Hi everyone,
I had my initial pre-op appointment with the surgeon today. He explained more about my diagnosis, surgery and what to expect afterwards, giving me the opportunity to ask questions and checking that I understood along the way. A very helpful meeting where I felt listened to and well cared for.
I will be having an open radical hysterectomy with fallopian tubes, ovaries and lymph nodes also removed as a precaution. I have been told to expect to be in hospital for 4 or 5 days after surgery.
I have an appointment next week for pre-op health checks and to meet the recovery team for info and advice then I’ll have another blood test 2 or 3 days before surgery. I’m awaiting confirmation of the surgery date - the surgeon said that it will be in February but not the first week of February as he is already fully booked that week. So it shouldn’t be long to wait for surgery - the sooner it takes place then the sooner I can start recovery.
If anyone has any tips/experience to share, that would be much appreciated. All general tips/experience welcomed - below are a few things I would particularly like to ask about if anyone is able to help.
Thanks,
Louise
Hi L2025 Louise
I’ve had a number of hospital stays over the past few years, and my advice would be not to overpack. Those bedside lockers are small and I’ve always taken more than I needed. The most important thing was a long charger cable for phone/ipad. The normal ones are no use as the sockets are usually behind the bed and can be hard to access. Simple day clothes-I favoured leggings and a top, and nightshirts rather than pjs as it’s easier for nurses to check your wounds etc.
A little bottle of concentrated squash to add to water, lip balm as it’s a dry atmosphere, eye mask and ear plugs as it can be noisy at night and hard to sleep, some sweets to suck if your throat is dry after anaesthetic, light dressing down and slippers to walk to the shower, body wipes and a body spray to freshen up. Nothing is provided in the hospital-I’ve often found it difficult to even get a towel so always packed my own after learning this the hard way.
You can’t be lifting or bending afterwards, so if you can get some meals in the freezer in advance that will help. Forget about housework in the days after getting home-you need to recover. I had issues with constipation so use stool softeners rather than laxatives if you need them. I also used a little stool in the loo to put my feet on sitting on the loo- this gets you in a more natural position which makes things easier. You don’t want to be straining at all-I had 25 staples on my open abdominal wound and was very afraid they might burst-they didn’t but I was worried!
I have a shower cubicle separate to the bath, so I didn’t use the bath at all when I came home. If you can get someone to give you a hand in and out getting over the bath at the start that might give you more confidence.
Sarah xx
I’ve been treated at multiple hospitals for different things, and some are better than others in my own experience. One of the times I was admitted as an emergency and was ultimately in for 9 days. I had my own en-suite room the first night, but still wasn’t given a towel and had nothing with me-not even a toothbrush! I have 2 stomas so I need supplies with me but had to wait for my partner to come with what I needed. I got given absolutely nothing.
I try to be better prepared nowadays even when it’s been an emergency ambulance job!
Sarah xx
