I had my surgery on August 6. 2018
I went into my surgery very optimistic, having been through a half dozen natural childbirths… I was told that it would not be as painful as a natural childbirth.
This was music to my ears.
Six months ago when I was told that my bladder and cervix were falling out of me, I was pretty shocked.
I didnāt even know that was possible.
And since I was not in any pain at the time, I was very confused by this news.
I knew something was wrong. After all, I saw something hanging out of me one morning and tried to push it back up.
Sorry for the TMI, but it felt like how Iād imagine a penis to feel. A heavy hanging feeling. I donāt know how other to explain it.
I had two doctors diagnose me with prolapse of the uterus and bladder.
Yes, I had a second opinion just to make sure.
After that, I knew that I needed to make a decision.
During that time, I had my menstrual cycle for seventy-two days. And I knew THAT was not normal. I made a GYNECOLOGIST appointment for the following week.
The first question the doctor asked me, was whether I was done having kids.
Dh and I knew our family was complete for the past ten years. So that was an easy question to answer.
I went home and prayed about it.
I instantly felt at peace.
I called the doctors office to let them know, and the following week they gave me my surgery date. It was really that easy.
I was told to not eat after midnight the night before my surgery, and to wash TWICE with dial soap the morning of the surgery. (The yellow bar)
I didnāt have this Dial soap, so needed to go buy some.
I was told to not wear any deodorant, perfumes, jewelry, etc. the morning of my surgery.
I then had a nurse call me to ask me if anyone was forcing the surgery on me, and how I was handling myself mentally.
I felt like I was on the phone for thirty minutes trying to convince her I was fine. Perfect in fact!
But I suppose that they need to make sure.
I packed for a whole week. Just in case!
I Arrived bright and early!
There was no one in the waiting room except for me.
The receptionist called us in to take the payment. Which by the way, in case anyone was wondering… $129,000
Yes! That is how much the cash payment is for this surgery.
Mind blowing!
Praise The Lord that my insurance covered 80%.
The receptionist asked me why I was there to make sure I knew. I guess?
Then she took my ID, insurance information, and my picture, and sent me back to the waiting room.
Now there were two men out there.
One was a husband of another lady having a hysterectomy. And the other was his pastor.
We waited for about thirty minutes. Then I was called in.
The prepping part was a bit awkward.
They had me undress and put a hospital gown on. Then they gave me a cap for my hair.
They took my glasses…and bagged up all my clothes.
Then I heard what sounded like an electric razor.
I asked what the sound was, and sure enough….
You can guess what came next?!
I asked why they couldnāt have told me to take care of matters at home. The nurse said that it needed to be gone a certain way, and there was no need to be shy.
Thankfully that took only a few minutes.
After that, the anatheises came in to talk about putting me under. He was a barrel of laughs. And I mean that!
Very personable, and made me feel right at ease. He told me that hospitals are nothing like the TV show ER. And that heās been doing his job for nearly thirty years.
Iāve never been under before, so I had no idea what to expect. I began to feel a little nervous.
After our chat, a nurse came over to hook up IV up and check my stats.
Then DH said Good-Bye, and away I went.
I remember them rolling me into the operating room.
I remember bright lights, and being lifted to another bed/table. And then nothing after that until I found myself in a completely different room with nurses calling my name to wake up.
I kept hearing, āYou did great, time to wake up, itās time to wake up!ā
Opening my eyes, I felt nothing.
Mentally or physically. Nothing!
It was an intoxicating feeling.
My mind was not thinking at all. Nothing!
My OCD brain was completely disconnected.
I was now in a private room. It was all very nice.
A nurse asked me if I wanted to eat anything.
I told her that Iād eat tomorrow.
I just wanted to go back to sleep.
I slept for a couple hours and woke to DH and my oldest daughter in my room.
At this time I started to feel a whole lot of pain.
I was told that the catheter needed to stay on until the following morning.
The pain was intense and they gave me some morphine through the IV.
However, It wore off very quickly and I couldnāt have any more they said. They then asked me whet my pain level was. On a scale from 1-10.
13, I said!
A nurse told me that they may be able to get my pain level down to a three, but to expect some ongoing pain for the next few hours. I started crying and worked myself into a frenzy, then I passed out. Maybe fainted, but I was in be, so I think I passed out from the pain.
I remember a nurse trying to wake me back up.
I do not remember how long I was put, but when I woke back up I was in pain still. I had a nurse checking my blood pressure, which was fine, but that is what I think woke me back up.
I started to cry, and the nurse called another nurse.
The new nurse that cane in started telling me all about her hysterectomy that she had, and how it was the best decision that sheād ever made. Next to weight loss surgery. She said.
She was very sympathetic to my pain, and prepared me what she called, a cocktail.
She said it was her husbands favorite mix for pain and nerves.
At that point, she could have given me OX Blood and I would have taken it.
Anything to dull the pain and pressure I was feeling.
What was this mystery cocktail:
2 Benadryls
2 Tylenols (white circle ones)
1 Ibuprofen (800mil)
2 Vicodins (I think these go by weight.)
2 stool softeners, because narcotics make you constipated they said.
Within ten minutes, I was relaxed as a cucumber. I was shocked how good this combo worked. Mentally, and physically.
Once again, I felt nothing.
Pain went from 13 to 0.
Of course it did not last very long.
And It was a song and dance each of the six times I took this cocktail.
They had me repeat my full name and birthday each time. Then they checked my wristband to make sure it matched up with what I was telling them.
I fully know that this combo would probably kill my liver long term… it worked so much better then any meds distributed in the IV. Including the morphine.
I was pain free for around six hours each time.
This all takes me to day two in the hospital. They had asked if I wanted to be discharged.
I honestly did not. I told them that I would stay as long as my insurance allowed. I did the same when I had each of my kids.
Day 2 was painful, but bearable. I had the cocktail again. I had my first meal since having the surgery.
Day 3- I went home at noon, after having the cocktail one last time.
I Slept all day.
Day 4- My appetite was back, but since my stomach had shrunk, I only had two small meals.
Day 5- I was constipated, so I decided to triple up on the stool softeners they gave me. I also had a strong coffee. (It had been a week since I had any coffee or caffeine)
Day 6- I was no longer constipated.
I felt good upon waking, so I was on feet a lot more.
Day7-I overdid it and was back at 100% bedrest in substantial pain. Lots of pressure.
Day 8-Still in bed with pain.
Day 9-I woke up feeling good once more, so I started back up working.
Day 10-I over did it the previous day, and had to take it easy in bed again.
Day 11- I woke up feeling a bit better, so went out to pick up some furniture with DH for the kids.
Day 12- I woke with a bit of pain.
Day 13- Felt good enough to go out to dinner and a movie. Was getting antsy in bed.
Day 14 post surgery until today.
September 17th, I have been up and about. Grocery shopping, working, etc.
During the past few weeks Iāve had to pass on the zoo, a hike, and a fair outing.
I feel like Iām missing out on all the fun.
Currently, after being on my feet for two consecutive hours, I need to sit down and rest.
And even now, I feel like Iāve been overdoing it. Last week I started to bleed, which concerned me. I no longer had tubes and a cervix, so couldn’t imagine where the blood was coming from.
I called the doctor and they asked if I was in pain, but I was not. So they told me to wait till my check up, which was only four days away.
This all brings me to today.
I had my six week check up to check the stitches.
Turns out I bursted some. Most likely from lifting things more then five pounds.
For my work at home job, I handle with moving mannequins and Rubbermaid bins full of shoes and clothes. Not to mention a full photography back drop and lights.
I have been lifting bins of clothing for work.
It was nothing too bad, but he did a quick repair in the office and sent me on my merry way.
He said to take it easy for the next two weeks, and come back in three months.
Iām going to try to take it easy, but Iām leaving for a trip in exactly three weeks.
Iām excited, yet anxious.
People keep asking me would I have the surgery again, had I known how painful it was. And honestly, I do not know. It was 10x worst then natural child birth. In my opinion.
Yes, Iāve dropped a lot of weight, and after a couple more weeks, I wonāt ever have to worry about my period ever again.
Ten years earlier then waiting for menopause to kick in.
So thatās a positive.
I would say the pain was the only negative.
Iāve been reading story after story or how many women feel less then, after having a hysterectomy. But I have not been able to relate to any of the stories that I have read.
I really do not feel any different, mentally, then I did before.
And I keep getting sympathy from people telling me Iām going to be. okay. And then they start sharing how hard it is, mentally, to adjust, and fine peace…
But Iām fine. I do not feel any less of a women. REALLY! I don’t. I feel just as much as myself as I did a year ago.
It surprises me at how many women have had a hysterectomy. Young women too, early 30’s.
You see, After I decided to go through with it, I started telling my close friends. And it turned out that more then half have had hysterectomy.
And all my nurses at the hospital had their own stories to tell me.
Six different nurses!
A couple of times (this past month) when I was out shopping, and felt like I had to sit down and rest, I had complete strangers walk up to me to ask if I was alright. (This warms my heart)
I did not feel shame or weird, telling them that Iām fine, but just recovering from a hysterectomy, so I’m tired.
And then that sparked their stories too.
This includes ubur drivers who have seen my exhaustion and have asked me if Iām okay.
Honestly, I guess I better start looking at myself in the mirror when Iām tired, because Iām apparently looking like death. Maybe I look different now.
I am currently sticking with the short and sweet phrase, āIām fine. Iām just recovering from a hysterectomy. Thank you for asking.”
Iām not sure why this surgery is such a secret imo get the female population.
I guess because women feel shame. Iām not certain.
I know that the very first time Iāve heard the word, hysterectomy, was back in 2004.
I was at church, and had asked a friend where a mutual friend of ours was.
And my friend whispered.. āHysterectomy. Shhh!ā
I had no idea what that meant and had to look it up online.
I still didnāt fully understand. But I had another opportunity back in 2009 when a friend told me that sheās never been the same after having a Hysterectomy. She broke town in tears and told me that she regrets it everyday.
Other then those two occasions, it wasnāt until my doctor asked me six months ago whether or not Iād be interested in having one, had I ever fully educated myself on the word.
The other two options that I was given, was to be on birth control pills and a Strong progesterone pill, or, have my cervix burned.
I forgot the medical name for that procedure, but I recall having a lady back home tell me about it in detail. And that, sounded just awful at the time.
So. Would I have gotten a hysterectomy had I known how painful it would be the first few days afterwards. I guess yes!
I was bleeding for weeks on end, and my cervix and bladder were literally falling out of me.
That all shared,
Everything feels brand new now, so Iām good to go!
I do not feel shame or disappointment, whatsoever.
I donāt feel anything negative at all.
And I really think more women need to open up and talk about these things with one another.
Sure, some things are to remain private, but if you go through something that can benefit and help another, why remain quiet about it.
Women are so much more then their Uterus’s. So much more! š
