Surgery in 2 weeks

Hi

Sounds like you are having a really hard time and I wish you well going forward.  It’s good you have friends who will help you.

With regards to shopping, I started doing online shopping after my hysterectomy, so it could be useful if at anytime your friends are not able to help you.  Hopefully the delivery man will carry your shopping into your home, as you won’t be able lift anything heavy.

You are doing the right thing, getting prepared, freezing food and doing chores.  I would try not to worry about housework when you are recovering, as you’ll get it done sometime, but your recovery is more important.

You could try contacting the Citizens Advise Bureau, to see if they can offer you any advice or where you could get help.

Sorry I haven’t been that helpful, but I just wanted to say good luck and let us know how you are getting on after your operation.

Ange

Hi Travellinggirl, welcome to the group and well done for getting this far. I’m so sorry your surgery was cancelled for Wednesday- that must have been a huge disappointment for you, and here’s hoping that your 31st date goes ahead as planned. I feel for you as it means more waiting. I imagine you already had your overnight bag packed too! Is the consultant hoping it will be laparoscopic/robotic?

Thankyou - hoping surgery will be laparoscopic. The cancellation wasn’t a surprise but was still disappointing. Have struggled to get an answer from the CNS to how long a’normal’ stay in hospital is - to enable me to plan support - this seems different to experience of others. I am hoping I’m ok to manage at home alone with the prep I’m doing!

Hi Travellinggirl 

Sorry to read of your recent health problems - you've been through a lot and I feel for you. 

If you are due to have laparoscopic surgery, the usual stay is one night if all has gone smoothly. I stayed two nights but that was my request after surgery. 

I wish you all the best. If you have any questions please post them. I have received a lot of love and support on here and you will too.

For laparoscopic, “normal” usually involves staying one night. Some hospitals do same day. One night is the most usual option with them letting you go home if you’ve been weeing fine and all your obs are satisfactory. With hysterectomy ops for cancer there’s always the possibility that the surgeon may switch to open surgery depending on what it’s like when they get “in there” but they usually have a pretty good idea beforehand. Open surgery would mean a longer stay, 

 I was also living alone at time of op (a few years ago now so I can't recall all the details). Do a kind of "walk through" of your normal day to work out where the problems might occur. e.g. I put laptop on table with a chair by it; put some of the cooking stuff out from the cupboard and onto the worktop handy; moved my heavy overcoat out of the wardrobe and put it in the hall; put a chair in the kitchen in case I felt weary while cooking etc. Can someone put your rubbish out for you? You won't be able to drive for a while so have you got somewhere safe to keep your car? All the best, LR. PS - still Little, still Running.

Here’s one tip! Find a jug and keep it by the kettle - when you need to put water in the kettle, do so from the jug and the minimum amount, so that the kettle isn’t heavy to lift. 

Thanks that’s a really helpful tip! Already have a stool in kitchen from the ankle break in December but will look at other things I need to do. You’ve reassured me that I’ll manage! 

Thankyou! 

One thing that almost caught me out was cooking veg - as the pan can get quite heavy. So I’d either suggest getting or borrowing a steamer, or cooking them in the microwave, or only cooking small portions. The guidance is to not lift anything heavier than a mug of tea, so it’s unfortunately easy for a saucepan to be too heavy. I’d forget vacuuming and ironing for several weeks at least too, and also no bending and cleaning the bath or shower.