Guilt

Hi Gingerbreadmum and a warm welcome to our spot in the Online Community. Please don't feel guilty for the fact need no adjuvant treatment, celebrate instead. Strangely I've read of many ladies who felt like frauds, you're not. Until the histology process is done after a hysterectomy, no-one knows what's what. I was regraded from Stage1a/ grade 1 to Stage !b/ grade 3 serous which has turned my life upside down.

Make your good news work by encouraging ladies to get even the most minor symptoms checked out. I was long post menopause but had a few pink spots on my undies, I was going to ignore them ....

I'm attaching some reading matter you might find helpful Life after cancer. A Lot of ladies in the same situation as you found it helpful.

Sending hugs, Barb xx

MrsBJH,

thank you for your words. I am so lucky that my cancer was caught and treated so quickly.

I want to be positive and look forward, I owe it to everyone around me and my mum who didn’t have the chance that I have been given.

thank you for the information, I will read it.

And thank you for listening and responding, I hope you have/are receiving the treatment that you need to move forward too.

lots of  

A vaginal hysterectomy is still a major op and I’d be concerned about a return to work only just over 2 weeks post op. Mine was laparoscopic, removed through the vagina, only three small incisions in my tummy that healed quickly, so not a whole lot more invasive than yours, and though I felt well two weeks after, I still needed to watch myself. What job do you do and how far do you have to travel and how? I’d suggest another week off work at least because even though it was removed vaginally, your body is still under stress and recovering, the anaesthetic is still working it’s way out of your system, and you shouldn’t be lifting stuff yet still. My concern for you is that once you’re back at work you may easily overdo things without thinking.

Hi, thank you for your response.

I think my head is all over the place, I have conflicting advice from the specialist nurses , consultant and GP. I am a very anxious person, and worry what people think. I spoke to a good friend about my feelings who said I had answered my own question re returning to work. And I know my work are not expecting me to return too quickly.

I am used to looking after everyone else and find it hard to accept help but know that it is in my best interest. 

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply ,

Hi Gingerbreadmum

Iam so pleased for you that your cancer was spotted so quickly and it has had such a positive outcome for you.

You have nothing to feel guilty for, I'm sure no one thinks you are a fraud, at the end of the day you had cancer and its been successfully resolved. Your emotions have been through the wringer, its enough trying to cope with the initial diagnosis and all the waiting around for results, let alone the operation and the risks that go along with that.

My condolences for the loss of your Mum which has put even more stress on you I'm sure.

Be kind to yourself and have plenty of convalescence time to get yourself stronger. People who care about you and who really matter will be as thrilled as I am for you that it was such good news.

Big hug

Robin xx 

Thank you so much for your kind words, I am really trying, everyone has been so kind.  

sending lots of love x

As someone who is currently still waiting for a date for a hysterectomy (Pre-Op next week) and currently unstaged I find your post very encouraging and not fraudulent in any way. This is the outcome I want and it's really nice to read! I want to grab any glimmer of positivity that I can. You've been through a lot and that's a lot of emotions and thoughts to process.

Thank you for your response. It all happened so quickly, I am so thankful to the NHS at my local hospital.

I am so glad I found these pages, I have been reading through and have found so many people with similar feelings,  such a relief.

I hope your date comes through soon, sending big hugs xx

Gingerbreadmum, would you maybe like to say a bit more about the conflicting advice you’ve been given? 

I don’t know if it was just my brain not functioning properly and unable to retain the information.

when I saw my first consultant with a specialist nurse, I was advised that it was a major op even though it may seem less invasive and that I would need time to recover physically as well as emotionally, 4-6 weeks.
My surgeon, who was lovely, encouraged me to basically do anything as soon as I got home, just saying that I would be quite tired and emotional.

The nurse at my pre op said I would probably need 4-6 weeks to recover.

Leaflets/booklets I received seemed to differ.

In the hospital , the gynae doctors signed me off for 2 weeks then this week when I contacted my GP practice regarding my back pains he seemed unconcerned with my symptoms but did comment that he doesn’t understand why I was only signed off for 2 weeks in hospital.

I totally understand that everyone is different, Recovery can vary and some people feel mentally ready to return after a short time as well as that times have changed with advice . I totally respect everyone’s decisions and please don’t think I have any issues with the wonderful NHS thatI encountered, I was extremely grateful, it’s just that when your head is all over the place you just want a consistent answer.

Now that I have posted on this site and read so many other people’s stories, I am feeling much more at ease . A huge thank you to everyone