I’ve been telling myself I have to get back to blogging, so here I am. I have been incredibly busy lately–traveling the world–okay, I’m just making it sound better than it was! We had the Europe trip in May/June, and I plan to write more about it. Then, I started a new job; then we went to the beach for a week (more later), then I had surgery. I don’t advertise the trips when the house is going to be empty.
About the surgery: I had a front-end realignment (as Terry calls it) which translates in lay terms to having my bladder rehung. The medical term for it is a transvaginal bladder neck suspension. I had this done this past Tuesday, so I am at home recovering on the couch. Now, usually I am not a wimp with surgery (I had my gall bladder removed on a Friday and was back at school the next Tuesday, walking slowly, I admit.) Anyway, this was a horrible surgery. I think it was worse than having a baby! I had to spend 1 night in the hospital and came home with a catheter (it comes out Monday). When I woke up Thursday morning, I felt like a truck had run over me. I was sore all over (part of that was due to a bicycle wreck at the beach); my eyes were swollen; I hadn’t had a lot of sleep; my stomach was upset; the catheter hurt; and my throat was sore. Thankfully, Kelly came by and gave me some much needed care. She brought breakfast, helped with with dressing and other stuff, and provided moral support. Terry had to go to work–he had not worked the whole week of the beach and missed part of Tuesday & Wednesday due to the surgery. By the time Kelly left, I was resting comfortably on the couch.
I am slowly improving but don’t feel like getting too far from that couch!
Ladies, if you have had that surgery, tell me what you think about your own. If I had known. . . . I think I might have lived with the problem. I am hoping in a week or two that I will be glad I had it, but now, I’m not too sure. I have needed it for a long time but have put it off.
I had it when I was 28. The difference–my doc did it through my abdomen. It was horrible. I came home with a tube (yes, tube) sticking out of my left side, and had it for 11 days. I remember Jenny W. took me to have it removed, and it was wonderful. Then when I had my hysterectomy they had to do it through my abdomen so they would not undo the bladder repair. Then when I fell through the ceiling, I had 43 staples from my pelvis to my hip. Needless to say, my stomach looks like several railroad tracks.
Mary Ann–I don’t think anything could compare to what you had to go through after your accident!
Rebecca, I had an A & P repair to correct bladder problems 15 or 20 years ago and it was a breeze as I remember it. Dr. Anne Avery did it vaginally and I recovered quickly . . . maybe a week. I was able to walk around the hospital corridors the next day and don’t remember anything but mild pain for a few days. I did have a lack of energy from the anesthesia for a week or so, but really didn’t fare too badly. From what you describe, it sounds as if they now have a different method of bladder repair. I recall Dr. A. saying the A & P repair would probably last around 10 yrs, so I am probably past due for a second repair . . . which I’m not sure I want after hearing about your experience.