Here's a big hug for you and prayers along with it to get you safely though your surgery and for recovery.

Sue

Healing thoughts and prayers coming to you from Long Island, NY.

Carol

Sending many prayers your way

Jennava, I'll be sending healing thoughts your way! I had a hysterectomy on June 14th and I'm doing well. Are you having Laproscopic or abdominal? I had abdominal and it's a little longer recovery. The most important thing is not to over do it and to remember you only get once chance to heal. Let everyone else take care of you!! I found a really great site called Hystersisters. It has been a wealth of info and support both pre-op and post op.

Good luck and if you have any questions, I'll be happy to help.

Thinking about you and hoping all goes well with your surgery, Jennava. Don't try to jump up and do too much when you get home....take it easy for a while.

From me too. My friend just had the same surgery. Just don't expect to do much until you really feel like it. I hope you have a good circle of friends that can help. Good luck.

Thank you all so much. I am not so much scared of the surgery itself, just what they MIGHT find. :-(
Matti, I am having abdominal. And I found Hystersisters, quite by accident. It has been a wonderful support. a great site, thank you for telling me about it.
The recovery time is 6 to 8 weeks, although with fibromyalgia my gyn says it may take longer. I am 60, and retired, so I will not have the added worry of getting back to a job.
It is difficult for me to let others wait on me, but I know that I need to do that so I can heal. My DH will take good care of me, but my kids all live in other states, so no help there.
Thank you all again for your support. You have no idea how much I appreciate the kindness of all of you.

Mine was March 12th for endometrial cancer. Second the hystersister site! Good luck, E-mail if you have questiosn.

Vickey-MN

Here is a link that might be useful: HyserSisters

Jenneva you have my best wishes, good thoughts and prayers for a good outcome and speedy recovery from both of your problems. Please keep us posted if you can. (((((Hugs))))

I'm thinking good thoughts for you. I had a lap/vag hysterectomy last Tuesday and am finding it much more difficult to take it easy. Thankfully dh, like yours, is very kind and is constantly reminding me its OK to take it easy. My back gets to me when I sit or lay to long. I get so bored sitting around, so off I go finding something (easy) to do. I have to say my hospital room was beautiful, the bed was like a "number" bed, always adjusting to my weight, BUT the CHAIR was my friend when the back started to hurt. For a few days your insides will feel sloshy. I gained weight from the IV etc and have lost 10 pounds since last week, hurray! So bring your fav. pillow and take the meds for your back so you can sleep. Soon you'll be back ready to face those lousy disks.
Lots of wishes that the docs can take care of things.

Please take matti5's advice. You may feel like you feel good but you really don't. Now, that made a lot of sense, didn't it? Do NOT lift anything.

Oh my goodness you have a lot going on! You'll definitely be in the KT's thoughts and prayers Wednesday. We look forward to hearing from you when you have recovered.

Jenna, I have FM, too, and have found the homeopathic remedy arnica to be helpful in healing, especially if started a couple of days before the procedure.

Sending healing thoughts, and don't you worry about those dust bunnies. They'll be just fine without any attention from you. I know from personal experience that they thrive on neglect. :-)

Don't stress out cleaning up before you go into the hospital. Your DH will eventually realize that there is no 'cleaning fairy', and he will do laundry and whatever else is necessary. Consider using a cleaning service as a medical expense. That's certainly better than courting a relapse after major surgery.

We'll be waiting to hear from you when you're recovering and hoping for good news!

Best wishes for a comfortable recovery.

Matti5, VIckeyMN and Toni ne...............I hope you are all recovering nicely from you recent surgeries. Thank you for offering to answer questions. I have a lot of them.

Vickey... will you be having any follow up treatment?

Alisande..... ARNICA.... where do i get it? is it tablet form? Is it too late to start taking it or will it help if i take it after surgery?

Chisue,,, I know he will pick up the slack. I think I have been using my obsessing about getting the house clean as an excuse not to think of the cancer issue. I am not that great a housekeeper in good times.

So starting right now, I am going to go unplug the iron, and take everyone's advice to take it easy. I think I will just visit everyone on KT and read awhile. Gyn doc said I could get a pedicure, so tomorrow I am going to treat myself to one,and then come home and do the dreaded bowel prep. Ugh! i just did that in July for a colonoscopy. fun fun.

Thank you all, again. I will come back and let you know how it goes.

I was VERY fortunate, the cancer was confined to a polyp that was actually removed by a D&C as no cancer was found, so no follow-up chemo or radiation is needed. (are they taking your appendix out too...best if they do as my surgeon told me that if appendix acts up after radiation..fav treatment for those cancers...it's hard to find appendix in scar tissue).

The immediate menopause has its trials. Hot flashes (in the form of HOT FEET for me, not the normal hot flash), and insomnia ae the worse. Black Cohash has helped the hot flashes, and melatonin and some sleeping pills when the melatonin doesn't work help the insomnia.

I didn't need any pain meds after I got home (until my bowels went to sleep..talk about pain). Walked slow, but felt fine. WALK DAILY...i wasn't as good at this as I should have been, and they think that's why my bowels went to sleep. Trust me you do NOT want this kind of pain!!

Vickey

No advice, just wishing for a good outcome and a quick recovery. (((jennava)))

Good luck, best wishes, hugs and prayers for a speedy recovery and a great outcome!

Jenava, my best pieces of advice are taking stool softeners and Gas X as soon as you get home. You will be thankful you did. All those hystersisters were right! Also I had several pairs of tongs (the longer the better) in many rooms of my house, including the shower. You don't realize how many things you drop when you aren't able to bend. I bought mine at the dollar store. I kept a pair next to my bed and couch so that I didn't have to reach across.

The more walking you do the better you will feel. I tried to get up and walk a few minutes every hour or so during the day. Also, I used my blow dryer to dry off my incision after a shower.

Yuck on the bowel prep! Big hugs to you!

Good advice from all above. And it can happen that after a few weeks, you'll be thinking you're good to go, but just ignore that and don't overdo on anything. I know from experience that sure can set you back.

Sending out many positive thoughts for the best results possible.

And some extra Granlan Hugs :)

Thanks Vickey I am already in menopause, however I got there late, not until 59. I had to have a D & C in July due to some pretty bad hemmorhaging. That is when the biopsies showed the possible cancer. I know I need to walk, we have two story house so I guess I will be confined to the upstairs at first?

Matti, I already take Miralax 3 days a week, it is a stool softener. I have the Gas X ready, dread the thought of the gas. Was it bad? And I am going to run out to the $ store tomorrow for the tongs. Great idea!

No advice from me but just wanted to wish you well. We'll all be thinking about you and wishing you a good outcome and recovery.

I had my surgery 18 years ago. I agree don't do too much too soon, and when you go for a walk stay close to home. I was feeling good and walked with my daughter to the park, she had to go home and get the car to come back and pick me up.........I just ran out of gas!! Let others help out when possible, my (X) DH thought it wasn't a big deal and that I should bounce right back to normal, it takes a long while. Fingers crossed that C will not be involved but if it is you have many friends here who will be ready to support you.
Good luck
Diane

Positive vibrations heading your way!

Prayers going up for you.

My very best wishes and prayers to you for a successful surgery, excellent doctors, and a happy result.

sending good luck thoughts

Thank you all for your good thoughts. Rosepetal, my xdh would have been the same way as yours, i am so fortunate to be married to my best friend, and a good man this time. I am pretty stubborn and have overdone it in years past, after surgery. However other than an appendectomy this is my first extensive abdominal surgery. But I am going to try and listen to everyone here, and stop feeling like I have something to prove, by getting up and doing too much. You all cannot imagine how much your support means to me, and I promise not to be whiny, and go on and on about this.

Hope you feel better soon

Turning over in bed is HORRIBLE at first. I would have to get up, turn myself around and then get back into bed. AND getting out of bed is difficult for a bit, they let you use the rails in the hospital, but darn, my bed at home didn't have rails!!

Take Vitamin C it helps healing.

Just wanted to wish you all the best with your surgery, jennava, and that your recovery will go really well. I had my abdominal hysterectomy back in 1996 and for me, it was one of the best things I have ever done. I did not want any more children and to be rid of heavy, painful periods was such a blessing. As everyone had said - take it easy during your recovery and just look after yourself. In the early stages following my surgery, I was very tired - even having a shower exhausted me! And like you, I have a great DH - he even took a month off work to care for me. He didn't always do things around the house as I would do them, but I was just grateful to have them done. So we will all be thinking of you on Wednesday and pray that all goes well.

Good luck to you Jennava on the up coming surgery. I just had a uterine cancer scare myself this past week but the Gyn DR told me it was not that after a few test. It really scared me senseless and caused a major psoriasis breakout from hades. I go Thrusday for a biopsy of another area down there(LOL) not related to the cancer scare. All I had was some spotting after being in menapause for 2 years and my primary told me it was uterine cancer. I don't think she should have diagnosed that right off the bat without making sure. Boy have I got off topic!! But I will lift you up in prayer on Wednesday that all goes well and that C is NOT involved!!!

Deb

(lurker coming out)

Hope everything goes so smoothly and you'll keep us posted on how you're doing.Will keep you in my prayers.

june

"I have the Gas X ready, dread the thought of the gas. Was it bad?"

Sorry, but that gave me a chuckle. They won't discharge you from the hospital until you can pass gas, so in that respect, gas is good! :-)

I had a vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (uterus, along with both tubes and ovaries) in 1992. I couldn't fart to save my soul. Finally my sister-in-law, who is an R.N., suggested that I drink some mint tea, as it is known to help. That did the trick!

Wishing you all the best!!!

jenna the worst part is having to get up and walk in hosp but you really have to do it...my doc had dh go and buy a simple girdle to help (light weight kind) i also had a complete, everything including ovaries..(a blessing in the long run when i developed breast cancer last year) it was hormone related...(lumpectomy)

in my case they did what the oncologist described as a body wash..the fluids came back clear from cancer cell so i didn't have chemo follow-up..now with the breast i did, (my lymph nodes were clear) and also radiation...

look at it as another journey you're having to take, but don't let it be you! you're first a person, wife, friend, ect...and you're about to join an women's club, that has your back!

oh and while the dust bunnies may have names they don't care, and neither did i! lol...

Praying for you.Hope you have a speedy recovery

Ok, time for all you recuperating ladies to take up knitting or crocheting so you can force yourselves to take it easy for as long as possible. If you don't now how to do the needlework, look it up on utube. Or do cross stitch or needlepoing.

Hope all goes well and you have a speedy recovery time. I have fibromyalgia too, so I know that that just adds to the problem. You are most fortunate to have a loving spouse. Forget the dust bunnies. They'll wait for you...

thanks Cheryl and June, and pumptoad. Debn: wow, i bet that scared your socks off! I understand. Glad it was not cancer for you.
lindsey thank you for the mint tea suggestion, I think I will pack some in my overnight case.

Susanjf, you said "look at it as another journey you're having to take, but don't let it be you! you're first a person, wife, friend, " ect...and you're about to join an women's club, that has your back! that is awesome, can I quote you? I think that will become my mantra.

sheilajoyce,... i no longer do any crafting, but I have 8 books from the library. ready and waiting.

lily... yes, that old fibro does take a toll on us! And I know those dust bunnies will hang around, with two big dogs in the house, they have plenty of company.

THANKS again, ladies, for your support. I am going for a pedicure this afternoon, and then five o'clock is cocktail time!! lol bowel prep. I am so ready to get this over with. I just had to show DH how to text on my phone so he can let some friend know after the surgery. You all, have a wonderful day, it is beautiful out.

Yes, you can ask! I will be happy to add my thoughts and prayers for you.

Tami

Praying for a successful surgery with NO cancer, or at least that is hasn't spread, and for a complete recovery with no need of followup treatments. Take lots of antioxidant vitamins.

One word of advice: (Besides telling the doctor to take your appendix while he is in there) When they get you up for the first time, do not get out of bed like you normally do. Stiffen your whole body and swing all of you out of the bed, not one leg at a time. Hold a pillow tightly over the incision area. A cough or sneeze is very painful. Once the incision has healed and stitches (please no staples) are removed, apply Vitamin E to minimize scarring and aid in healing. You can buy vitamin E oil at a health food store, or just cut open an E gel capsule.

Linda.... had my appendix removed in '88. Re: getting out of bed, thanks for the tip. Can i ask for stitches instead of staples? And we have Vit E gel caps, I will try that.

I got my pedicure, hot pink toes. I usually chose a more sedate, old lady color, decided I needed something fun today. So bright they might glow in the dark. LOL.

Off to pack, having jello now and the lovely go-lytely cocktail starting at 5.

I had neither stitches or staples...steri strips. Still leaves lovely 8+ inch scar.

Ohh Ohh... pain pump is your friend the first day or so. Don't be afraid to hit that button as often as you can!

Vickey-Mn

I will be keeping you in my thoughts for tomorrow. I have never had that kind of surgery so I can't give you any tips other than to take it easy! Let us know when you can how you did.

Trish

Sending prayers and good thoughts.

I had a Nurse walk behind me using a towel tight around my waist to keep my tummy from jiggling.

Think of you!