Now feeling anxious!

I know exactly how you feel. It’s a ride non of us which to be on. My experience was complicated further by the fact that completion of our sale and purchase occurred the day before my operation. So I left one house before my op to move into a different house in a different county after my op. Such a confusing stressful time. 

Grin no not the time to open the bottle as clear head required! I know how you feel having been there myself. Mine was further complicated by the fact that my operation was the day of completion of our sale and purchase! So I went in to hospital from one address and came out to a different house in a different county!. My goodness how we relied on some close friends. Following the op I was tired but didn’t feel too bad at all. Will write more later. 
bye for now Skylark. 

Hi, i understand exactly how you are feeling and it’s perfectly normal. I had my total hysterectomy 8 weeks ago, I had the robot technique and was in hospital one night. I kept on the top of pain relief for about a week and I felt fine, I was walking about the day after my surgery and I was walking my dogs 2 days after surgery ( my dogs are old they don’t pull or run off ) I didn’t lift anything heavy and rested well , I’m still finding I’m tired and have lots of rest, I returned to work after 4 weeks as I’m self employed and a single parent so I had to get back I was ok though . They rang me 2 weeks after and told me over the phone no follow up treatment was needed just a checkup at 6 weeks then 3 monthly. I made sure all my cleaning was up to date before I went in and beds changed etc . So I had nothing to worry about once I left hospital. My diagnosis was such a shock and 10 days later I was having an op , I just kept saying to myself ..ok this is what I’ve got go in get it done you will be home soon I had to feel ok I had to get better to look after my son and I just went into autopilot. It’s obviously a big operation but if I’m really honest I did not find it that bad . Good luck you will be fine x

Hi Skylark

Golly, how did you cope - mind you result that everyone must've done most of the unpacking making up the beds haha.

Thanks for your message, don't feel invisible now. Bxx

Hi there. I feel a bit more reassured now. I'd already made a list of what to do, bag partially packed. Cleaning and bed change tomorrow. Already made up some frozen meals for hubby but he'd probably live on beans.

Before I was too calm, or so my sister said, today having the covid swab just made me think OMG this is really happening to me. Before I felt I was on the outside looking in and a bit alone.

Thanks for your reply Tippybailey, stay safe and well.

Bxx

HelloMrsBJH I think it’s normal for emotions to swing wildly between getting a diagnosis and having the op. I recognise some of what you’re saying. I had never been in hospital for anything major so was very anxious about the procedure. I didn’t meet my surgeon till about an hour before the op  because he’d been on holiday when Id been told the news. Everyone reassured me I’d like him and I have to say he did a great job of building my fragile confidence. Even now he’s the one I’d rather see at my follow up appointments. i had a vertical   incision and came round pretty much pain free thanks to the anaesthetist..I was told to ask for pain relief as soon as I started feeling anything and the nurses were quick to act. It’s easier to keep on top of pain than it is to get rid of it once it’s taken hold. . I had one or two shots of morphing as the anaesthetic wore off then mainly managed with paracetamol and ibuprofen. You’ll be told not to walk your dog for a while - if he /she pulls you then it could undo the surgeon’s handiwork. In terms of results, I had an appointment 3 weeks after the op when I was given the news that the cancer had been contained in a polyp but had jumped somehow into a lymph node and thus staged at 3c1 (I already knew I had a high grade aggressive type of cancer). I went on to need chemo and then radiotherapy.  Your team should give you a leaflet with a timeline for when you can resume various activities. I’d just say bear in mind it’s a guide and we are all different - certainly don’t try things like lifting heavy objects before your doctor says you can, but listen to your body. If anything hurts or pull, stop immediately and rest and tell the team. Remember that however far you walk, you’ve to do the same distance back. My surgeon made me promise to always take a mobile and some money out with me - that way if you get too tired or feel unwell you can call your partner or a friend to collect you. Whether you’re having the op by keyhole or o vision it is a major op so you do need to make sure you rest and take things gradually. It’s easy to overdo it on a good day then regret it later. I’d say accept all offers of help, make things as easy as possible for yourself for the first few weeks. All the literature says at 12 weeks post op all should be well. My surgeon told me it can take up to 12 months to heal fully internally. You also need to heal emotionally so do be kind to yourself. Hope all goes well x

Hi Mrs BJH,

I've been at my daughters for a couple of days sorting her garden out, so am only just catching up!

I well remember feeling sick about the operation, even though I had been in hospital a few times before. I actually didn't cry until I was on my way home after coming out of hospital, and I think that was sheer relief!!! The whole thing was not as bad as I expected, and the nurses are so kind. I had keyhole surgery, which is a marvelous invention. They gave me a morphine drip after the operation which was wonderful. You just pressed a button when you needed more! I had that for one day, then managed on painkillers. I don't think I really needed them, but they insisted I took them. They kept me in for 2 days because I had trouble emptying the bladder. I was very bruised and couldn't feel if I needed to wee or not! I was home on Day 3 and stopped all pain killers because I wanted to get my bowels going. The pain was only like a bad period by then. Although I walked every day from Day 4 I took it carefully, and healed quickly even at age 72. 

I'm sure you will be fine. They are very good at sorting people out these days.  xxxxxx

Yes friends finished packing us up in one county and upon discharge to my new county the bed was made up ready for me to slip in to. It was a crazy crazy time. A tip though if you don’t mind me giving you one, if you have to have injections in your tummy for 28 days following discharge the trick is to just put an ice cube in the chosen spot to freeze it slightly before you inject. My husbands idea as he works in  the medical field. He also over the 28 days injected me in the shape of a smile! Please do let me know how you get on. Bye for now 

Hi Mrs BJH,

I had my operation just coming up to 6 months ago done laparoscopically. The pain was easily controlled, I was on paracetamol after a few days of the heavy stuff post op and able to stop them a week later. Recovery was uneventful. I got the results 8 days post op but usually it is around 2 weeks. Fortunately I didn’t need any further treatment. I have had one face to face consultation and so far everything is going well. 

I have had some low days but found Macmillan phone service to be really helpful as well as a counselling telephone service provided by my employer. I did experience some post op fatigue but that has greatly improved.

Please know that you are not alone. 

Take care and all good wishes for your operation and recovery.

Honey 

Thanks Fairycake

Reading all these posts have been very reassuring!