Three weeks after the event, I live my days almost normally. When I go out, I carry a light purse... (I was told not to lift more than 20 pounds... for the first 6 weeks. Not sure if my regular purse weighs that much, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did!)
I stopped all painkillers (Tylenol and Advil) one week after the procedure. I was aware of a certain "tenderness" at first, after giving them up. But after a few days, even that was gone. Going to a grocery store during week 2 was nerve-wracking: I had a subconscious fear of being bumped into... But by week 3 that fear had disappeared.
I've been instructed not to do housework for 6 weeks - something I'm very happy to comply with! I still do dishes and laundry. I won't resume my normal gym exercise until after seeing the doctor at the 6-week mark. I'm not walking as much as I should - again I blame the heat...
In short, I'm thankful that I'm feeling great!
A few comments...
I'm glad people shared their hysterectomy experiences with me, in person and online. So thanks to you all! You prepared me for what to expect...
Even then, I had a few surprises!
I arrived at the hospital around 10 in the morning, and although I had planned to spend the night, 12 hours after arriving - at 10 pm - I was able to head home!
At the hospital, when I first arrived, I was taken to the recovery room where I'd be cared for after the surgery. Then I was wheeled to the operating room. Outside, in the hall, I met all the people involved - my surgeon and two student surgeons, my anesthesiologist and a student anesthesiologist. When the time for the surgery came, they gave me OR slippers to put on - and I got off the bed and walked into the OR and lay down on the operating table by myself! ( I've never seen that in the movies!)
I remember being told to breath deeply into a gas mask... The next thing I knew, I was back in the recovery room feeling very tired. I fell asleep again - and woke up feeling fine!
The final surprise came when I was informed about wound care. I knew had four small incisions - where a tiny camera and instruments had poked through my skin.
Are the stitches self-dissolving or will I have to come back to have them removed? I asked, referring to these tiny bandaged wounds.
No stitches - the wounds have been glued shut, I was told. The glue will dissolve over time...
Glue?! I had no idea wounds were kept shut like that!
Now at home, I try to go outdoors every day. When it's hot, I spend a lot of time knitting and reading...
But it really isn't much different from any other year. Isn't relaxation what hot summers are for?!
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