Update

Hi Bella it seems I messaged u as u was writing this post!am glad ur op went well and you are on the road to recovery and sorry you are suffering pain afterwards I hope they get this sorted for you! I hope you blood count goes down so you can go home soon as possible did they explain y it could be high? Xxx

He just said it sometimes happens after surgery. I blurted out is this a cancer marker or infection in a panic and he calmly said it was an infection marker. I’m so terrified of getting more bad news and stuff going wrong. Just wish things could go to plan without complications. Feeling a bit fed up with myself but I’m sure it will all be okay in a few days xx

Try and be positive hard I know! But you have Bein so strong getting this far and each step now is you getting back to being well again and am sure once you are home it will lift you mood more, did your surgeon mention your ovaries? Or is the wait for histology now? All what’s happing to you is a big shock but you can get threw this sending best wishes to you xxx

the morning of the surgery the new surgeon came to talk to me to say that he had looked at my CT scan and although the ovaries were abnormal he didn’t think they were definitely cancer in fact he was airing on the side of them being borderline or benign but he couldn’t promise that they wouldn’t be cancer. Worlds apart from that other surgeon who had said the complete opposite. He said exactly the same post surgery so I am really quite hopeful that he is right but I daren’t let myself think too much in case he is wrong and the other surgeon is right. I feel so broken at the minute and I know it’s all this pain and uncertainty and I’m experiencing hot flushes just to top everything off. I do just want to feel like me again my body feels weird. I have a huge cut that is excruciating, I think the surgeon has seen the muscle up underneath a little too tightly. I don’t even know if they will let me leave the hospital without going to the toilet first. It’s all a mess xxx

Awww Bella you wiil get there recovery takes time and so far you are doing brilliant look how far you have come you have Bein up in a chair already after a major operation that’s amazing! I understand the feeling of broken but each day and each step that you take is putting a little peice of you back together and getting you physically strong again! This journey we are on takes it’s toll mentally but you will get threw this and when summer comes u can sit in the sun with a glass of gin and you will realise how strong you was and how far you will have came. Fingers crossed for the ovaries what you surgeon said was positive so keep that with you and as for the toilet they prob won’t let you go unti you have gone coz am sure it can cause infection and last thing u need is to leave then have to go back in! Xxxx

Hi Bella, 

Great advice from Natalie and she is so right, the operation is done and you are doing really well,  it is a major surgery , your body is on the very early days of recovery.. still in shock from the surgery so don’t expect too much from yourself. I am post menopausal and still had hot and cold sweats whilst in hospital....with the tightness you feel around your scar...is it the dressing  that is tight or you feel it’s inside. I had more pain from the wind/gas than the actual operatIon...try to walk up and down the ward, the nurse will encourage you to do this and peppermint tea helped as well. Ask the nurses for this. 

Ask yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 how much pain are you in and tell the nurses... they can always ask the on duty doctor to prescribe a stronger painkiller.

I took paracetamol and ibuprofen and continued after I left hospital. Spread the doses out and make sure you eat (Even if it’s justa biscuit)before you take the ibuprofen.

I came out 2days after the op, and hadn’t done a poo, they gave me laxido, same as movical to take home. It took another 2 days before I went. (I can’t believe I’m telling you that :-) lol

Again moving is good for constipation if you can’t walk then just rock backwards and forwards at the end of the bed..

Your probably incredibly tired as wards are noisy places so you are also sleep deprived and that is why you feel so low..sending you a huge hug.

xxSue

Hi Bella,

Sorry to hear how you are feeling. You have to remember this is a major operation, and it takes time to recover. I only had keyhole surgery, but felt very weird when I got out of bed, and asked a nurse to escort me to the loo, just in case! I also was kept in a day longer because my bladder wasn't emptying. (I couldn't feel a thing!)  I figured it was better to be there where they could sort me out, than worrying at home!

Keep your chin up. I'm sure things will get easier. xxxx

Hello Bella  - you poor old thing...

It may not help to hear this, but the way you are feeling is completely normal... You’ve had a major operation which has left your body battered and bruised as well as catapulting you into menopause.  And on top of that you’ve had months of high level anxiety which is also a huge strain on your body.  You’re allowed to feel like this - and you’d be unusual if you didn’t!  My sister is a nurse and she says that after this kind of surgery they always expect the women to be very low and weepy around about days 3 to 5. It’s a normal reaction and you’re still feeling very unwell.  But - and this is the good bit - you’ve got through the worst!  Your surgery is over - you’ve done it and you should feel so proud of yourself!  Now, little by little, day by day, you’ll start to feel a bit stronger and a bit better.  It’ll take time, so allow yourself to feel whatever you feel and don’t feel bad about it.  You need to cry - that’ll help the healing too - a great big ugly cry can make you feel a lot better!  
You’ll soon be home, but it’s better to wait a couple of days more if that means that you will feel much better when you get there.  You’re in the right place for them to sort out any little things that still need to get right so you don’t have to worry about anything when you get home. 
Keep going Bella - you can do this!  You ARE doing it and you’re amazing.  
Your husband and puppy will be longing to see you and all your home comforts are ready and waiting.  It won’t be long now.

Sending thoughts and love xxx

Oh Bella H. My love it really like you've gone through the wringer. I also ended up in a thoracic ward where the nurses weren't up to speed on gynae patients. I was also very noisy with nebulisers, pumps going 24/7 so I hardly got any sleep. I also can't believe you weren't given pain killers. I was prescribed paracetamol, ibuprofen and morphine sulphate (I think) which I went home with a 2 week supply and a bottle of liquid morphine should I need it. I can't get my head around them not giving you pain relief - or is it a case if you don't ask, you're deemed not to need it. My ward nurses were the opposite, I was always being asked how I felt, asked the pain level and told not to let the pain take over. My only pain was ever a twinge when getting out of bed, which was only at night, I was in a chair the first morning.

As for the food, I assume that's because you didn't have keyhole? Nevertheless, it should have clearly been on your notes to have a liquid diet. 

As for opening bowels, I can remember crying because of trapped wind, wanting to go but frightened of straining. The Movicol and dulcoease made me nauseous but suddenly when I went it was a relief.

I really hope that you feel better soon and get home to your own bed.

Wrapping you in cotton-wool hugs, Barb xx 

OOPs, spell check required - I wasn't noisy with nebulisers and pumps - IT was noisy!

Bxx