Anne-Marie's 'ALIEN' surgery date set .... I'm scared!

Hi Everyone

Thanks for all the postings asking how I am... I've been amazed at the support I've been getting on this forum.

I ended up in the ER on Sunday with severe abdominal and back pain along with a bad case of diahorrea and generally feeling pretty rotten.  I was dehydrated so they put an IV in my arm and pumped me full of painkillers then sent me home some 7 hours later.

I've just had my appointment with the Gyn today and the cat scan shows this 'ALIEN' is resting on my bowel, bladder and dilating one of my kidneys, that along with me being unable to eat anything very much is making me weak, very tired and uncomfortable.  The Gyn has cancelled someone else's surgery to fit me in on Thursday 16th to have it and both ovaries removed. He said he will have to do a Laparotomy and will have to cut above my belly button as this thing is so big!  I have to call the hospital tomorrow for my pre-op appointment but I'm already nervous and jittery thinking about it all.  His final comment as I left his office is that hopefully this thing is benign ??  I thought a CA-125 level of 8 meant it wasnt cancer but I'm now worrying :-(

What can I expect from this Laparotomy ???  Will I have good pain relief ??  Is the recovery time really 4-6 weeks ??? How long can I expect to be in hospital ???  I'm going to try and keep busy between now and next Thursday so I dont think about it too much but anyone who's had a laparotomy please let me know what to expect.

Thank you all again for your support, I will keep you posted with how things go.

Anne-Marie

[Gatsby]

Hi girl.  I had 2 softball sized aliens (dermoids) removed along with right ovary and 90% of left on 12/21/05!!  The waiting is the worst, but feel confident that your dr. is right.  Mine told me that I would not be as healthy as I was if mine was "c" and he was right!!  You need to find time to take care of yourself and relax (easier said than done, I know!)  Make sure your pain meds are working, if not - tell the dr right away.  Remember, pain is not an option!!  I am praying for you!
~Tascha

[MickeyVicki]

If you have not already checked the HysterSisters website, then you should see it.    They also have a forum with great advice like that you find here. The site has  a pre- and post- surgery checklist that I recommend to everyone having  major abdominal surgery - even to men.  They cover all the bases for things that we take for granted that we can do for ourselves every day.

And, you know that we will be praying for you!

[Pokemomma]

Oh my gosh, you made me laugh so hard with the "alien" comment.  It felt good to laugh.  Think I'll have to give my "child" a name....let me just think on that a bit.  My brother is calling it the "giant internal pimple"....funny guy my brother.  

I've been told 6 to 8 weeks and I'm planning on milking it to the 8 weeks.  I think we deserve at least that, don't you?  Giving birth to aliens takes alot of energy :-)

I'll let you know how the recovery is going as soon as I'm able Anne-Marie.  Our hospital has these very cool state-of-the-art computers at each bed and I may be able to log on here...hope so.

So sorry you are in pain.  Hang in there and take whatever meds you need to make you comfortable.

Julie

[Moosiebjm]

I haven't had the same surgery, but I had surgery in September to remove a portion of my colon.  The entire sigmoid and about 6 inches of the descending colon.  My incision begins about 3 inches above my belly button and goes down to my hairline.

What I want to speak to is the "4-6 weeks" recovery theory.  I was told the same thing.  That's when your incision should be healed from the outside, that's when you should be able to be up and around a little better, driving and not have quite so many restrictions but realistically, an incision of this nature can take up to a full year to fully heal and recover.  There's muscle tissue and nerve tissue that takes a very long time to fully heal.  Then you have to factor in just how YOU are going to heal.  I'm five months into this and I'm not anywhere back to recovered.  I saw the surgeon a couple of weeks ago and he clarified it for me.  I'd been puzzling and puzzling over why, if I'm supposed to be "recovered" after at the most 6 weeks, why did I still have so much pain, discomfort and weakness?  I'm healed up from the outside, but much is still going on inside.

I'm hoping to not sound like a bummer here.  It's just that if you are expecting to be up and at 'em like nothing ever happened, that's not happening!!!  : )  In fact, I got the go ahead to exercise for real again and just today, I must have pulled something in my abdomen because all up and down my incision it's purple and bruised looking.  Called the doc, and that's normal too apparently.

Anyway, good luck, and I hope things go well for you.  Love, hugs and God bless, Barb

[Candy001]

Hi Anne-Marie,

I'll be thinking about on the 16th!!  Good luck and I'll be checking to see how things went.

Candy

[juli1963]

me too, am having mine on the 15th! xoxo js

[Gatsby]

Ladies, you are all in my prayers.  God Speed for good news and speedy recoveries.
Love ~ Tascha