This will be a big DADT week, so my fellow baristas are likely to bring you information on the goings-on on that front.

It’s probably best for me, but I’ve stayed away from reading blogs, watching news or anything connected to politics for about 95% of the time since I’ve been back home from the hospital (last Tues). I’ve mostly dropped by on Twitter or FB to update people on how I’m doing.

I’m ok, could be better, but probably within the norm. It’s easily a 4-6 week recovery, with many women not 100% even 4 months out, so it’s a long haul even without complications.

TMI-aversives can skip the details below the fold.
A summary of last few days…

* I joined HysterSisters, a community of women who are pre- and post-op. Lots of good infomation there. Shark-Fu, who had her operation on the same day that I did, said she’s signing up as well.

* All of my abdominal incisions save one look good; we’re watching one that has had some discharge that’s a tad nasty, but overall I think it’s in check.

* All bathroom functions are occurring (not a easy given after this particular op), but not back to normal quite yet, particularly #1. I think that has something to do with the stitches from the va-jay-jay tearing taking out the enlarged uterus wholesale (argh, glad I was knocked out), also from the narcotics, which I am reducing, and that is helping some.

* My legs are like a dysfunctional Pillsbury Dough-Boy’s. Swollen with fluids, the pitting (or indentations left if you push your finger into my skin) is outlandish. A loose pair of socks left their mark on my legs for many hours after I had removed them. I had only had them on about an hour when I briefly went out.

* Oh yes, about that trip out. I was feeling clear headed enough and in little pain on Sunday, so Kate took me to Macy’s for a brief trip to get some knee highs. I have to wear dresses or sundresses with long-sleeve shirts because I can’t tolerate any pants pressing on my abdomen. Thus I have cold legs. Anyway, 20 minutes at Macy’s turned into 1) an almost complete pass-out onto the couch for a long nap. The fatigue was like hitting a wall, and 2) I had breakthrough bright red bleeding, likely from the dreaded “doing too much.”

* This AM I probably would have freaked out had I not learned on HysterSisters that passing large blood clots is not abnormal, since when I got up today, that’s exactly what happened.

* While the first few days when I was taking pain meds round the clock on a schedule, I had more energy. As I ratcheted down the oxycontin and upped the use of ibuprofen, pain management is a bit more difficult, and I’ve been more tired. Today I was unable to do anything except sleep. I didn’t eat anything until about 1PM today. Not that I was hungry anyway. I actually feel worse physically than I did last week. Also not abnormal. This stuff ebbs and flows as you make adjustments in meds.

* The one bright spot has been my diabetes control. I have continued my strict regimen of many needles and lots of testing to help avoid infection risk. Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about that, but the frequency with which I have to get up and test and take needles is interrupted sleep that I need. It’s a rough balancing act that non-diabetics hysterectomy patients don’t have to deal with.

Anyway, I was duly flogged on FB and Twitter for my trip out in the real world, so I’ve learned my lesson and will take shorter walks (doing nothing is just as bad as doing too much) to keep things moving, and get more sleep. I will check in with my endo and surgeon soon if anything goes south.

OK, that’s way too much typing for now. I’m wiped; thanks again for the emails and comments. I do read them, I just don’t always have the energy to respond.
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