Hysterectomy Surgery

On May 28th, 2013 I was scheduled for a complete hysterectomy (removal of ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix)  . Here's how my day and the days following went!
 On May 27, the day before I had to do a bowel prep...YAY...not. I was only allowed liquids, jello, coffee and broth. YUM. I drank so much damn water I thought I was going to float away! I used the LO-SO EZ prep kit.  Too much fun! :P

The night before I didn't sleep much.  Nerves, Excitement, Fear and well the fun prep kit all kept me awake.

Finally it was time to leave!  I got a shower and shaved every nook and cranny of my netherworlds.  Figured I'd help out the staff a bit.

When we arrived at the hospital I only had to wait a short time before I was called back.  A nice friendly girl came out and got me.  She told me to step on the scale.  What??  I really didn't feel like getting more depressed!  I of course told my husband not to look, but I just know he took peek!

First thing I had to do was pee in a cup.  I think they were making sure I wasn't pregnant.  Um, I sure the hell hope not since I got my husband neutered last spring!  They also took my temperature and blood pressure.

They got me all comfy in a room, stripped down and gowned.  I layed there for a few minutes before I was greeted by a vampire!  Ok, not really.  She was a sweet girl just needing a few tubes of blood!
After she left my nurse Debbie came in an interviewed me.  She also did and EKG and started an IV with fluids.  HOLY HELL it was in the side of my left wrist and that HURT...OUCH!  She was so nice though.  We talked about Facebook games, and other games apps.  I told her she needs to play Bag It.  So much fun!

Waiting in Pre Op!

After she left a sweet nursing student came in and put those compression leg pumps on, to keep nasty blood clots away.

Next an anesthesia Nurse Practitioner came in to interview me.  She was really sweet too!  We talked of BRCA and how she lost her Mom and Grandma to Breast Cancer.  She was DENIED BRCA testing from her insurance.  I told her to KEEP FIGHTING!

After she left Dr. D came and saw me.  I just adore that man!  He is so friendly, down to Earth and REAL.  We discussed a lot of things.  Menopause, Estrogen Patch, Breast Cancer risks.  Unfortunately he came with a bit of bad news.  My surgery was delayed by 3 hours!  WHAT!!!????  NOOOOOO!  I told him I was really anxious and he said he would get me something for that.  Thanks Dr. D!  He also informed me that the urologist that was to do my ureteral stent placements was now unavailable. I was a little scared knowing that someone I never met yet was going to be inserting something into my urinary track system that I never met!

More waiting....WHERE IS MY ANXIETY PILLS?????


After he left the Anesthesiologist came in.  Dr. B.  He was so cute.  Not cute in a good looking way.  Just cute in the old man trying to be cool way.  He was really nice.  I also reminded him I needed something for my nerves.

MORE WAITING!  WHERE THE HELL ARE MY ANXIETY PILLS????????

Awwwww, there she was.  A sweet nurse with 2 Valiums.  I decided to put on a show on my Nexus tablet, but just couldn't concentrate.  25 minutes after I took the Valium  I found a friend.  It was a plug socket.  I just couldn't stop staring at it.  I told Dan I could look at it all day.  Well all day was about 5 minutes.  Then I passed out!  Thank Goodness!

Next thing I know another wonderful nurse comes in to wisk me away to the area right before you enter the OR.  Several nurses were making sure everything was set to go.  That's when my new urologist appeared!  YAY!  I get to meet him!  I'm going to call him Dr. Share a Cigar.  Cause that's what his name sounded like!
He was so very nice.  I felt completely at ease with him doing the urological part of my surgery.

Now I was getting whisked away into the OR.  I moved onto the table and they placed an oxygen mask over my face.  I swear only 3 minutes passed and they told me I was going to go to sleep.  Yup, I did.  That fast.  Next thing I know....

I'M FREEZING!!!

I wake up in the recovery room feeling really weird.  But my wonderful nurses Joyce and Adrienne took great care of me!  It's strange that you come out of that anesthesia and know exactly where you are and what's going on.  Well at least that's what happens to me.  All I know was that I was so damn cold I thought I was in Antarctica!  I remember the nurse just asking someone else to get me a lot of warm blankets.  They also asked how my pain was and I told them probably and 8 and they shot me up with some glorious pain medication.

So my surgery took a little over 2 hours.  They did 98% laproscopically and got the rest of my cervix vaginally.  I have 3 tiny incisions in my abdomen.  Dan was patiently waiting thinking it was going to be and hour to and hour and a half.  He said that Dr.'s would come out and update the family right in the waiting room about other patients.  When Dr. D and Dr. HHYFH (I was sad I didn't get to see him before surgery, but he made it up to me!)  came to update Dan on the surgery they called him into a private room and closed the door.  He said he was so scared and nervous something bad happened!  NOPE!  All good news!  He could breathe again.  His Schnookums was alright.

I finally get to my PRIVATE room.  Yes!! PRIVATE!!  I was so happy that I wasn't going to annoy another person!  All I wanted to do was EAT!  I was starving!!!  They told me I was allowed to order lunch!!!  Yes!!  I was so excited!  Until they told me it was from the liquid diet menu.  Really?

So I placed my order!  2 egg custards, chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding, tomato soup and decaf berry tea!  I ate every bite!!

I was a bit uncomfortable for a while.  I had a lot of left flank pain and my pee, yes I could see it because they were so kind to insert a urinary catheter while I was asleep.  My pee was the color of tropical punch Kool-Aid.  YIKES!  The nurse came in an gave me a Vicoden.  It really didn't do much.  My left side was killing me!

Into the evening my wonderful nurse Karen came and told me I could get up to brush my teeth and wash up. It actually felt good to stand, but not that good!  I did what I was told and then was asked about my pain again.  I was hurting.  Still with the left flank pain.  Karen brought me a shot of Dilaudid.  WOW, that stuff works!  I actually passed out in the middle of texting my friend!

During the night I was in and out of sleep.  I was wired, yet tired.  Weird I know.  I got visits from a few other nurses.  Edith, who was one of my nurses when I had Mason, came in and I was so happy to see her.  She was actually my lactation nurse with Mas.  Leslie was another wonderful nurse who helped me out.

I spent the most time with Karen though.  She probably just wanted me to STFU.  LOL!  We had some great chats!  I feel so blessed to have had such wonderful people taking care of me!

Karen came in again and told me I could could stop forcing the fluids.  I told her I seriously wasn't!  I honestly did want to clear my pee up, but I was also totally thirsty!  She said she emptied over 2500 ml of pee!  Sorry, I was really thirsty!  Bonus is my pee cleared up and my pain was decreasing!

The next morning, but actually felt just like a continuation of the previous day, I was still STARVING!  They said I wasn't allowed to have real food until I passed gas, farted, tooted, whatevs!
I was on a mission!  It sucks when you can't do "that" on command!
Finally the blessed event occurred!  It was hilarious actually, but I'll leave that to imagination!  I at last got to order from the REAL FOOD menu!!
I got chicken Parmesan, pasta with marinara, buttered noodles, a dinner roll, two pieces of provolone cheese, jello cake, egg custard, decaf berry tea and one bite of a chocolate chip cookie!!!  It was all really really good!  I couldn't believe how yummy hospital food was!

Feeling pretty good after surgery!

Karen came in and told me I could get my catheter out and IV out as soon as Dr. D made rounds.  OH BOY, when could that be???  Good thing Dr. D is an early riser!  He visited me right after 6 am!  Awesome!
Finally got all the tubes and leg compressors out and off!

At 7 am I got a new nurse, who was actually my nurse right when I got to my room the night before.  Her name is Cheryl and she is a sweetheart.  She was the one who got me all ready for discharge!

SURPRISE!  I got a visit from HHYFH!!!  He looked so sharp in his untucked purple button down.  Is that bad to have a total crush on your Dr?  LOL  Seriously, he's amazing and so nice!!!  Here is a pic of us when he came to visit!

Dr. Thomas Krivak aka Dr. HHYFH and I.

Finally I get to go home!  My escort Debbie wheeled me away in a wheelchair right to my car that Dan had waiting out in front of the hospital!

When I got home I was in a little pain.  I continued taking Vicoden, but of course with pain meds comes constipation!  Also this is the day I really started loosing my voice from being intubated during surgery.  Anyone that knows me knows I LOVE to talk and can't shut up, so for me to not have a voice was miserable!

First Day Home.

Day 2 home was even better, but still constipated.  I needed to rectify this little issue.  I had Dan go and get me stool softeners, fiber powder and prune juice.  I wasn't playin!
Day 3 I was feeling really good.  And yup, the stuff I had Dan pick up at the grocery store worked!  Hallelujah!
Day 4 was my son's 6th Birthday party!  I got to go!!!  I was so happy and feeling great!  I also stopped taking pain meds this day!
Day 5 I was a little nauseous after dinner and just pretty much laid around.
Day 6 The energizer bunny took over!  I was so restless and had a really hard time falling asleep!  If this is all surgical menopause has to offer then I'll take it!!
Day 8-14  Today is 2 weeks post op!  The second week after surgery I was a little more run down.  Probably coming off the pain meds and such.  I have yet to have a hot flash!  AWESOME!  I get a little warm sometimes, but no pouring out drenching sweat.  Today I'm supposed to start and Estrogen patch.  Haven't yet.  Dr. D wants me on it regardless if I have symptoms or not.  My incisions look really good.  Well the other day I had some pain in my belly button and thought I had an infection.  Dr. L looked at me and said it looks OK.  It feels much better today!
So there's my story!
I'll update you guys if anything exciting occurs!  I'm hoping to update soon with some more BRCA info and resources.  Until then I'm just waiting til my next surgery next year!

Some of my events my be a little out of order but you get the gist!

Thanks for reading my story!  Thank you for all the love, prayers and support!