Removing Essentials, Preparing To Be Uncomfortable.

On By SuzIn As blogged by Suz

On Thursday I had a lovely visit to the hospital and then to my Dr’s office for my pre-op appointments for my oh-so-exciting full hysterectomy set for 3/9.

The RN at the hospital was surprised that I wasn’t on medication. None? None. It makes me wonder, are most women at 55 on meds? When she asked about vitamins and supplements, well, this is where she realized I wasn’t quite so ‘well’. As I listed what I was taking, she was confused on some because she wanted to make sure I wasn’t taking anything that could be considered a Blood Thinner.

They want my blood THICK. Much like my thighs.

I love saying that!

Anyhoo, we couldn’t decipher between thick and thin, so I’m taking NO vitamins and NO supplements and I feel like this is where it will all end for me.

The nurse, as nice as she was, well, she was quite invasive with the questions. I mean, you’re gonna be all UP in my business next week, why so many questions about my personal health and life, Carol. I don’t care to discuss my bowel habits with you; I must draw the line somewhere.

When she asked me if I’d had anything removed before, I was a little confused. Like a baby? Or a body part? She was asking about parts, not humans. Carol, clarify next time.

Anyhoo. I made it through and realized that I’ve lived in this town for 26 years and this is going to be my first ‘stay’ at a hospital. I’ve only been in this hospital once before and it was the emergency room, for someone else. I’ve been skating by, but now it’s all catching up to me.

My surgery will be 3 hours long and my Dr. will be assisted by a Robot. Or the Robot will be assisted by my Dr? Not sure exactly, but it’s a Robotic Laparoscopic Surgery.

I hope the Robot takes my insurance.

I prefer to be comfortable, not uncomfortable.

My Dr explained the RX’s that she called in for me; three of them, and all for pain.

Me: You mean this is going to hurt?

They should send me home the same day, unless there is an issue.

No vigorous workouts or Indoor Sports for six weeks and no driving for 10 days. WHAT IS THERE LEFT TO DO?

I wish I could fast forward a few weeks and skip all the uncomfortableness. The Coach will be here taking care of me along with my sweet MIL, Sue who will come stay for a few days and help with Peanut.

Anyhoo. Nothing else fun or exciting to share with you today.

This photo doesn’t have anything to do with anything, but it’s one of my current crotch orchid bloomers.

I take it back, I guess it is relative.

Until next time.

XOXO

59 thoughts on “Removing Essentials, Preparing To Be Uncomfortable.”

  1. Hope all goes well and you’re back out in your garden soon. When I had my full hysterectomy 7 years ago at age 52 I was a bit of an anomaly as well. Never had surgery before, never spent the night in a hospital, didn’t take any medication and still had all my original parts. Unfortunately I couldn’t have laparoscopic so they gutted me like a fish. I went home the next day… though they didn’t want me to …. but refused opioids. Toughed it out with Tylenol… and though bending over was impossible for a few days, I was cooking dinner and doing housework the day after. Granted I was doing it slowly, but still. The surgery was nothing, but the immediate menopause washed over me like an overnight tidal wave and I swear I still don’t recognize my body.
    🥴

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    1. Being thrown into menopause, overnight is horrible! Fortunately, for me, I’ve already eased into that portion… Hoping that is on my side. My doctor said I need to rest as much as possible and I plan on doing that; no time to be a hero!! 🤣😛

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  3. Good luck with your surgery and recovery — will be thinking of you. I’m sure they also told you not to lift anything heavy during your recovery — nothing over 5 lbs, which is not very much. Let someone else lift pots, pans, laundry baskets, etc. Avoid the risk of hernia! Hugs

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  4. Pam

    Hugs, sweet Suz! You’ll be over this and feeling great in no time. Enjoy some movies and take some naps and stay on top of your pain meds. And let your people wait on you like the princess you are. 🙂

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  5. I just scheduled my yearly mammogram over the phone, and it was a much longer and more in-depth conversation than I thought it was going to be. How about just giving me a time and day and ask all that when I show up? Sheesh.

    We’ll all be thinking of you, Suz, and I know you’ll do just fine. Your family always takes excellent care of you. Hang in there. Think of the metaphor of the crotch orchid–I have no idea what it is, but think of it anyway.

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  6. Wishing you all the best with your upcoming procedure, Suz! I wasn’t able to have the laparoscopic surgery (uterus was too swollen), nor was there a robot working on me (damn!) so my hospital stay and recovery was longer. I remember being somewhat uncomfortable but not in a lot of pain. I couldn’t take any opioids – they made me upchuck, which was super uncomfortable with a lower abdominal incision! I made the doc promise to leave my ovaries in (if they looked OK to him while he was poking around in there), so I didn’t have the insta-menopause, like Rivergirl.

    Deb

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    1. Thanks, Deb. How often can one brag about a swollen uterus? Not very.
      😜
      I’m having everything taken out since my Mom had Ovarian cancer. (she had only one ovary after her hysterectomy, so I’m taking no chances)
      The Dr. only prescribed five of the ‘hard pills. The others are mild, and I hope that’s what will work for me. I’m not too fond of opioids either; they make you feel worse generally. We’d made terrible addicts.

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      1. Good call about the ovaries. My doc wondered why I didn’t have mine removed too as my family history is full of cancers (not ovarian though) and in her mind that would one less (two actually) place for me to develop it. But I was only in my early 40s when I needed the hysterectomy and I wasn’t ready to be thrown into menopause. Time will tell if I made the right decision, I guess.

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        1. Deb, being thrown into menopause overnight is no laughing matter. You made the right call for the age you were. And how could your ovaries be anything but lovely when they are a part of you. 😉

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      2. Pat Birnie

        Good luck Suz! You are going into this so healthy I suspect you will heal fast. Get back on all your good supplements immediately as they help with healing for sure. Let Coach & Sue do everything- I hope you have some books & movies all lined up. Hugs.

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        1. Pat, thanks so much!
          I have a list of documentaries I’d love to watch and several books that need my attention…not to mention a few puzzles that haven’t been puzzled yet. I hope I feel well enough to do those activities as time passes.

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  7. Best of luck with this major surgery. It was so hard to do nothing for the many weeks of recovery. The nurses on duty are very important they have to watch for any signs of trouble, I remember I started bleeding dangerously after and they had to call the dr.

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  8. Bijoux

    I’m sure that you can’t wait for the whole thing to be over. You are definitely in the minority with no prescription meds. I will say a prayer for you that everything goes well on 3/9. We will be here when you are ready for blogging! XO

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  9. M

    Hoping for a successful and uneventful surgery and recovery for you, Suz! I’m sure your husband and your MIL will take great care of you! What is there to do? Watch lots of movies/shows and I’m sure you’ll work on a few puzzles?? But 10days of no-driving and almost 2months of no workouts! Could you take short walks after a week or so?

    I think we said before we’re the same age, and like you, I don’t have any maintenance medications and have never been hospitalized (save for childbirth!). I take some vitamins but just like skincare, I’m not very rigorous/disciplined about it.

    Your tree has a beautiful crotch! Orchid that is!! LOL

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    1. Thank you for the good wishes.
      My Dr said, “listen to your body”. If I feel like moving, move, if I need rest, rest.
      I’m assuming I’ll take short walks daily starting asap from all that I’ve read. You know, around the property, not too far from my room. 😳

      This will be weird for someone who works out rigorously five days a week.

      Nice to know I’m not the only one out there not on daily RXs. Surely, the time will come.

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  10. I’m sending you lots of love and gentle hugs. I believe they advise eating a lot of ice cream during recovery.

    Going forward, I will never stop talking about tree crotches to anyone who will listen. I absolutely love my blogging friends.

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    1. Thank you, Kari.
      I bought some frozen yogurt this week, which isn’t normal for me. That’s kind of like icecream, right?
      Tree crotches deserve more attention, and I’m here to do just that.

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  11. Good luck to you. I hope the procedure goes well and recovery flies by.

    I also take a lot of supplements (seven in the morning and two at night), but I just take them all at once while I’m drinking cranberry juice in the morning. I think I’d just give up if I actually spread out taking them!

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  12. That Carol sure is nosy. My acupunturist asked me, at our first meeting, if I’d had anything removed. I was similarly baffled. She told me she meant, specifically, “organs” and that my reaction meant I hadn’t. She said, “I think you would know if you had.” I sure hope wisdom teeth don’t count as organs.

    Love your use of Indoor Sports. Reminds me of a Judy Blume book I read as a kid that used that as a letter signoff. As a kid I had no idea what it meant.

    Here’s hoping the lady garden removal goes perfectly with no robot shenanigans and you’ll be back to your regimen of vitamins and Indoor Sporting events in no time! Sending you healing vibes for a smooth recovery.

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    1. LOL at your wisdom teeth comment. Nope, you’re all good!

      Did Judy Blume use the Indoor Sports comment? Maybe that’s where I got it from? I don’t remember. It’s always been a thing I said, but perhaps I stole it from Judy when I was 12 and forgot.

      Thanks for the Lady Garden well wishes; much appreciated!

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  13. Suz, I will be thinking of you on Thursday and waiting to hear that all went well – which I know it will be simply because I am willing it.

    Also you are not alone in the un-medicated crowd. Unless you count a prescription cream for psoriasis as “medication” (I do not). But when I went to the doctor last year in order to get the the prescription renewed (why? It’s a cream!!) she said that they hadn’t seen me in five years and I responded with “I haven’t been sick.” She did not like that answer. Apparently, she wants to see me every year whether I need her or not.

    That reminds me I do need to make an appointment for my mammogram and lady visit (I am not as slack about those visits as I am with my GP).

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    1. Thank you for willing my health back. I appreciate that more than you can know.
      Doctors must love us because they repeatedly want us to visit them yearly. CRAZY! 😉

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  14. I’m here for the crotch orchid remark, Sista. Well played.

    Oh bother, it is not easy being a woman with all of these fancy parts. I’m confident you will do great and Peanut will keep you company. What is there left to do, indeed. I see a lot of Netflix in your near future.

    I’ll be thinking of you. Hope you have a speedy recovery and that you are pampered by your people.

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  15. Everyone has given you great advice – – – especially the part about resting. Doing recovery right is what will make your healing the best it can be. I am glad they are keeping you at the hospital for a bit – – even though you won’t rest well there. However they can monitor you and make sure you are not having any problems. If they see the slightest fluctuation in any vitals, they can address those immediately.
    I hate the “hard drugs” and got so sick on them. Plus they constipate you. I had to switch to aspirin or maybe Tylenol when I had knee surgery. I am sure you know to drink lots of liquids which I know you do most days.
    Also, have the family make food runs for you if you don’t like what is there. – – but you will probably be on a liquid diet for a day or two?
    You will be in prayers for sure.
    PS. I may have told you this on something else – – but it sometimes helps to keep a short journal after surgery because recovery seems slower than we wish at times. Focus on what you can do and how much more you can do each day – – like distances walked.
    Also the journal will give you blog information for the future.

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    1. Lynda, so much great advice. I will certainly try to avoid opioids…they’re never fun. I will journal on your recommendation…that’s such a brilliant idea. (plus, I always think of blogging stuff in my head but forget it by the time I get to my computer!)
      I’m currently drinking Gatorade to get myself fully hydrated.

      They will be sending me home a few hours after my surgery unless a problem arises. I know. It seems crazy!!

      I think I can go back to eating normally asap. But I’m sure they will tell me more tomorrow. XOXO

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  16. You will be in the thoughts & prayers of your many fans. Being the martyr that you are, you never complained so we had no idea you were facing surgery. Just thought you were a little tired. Highly recommend HRT to avoid those pesky menopause symptoms – you’ll feel like a teenager. The butterflies will miss you, so get well soon.

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    1. Eileen, thanks for the Martyr comment. 😜 There wasn’t much to complain about, just regular run-of-the-mill stuff.
      I could get away without this surgery, but it will eliminate any ‘regular post menopause’ issues, plus I won’t worry about ovarian cancer, which is what took my mom from us.
      Thanks for your well wishes; much appreciated.

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  17. Oh, good luck Suz! I hope you recover quickly and that everything goes smoothly. I didn’t realize you were having a hysterectomy; I will be thinking about you!
    I think the kids say that your blood is “thicc” #sexyblood
    xoxoxo

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  18. Maddie

    Good luck with the surgery and the recovery. I’ll be sending healing vibes your way 😊 Hoping you enjoy a lot of TV/movie binging, garden lounging, and pampering from your fam!

    Love the crotch orchid pic – gorgeous and topical!

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  19. Good luck with your upcoming surgery. I’m sure everything will go just fine! I noticed last time I had a procedure that unless you are a known drug addict, they load you up with pain meds! Just in case you need them. You probably won’t need as much as you may think!

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  20. It is kind of an achievement to be 55 and not on any prescription medication, I think – I can’t boast the same thing, but my 79 -year-old mom can, which is kind of trippy. I agree, being uncomfortable is ass. On the plus side, some of those pain RXs are quite pleasant from what I hear (and remember from my gum graft – yum, Percocet). I really hope your surgery is routine and your recovery freakishly fast and painless.

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  22. Cheryl

    It’s early Friday morning here. Right about now you should be resting comfortably and all is good. Drink lots of water, blow out into that thing and make it go up to the top to keep your lungs clear. I imagine FL hospitals do the same thing as NY hospitals.
    Pretty soon, maybe in a day or two, you get to go home and be waited on like a princess. Take advantage of any and all pampering! 🙂

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    1. Cheryl, what a doll you are.
      Thank you for checking in. I’m doing well!
      I was home the same night, and yes, I was using that breathing apparatus for days ahead of the surgery to prepare my lungs.

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  23. Praying it all went well yesterday! (Sorry, I’m always so behind on reading blogs.) I’m sure your husband and MIL will take great care of you. Enjoy your down time – although I’m sure you will spend the whole time putting to-do lists together for when you are feeling better!

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