Susan, I had the old-fashioned hyst, and apparently my uterus was as cranky as I am -- my doc cheerfully told me she kind if had to wrestle with it a bit, because, like the Doctor, it didn't want to go.
I had 18 staples, and for the first 24 hours post-op, all I wanted was morphine and sleep.
I was working at the teen shelter at the time, and I got 6 weeks of disability, and thought I'd be going back after 2, because I'm a good little healer with a high pain threshold. I was wrong.
I stayed with my parents for a week after I was released, then went home. The pain was quite manageable with Vicodin, but I still had to get friends, one of whom was an upstairs neighbor, to get litter and help me change it.
I got tired really quickly with little effort the first 4 weeks. I took the whole 6 weeks, and it was a good desicion because my job was a pretry physically active one.
Btw, if you get staples, they come out really easily --I mean, when is time to get them taken out! It's not like they were piping out spontaneously when I laughed or anything.
Also, if you get a script for pain pills, take them! The first week was pill, nap, tiny walk, nap. I'd go for comfort reads or watches, because I I read couple of new books that I didn't really remember reading!
All in all, it was fine. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Susan, I also had the old-fashioned version and did not go back to work for a good four weeks. Not so much because of pain but because of being tired. When I did go back, I started at half time for a week and then built up. Mind you, I was working from home to prepare for an important inspection from when I could sit up, and I think that didn't help. If I had really rested for the full four weeks, I might not have been so tired going back.
But, as I understand it, a lot of it really depends on whether they can do the surgery through a tiny laparoscopic hole or whether they have to really cut you open.
Echoing the experiences of the Old-Fashioned way. Took me seven weeks to get back to it, primarily because I was also so severely anemic by the time they actually did the surgery, I simply had no energy at all.
The plan at this point is to go laparoscopic. My doctor thinks that with my general good health and desk job, I should be able to go back to work in two weeks, but I'm planning on almost three just in case--my surgery is booked for a Thursday, and I'm planning to take the next two full weeks off and probably go back the Wednesday of the following week to give me a short week to start back. Hopefully that'll be enough, because that's as much as I can do without using leave without pay. :-/
I think this is no longer the delurking thread - it's the deuterus thread. ;)
I think this is no longer the delurking thread - it's the deuterus thread. ;)
Heh.
But it's good to share these experiences.
Fay! Is it odd that I am exited at the prospect of you going to Chine? Well, I am. I' not sure if I said, but I have been thrilled to follow your travels always, and I have been thinking about you lately what with the transition of monarchy in Thailand. Sad, but also not, about The Cat Daniel. The passage of time, I cannot get a grip on it.
I do realize that children's stories - as well as children's pictures - are mostly interesting maybe to a few family members of those children, and sometimes not even to them, so I won't go into all those little details who build the everyday pictures of their lives, and therefore of such a large part of mine.
Obviously, I don't speak for anyone but myself, but I would love so love to read whatever paragraphs you could throw at the screen about those little details, Nilly! Or about your pedagogical opinions or, you know, whatever you got.
I know I have failed to recognize each and every one of you delurkers as you should be recognized, but rest assure, only in words here on the board. My heart has leapt with joy to see each of you. My brain just can't compose posts to keep up.
Wow, Sparky! I feel like i say this or something similar to every one of your posts, but that is a lot of wow.
Eat, that surgical glue business is fucked up! But no migraines is terrific news. As I blend my responses to your posts with complete disregard to how you experience your own life. Sorry about that!
Hi bennett! I thought you were somewhere else. I don't know why. Always good to hear from you. I think of you as Shakespearean in some way, is that totally off?
Stephanie! Your life sounds so good to me. Keep it up. That whole buying a house with your parents thing, that's terrific. And much else, but that is what I am jealous of, I guess.
Nanita! We need to make a Point Isabel dog park date. Your schedule is more the determining factor than mine, let me know if you see a good opening on your schedule.
I still have all mo reproductive parts, for all the good they've done me. I 'm mildly jealous of anyone who has had them removed and got any improved quality of life from that!
I have been eating Jamaican food and then chocolate and drinking wine all night, I might be a wee bit sentimental, but all y'all, so good to see you!
Heh, yeah, I'm on track to join the hyster-sisters in the near future but have been resisting because 1) my abdomen is already impressively scarred and I'm strangely averse to adding to the patchwork and B) while I've been to 2 gyno specialists (one my regular, second for a second opinion) who both mentioned hysterectomy as sorta the only option left, neither were very gung-ho about the prospects of it actually helping noticeably. They both kinda hemmed and hawed about how endometriosis can't really be diagnosed just from symptoms even tho I've been 'diagnosed' with endometriosis by every gyno I've seen since I was 19....*sigh* If just one Dr said "I believe that getting in there and removing the fibroids and the uterus and the scar tissue that is almost certainly coating your innards will significantly relieve your pain" with even 60% hope...I would schedule it ASAP (or as soon as I bank up enough sick time to cover the time off work.) But no one says that, it's always "I'd like to get in there laparoscopicaly and have a look but if we schedule that we might as well do the hysterectomy because insurance won't pay for just diagnostic laparoscopy" and I have zero need for my uterus. (I'm 40 now and have never wanted to be a mother. Never. Pretty dang sure I'm not gonna change my mind on that before menopause sets in naturally.) I just really want someone to hold my hand and say "do this, it will help. you will feel better." But as is, there are doubts, and I don't like the idea of being put under and cut open without a pretty dang good reason, ya know?
I really need to catch up on ita's thread but I'm not quite ready for that. yet. Maybe tomorrow night after a cocktail or 2. P (my employer-recognized-for-the-health-care-benefits 'domestic partner') brought me home some truly spectacular Ginger liquor which I've been enjoying straight over ice...but I also looked up some veeery eeeenteresting cocktails that must needs be tried out. For science.
