Hysterectomy Day and After - diary

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Day 1 - Got to bed by 1am - early for me! Set alarm for 5.15am but woke naturally just after 5. Switched the heat on, played my word game on my tablet to wake myself up, then had my shower with the hibiscrub stuff (sensitive version). Taxi came at 6.30, nice driver, got here 20 mins early. Through the day surgery ward door at 7.30, very nice health care assistant spent about an hour with me going through the forms, taking my blood pressure and temp, and measuring/fitting my Norah Batty stockings. Anaesthetist stopped by to have a chat, listen to my chest and do more forms, she was also pleasant. My lovely consultant/surgeon came to say hello and chat things through, also made me laugh and left me feeling confident and reassured. So now I’m sat here waiting my turn which shouldn’t be long now. I’ve seen the menu and have ordered my lunch, snacks and supper! 

I’ll post an update as soon as I am able! 

  • Hi Looking good there Norah!! Well done for sounding so upbeat, it'll all soon be over and you'll be having lunch and supper!

    Big hugs, Barb xx


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  • Love this post and your positivity.  I can’t wait until I get my Nora Batty stockings in 9 days (and counting!).  Hope all goes well for you today and that you are soon tucking into your pre-ordered food! Yum keep us updated on your progress and take care x

  • Day 1 - Part 2 - 9.45pm and what a day! Went to theatre about 11am. Felt a bit rough when I awoke in the recovery room. The catheter was in place and I hate them but I understood it was necessary so they can make sure the bladder is functioning. I expected to feel a bit disoriented but felt “spacier” and weirder than I was prepared for. My mouth was dry and I was being encouraged to sip water, but I found I was a bit uncoordinated and could only manage one sip in about four, sometimes couldn’t process what was being said to me - brain felt stupefied like quick setting concrete, and even had a few hallucinations where I thought I’d lifted my hand and had a drink when I hadn’t. Even when I did manage a sip, I found it hard to swallow. I knew it would all pass and that this is why they have a recovery room! I was worried about being moved up to the ward in that state but they said they’d only move me when I was doing better. The nurses there were kind and understanding. The porters gave me a smooth trip up to the ward and were lovely. I was put in a 4 bed ward with 3 other ladies at about half 3 - they said I had been in the recovery room for about 3 hours. I’m not keen on people, bright lights or noises - and I had all 3. Two ladies to my left, in opposite beds facing each other and chattily comparing notes on their cancer treatments. And a sad looking elderly lady opposite me who kept staring at me. No one doing anything wrong and all trying to cope in their own way but I struggled. I had had rectal diclofenac  for pain relief immediately after my op as I don’t tolerate oral NSAIDs well. This has helped but I was quite uncomfortable with a feeling like I needed the loo. They checked my catheter and it was draining fine so it wasn’t a blockage or retention. The discomfort, the exhaustion and my surroundings/environment started to overwhelm me, especially the overhead bright lights and chatter. I started to feel the beginnings of a migraine and also felt sick. I was given an anti sickness tablet to dissolve between my lip and gum (no taste).  My lovely consultant/surgeon came to see me and asked how I was and I blurted it all out (quietly) and he was sympathetic and I felt heard and listened to. He told me how well he felt the surgery had gone, and that he’d done a good job, lol and that he thought I’d go home tomorrow. He said the needing the loo feeling was likely bladder discomfort as they have to move it around a bit (he said shove lol as he knows I get his humour) to get the uterus out and it can irritate it a bit, but that the discomfort would pass. That reassured me. He said I needed to sleep and that he’d see if he could get me moved to a quieter low lit ward and bless him he did. An empty 4 bed ward with just me! The nurse found my pillow from home, swapped it over and I was asleep within a couple of minutes. Slept for 2 hours 6.30-8.30pm, and my headache had gone, as had my nausea. I was able to fruit jelly and trifle!  I felt like I got myself back. and then felt able to message family, post on Facebook, then now on here. I’ve gone from half hour obs, to hourly obs to two hourly obs. I’ve just had obs at 10 and will likely still be awake for the midnight one. May sleep after, I don’t know. I just had 2 paracetamol from the nurse - they prefer to give before you need it - and have been told I can top up with codeine at midnight if I feel I need it (I declined oramorph as didn’t want to feel spacey again). So that’s about it for now. I may update again tonight or may leave it till the morning when I’m hopefully catheter-free and on my feet again! 

  • By now should be all over.  Wishing you  well and hope to hear from you soon in your own good time.  Remember to go easy on yourself.....Roll on 25th my turn !

    M x

    Mad 
  • Update 2! So now it’s Sunday - and what a difference! Continued to have the 4 bed room to myself which was lovely. Was offered 2 paracetamol at the midnight obs check, which I took, then, as I wasn’t sleepy, I stayed awake playing my word game courtesy of the hospital wi-fi till the 2am obs. I wasn’t in pain but wanted something in case, so requested dihydrocodeine which I’m used to in small doses in Paramol which I take for migraines. I wanted that rather than Oromorph as I didn’t want to feel spacey. I slept for about an hour between the 2am obs and the 4am obs, then a further hour between the 4am and the 6am. (I had 2 further paracetamol at the 4am obs). I woke just before the 6am obs and was greeted with the very welcome offer of having my catheter removed IF I WANTED. If I wanted? There was nothing more in the world that I wanted at that time. Hate catheters. As I expected, it hurt a bit as it came out but it was immediately fine. Freedom! Despite the early hour I got out of bed slowly and carefully and opened the curtains so I could see the sunrise when it happened. Carefully retrieved my nightie from my case and put it on - felt so nice not to be gaping at the back! Walked up to the nurses’ station and back, then sat down, then did it again, listening to my body and taking things slowly. Had a hot drink and managed the loo on my own an hour later - I’d been told to put a bedpan thing in the loo so that they could measure my output. Done that twice now. Had my drinks and breakfast brought from home then the nurse came round to do a final blood test. Consultant came to see me about 9 - with a big beaming smile as he could see how well I was going and so much better than the night before. He said I can go home today if the blood test comes back okay, and that I will see him in clinic on 11th Feb to be checked over, get my results and talk about where we go from here.

    Some observations: so far I haven’t needed any pain relief since 4am - in my opinion the majority of the discomfort I felt was from the catheter; my incisions on my stomach are small 2 less than an inch and one even smaller) - and just 3 in number. One in my belly button, one on the left of my belly about ovary height, and one over on the right about 2 inches above my pubic area. They’re glued (with a dissolvable stitch underneath) and the glue will wear off on its own. There is a little bruising but they’re not sore or even tender to touch. I’ve had very little vaginal bleeding - maybe less than half a teaspoonful. I had a pad underneath me in bed but haven’t worn one since I’ve been up. So thin ones or even just panty liners are likely to suffice. My consultant says that though it obviously depends on the lab results, it all appeared to be as he thought, and he’s optimistic. If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask! No holds barred!

  • Glad you're doing well and are able to go home today. Take it easy and rest XXX

  • Hi How lovely that your surgeon got you moved to a quieter room. I ended up in a Thoracic ward as my gynae ward was still full and it was so noisy with aspirators and pumps going all the time. The 3 other ladies had been there quite a while and were understandably miserable. one lady kept saying how good the food was so god knows what she ate at home! Only the puds (spotted dick or syrup sponge) were lovely. They even managed to make toast that would damage you at 50 paces LOL.

    Lovely to read your really detailed posts, they're really helpful to the new members joining the group so they know what to expect. I think we all agree it's not as bad as we expected, just a discomfort unless you have trapped wind and constipation as I had. Nottingham must've though there's been a earthquake when I eventually erupted!

    Hope fully you'll be home soon and continue to make slow and steady progress.

    Sending hugs, Barb xx


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  • Thank you so much for your updates.  I have a much better understanding of what to expect when I have mine done in a week!  I’m so pleased you are feeling much better now and hopefully by now you will be back at home recovering in the comfort of your own home.  Take care and I look forward to the next instalment of your diary! x

  • Day 2 -  I called my husband at about 1.15pm to say I was being discharged. We live just under an hour away so I knew he wouldn’t be there till 2.1m. The nurses said he should park and then come up to the ward and we’d meet him at the lift. A nurse carried all my luggage and handed it to him, wouldn’t even let me carry my pillow. Left hospital about 2.30, stopped off briefly at our daughter’s on the way home as I wanted her to see that I was okay, and got home at 4.30pm. My husband was about to take our dog for a walk in the New Forest - I let him go on his own but did a 5 minute walk myself around a mini block near our home. I want to be sure my circulation returns to normal and intend to take gentle walks twice a day and gradually build up to what I used to do before my op, which is 40 mins in the morning, 20 mins in the late afternoon. My notes from the hospital on exercise say that gentle walking can start right away, and by 6 weeks can be up to 30 mins at a time, so that’s what I intend to do,

    Rewinding a bit, re wind pains, I didn’t have any painful trapped wind at all, and donated my unopened box of peppermint tea bags to the ward. I think having the catheter out so early this morning, and getting gently moving around straight away, helped sort that out. Also, because the last proper meal I had was (deliberately) Friday lunchtime (so that I’d open my bowel Friday evening) and only had fruit and liquids after that, my system was reasonably empty so there wasn’t anything to get bunged up. I’ve had some bursts of wind today, but no pain with it at all. Getting upright and active so soon also helped me clear the mucus off my chest from the anaesthetic.

  • Your detailed account will be reassuring for all those waiting to have their operations. Glad all went so well for you.  When I had my operation I went home the same day which seems very unusual when reading others experiences but I recommend walking from day 1 and taking things slowly.