Susan

Hi, Susan! Thanks for the reply!

I see you're from not too far away in Broken Arrow! I'm in the South-West part of ARkansas in Arkadelphia and will have my surgeries in Hot Springs.

I hope your surgeries goes smoothly and happy to know that there's another good thing to having had such big babies! My lil' darling was only a 5 pounder... so, I don't know that anything got stretched on me but my big ole belly!

What kind of music do you teach? My mom was a choral teacher and my dad a band-director.. thus making me a music brat! I can still play just about anything by ear... but- not on my bassoon or violin! LOL!

Yes- we'll definitely be "in waiting" together!

Sally

Yes, we are pretty close. I noticed where you live after I posted the reply.

I guess this is one good thing about have large babies. It's really pretty amazing that I just started having problems about a year ago ... my boys are 13 and 15. I had great epidurals and never felt a thing. And everything went back to normal afterwards (well, normal plus 10 pounds per baby that never went away).

I taught elementary music when my boys were in elementary school. I currently direct the children's choir program at my church, and I'm a busy band parent. Which is why I want to get this over with and feel better!

I'm going to try to go to bed. I've been having trouble sleeping since my surgery was scheduled. Everyone on this board says that being a "lady in waiting" is the hardest part. I guess it's because there is so much on our minds. It's so good to know that others are going through the same thing.

BTW ... why did they change your date?

because for some reason- one of the surgeons' electronic scheduling system didn't update to the scheduling nurse and he's not even in town the day that we'd originally scheduled for!

I'm pleased though... it really gives me more time to get all my duckies lined up in their rows... kind of like toy soldiers... or marching band students, even!

Let's see... things to do before surgery...

a.) pre-plan scrapbook lay-outs so should the creative muse be let loose, I'll be prepared!
b.) new music uploaded to the iPod (gotta get some more blues!)
c.) move almost adult son back home to care for the menagerie...
d.) Shop for new pj's! oh... and since I'm shopping... hmm..... a lovely new Spring outfit or two!?
e.) Daughter's of the American Revolution State Conference - we have an essay winner again this year!
f.) Health Proxy/Living Will (who knows if son would be able to remember anything I told him!) but I DO WANT PAIN MEDS!
g.) tidy up the house and business desk and rather than have to file those awful taxes... just shred all the paperwork and claim acute chronic PMS symptoms to the government that led to not only my dismissal of their claim to part of my meager income but a counter-claim that the IRS is only a figment of some inflated bureaucracy and is in my esteemed opinion just not worth my time or consideration! Just kidding... I've already filed! But.... the acute PMS symptoms are for real enough!
h.) buy new Hog gear so that I can call the Razorbacks from my hospital bed when they make it to the Final Four!! very wishful thinking... and hopefully not a PMS delusion!

Sally
P.S. Susan! I hope you have a lovely sunny week! Which OK university do you guys pull for? or are you a native Okie or do your loyalties lay elsewhere?

I made my list today too. Our taxes are done and filed so I can't claim the PMS exemption. Too funny ... that's what is so great about this site ... it is actually making the wait enjoyable. I've got my scrapbook stuff ready to go too. It's my passion next to music.

We're pretty much on the fence when it comes to OK football teams. DH and I are both originally from Pittsburgh, PA so we're die hard Steeler fans. I came to Tulsa to attend ORU ... no football, but the basketballs been great this year ... finally. My oldest son, who's a freshman in HS, is starting to lean towards OU, but that's just because his friends like that team. We'll see in a couple of years if it "sticks."

Gotta go chauffer the kids to church orchestra practice. Not being able to get my boys where they need to go for several weeks is one of the biggest things I'm anxious about. I wish the oldest was driving, but I'd have to wait a year for that to happen! I hate depending on other people, and all of our family is 1000 miles away. We do have friends and church support, but it's not the same.

Susan