Recovering from an Abdominal Myomectomy Procedure Pt 2: Hospital Days, or OUCH! Zzzz.OUCH! Zzzz..

My first day in the hospital was rough. 

Although my morphine pump was removed at some point in the early morning, I couldn't stay awake for more than 30 minutes at a time with the drug still in my system.

A nurse dispensing Tramadol to ease my discomfort, explained I had been fitted with a catheter (standard practice) that they would remove later in the afternoon so I could try walking. For most of the day, I slept either lying on the bed or sitting up in the chair beside it. I tried reading a couple of times and realised that was a dead end. The whole ward was quiet with each patient getting to grips with their own pain levels and discomfort.

My fluid IV stayed in, until late morning so I didn't worry about being dehydrated. A few times during the day I was offered tea, biscuits and sandwiches. Everything felt super-dry with my tube-scratched throat and I couldn't even keep water down.  At some point that afternoon when my stomach still hadn't settled, I was given an anti-sickness injection. I was able to eat a little bit an hour later but had no real appetite for food.

I think I was deemed unready when the last shift were available to remove catheters so mine stayed in place until the next morning.

The next day, the first thing the chief nurse on duty announced firmly, was that my catheter was coming out and I was to try walking around the bed a few times during the day (as if I was resisting the effort - I was willing the day before - just not able!). I dutifully (and painfully) did two bed laps after I was freed from the catheter bag. An hour later I walked what felt like a mile to the bathroom, with no results once I was there.

Retreating back to the bedside seat, a Doctor told me I would be discharged that day. Eh???

I couldn't imagine walking clean across the hospital, enduring a bumpy, swerving car ride and walking up two external flights of stairs to get into my apartment at that point, but the Doctor was unimpressed. "yes, that shouldn't be a problem", he answered when I described my journey home.

I had a handful of visitors during the afternoon, all of whom were surprised to hear they almost missed me! By 7pm I was loaded up with all the medication I would need, and discharged..

Next post - Home sweet home.. or coughing is of the devil

Recovering from an Abdominal Myomectomy Procedure Pt 1 (or, Waiting Room Blues)

                                                                                    

On The Day of the Op..

                                                                                      Image: http://www.subodh.com

Nil by Mouth from What Time?

The only key advice I would give for your op day is take careful note of what time you need to stop eating and drinking. My admission time was 11am, I was advised to have a light breakfast by 6am and I was able to drink water up to 10am.

Admission is a Slooooooow Process..

1.    Be prepared to answer the same questions, over and over again in the pre-op sessions with a variety of professionals.
 

2.    Don't forget to take with you, any medication you use regularly so they can double-check that none of it will conflict with anaesthesia or any of the pain medication they administer in the hospital.
 

3.    Take whatever you need to pass the time, I took my mini iPad and charger so I had the choice of reading on the Kindle or playing games while I waited. I was at the hospital for more than 4 hours before actually being wheeled through to the op room. There are many pre-op checks (pregnancy, blood pressure levels, heart rate, ECG etc), but each takes no more than 5 - 10 minutes before you're deposited back in the waiting room. At some point, an anaesthetist will meet you to go though the type of anaesthesia applicable to you, answer any questions or concerns you may have, and ask questions on your medical history including any previous operations.
  

Immediate Recovery

Immediate recovery was a blur. My op was longer than planned and I came to quite late in the day.

My anaesthetist had explained the self-administering morphine button before I went under (also known as the PCA - patient controlled analgesia, a handheld device which you press every time you want to give yourself a dose of the pain killer). I was reminded how to use it as I came to, and my night began. I was monitored heavily that first night due to complications during surgery so my sleep was regularly interrupted by tests, but with anaesthesia still in my system along with the morphine, I was out for the count as soon as each test was complete, sometimes before the nurses were finished!

Thanks for reading! Please do comment below with your own experiences!

Next post on this topic “Hospital Days, or OUCH! Zzzzzzz.OUCH! Zzzzzzz..” 

Further Reading

British Fibroid Trust 

http://www.britishfibroidtrust.org.uk/myomectomy.php

Preparing for an Abdominal Myomectomy Procedure Pt 2 (or, is it HOT in here or is it just me?)

Preparing for Op-Day

 

1.       Weight Loss

A few months before the op, my consultant advised me not to put on any more weight.

Studies show that remaining within a set variation of your ideal Body Mass Index (BMI), statistically reduces complications during and after an operation. While I permanently reside above my personal BMI, I was apparently just under the 'danger zone'.

I have never been on a diet, and have a real aversion to the idea. My plan after speaking to the specialist was to change something simple about my eating habits in order to maintain my current weight. If that resulted in me losing a little, even better!

That's where smoothie-making came in. I resolved to introduce more (alright - some!) fruit and veg into my daily diet. It worked a breeze, I dropped a little weight and gained a bit of energy in the process.

2.      Zoladex Injections

For three months prior to the op, I received Zoladex injections.

Zoladex implants prevent the production of certain types of hormones in the body. It is used to stop monthly cycles and hopefully shrink fibroids prior to surgery.

When to Take Zoladex

I had my first injection in the first week of my cycle three months prior to my op date, and a further two injections every four weeks.

I was also given Livial Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) which I elected not to take. Call me hard-headed, but I didn't want to start medication to combat symptoms I hadn't even experienced. The side effects started approx. 3 - 4 weeks after the first injection and became progressively worse over the course of the last two months.

Suggestion: Zoladex injections must be taken within a very tight window, With timely GP appointments hard to come in the UK, make sure you book your GP appointments for injections well in advance, you can always cancel if your operation is rescheduled.


Zoladex Side Effects

Hot flashes!!  Imagine sitting in a huge pot on a low-to-medium simmer while in a meeting trying to remain professional and pay attention. It’s a MASSIVE distraction trying to ignore regular bouts of prickling fire in your chest, heat gradually creeping up to your hair follicles and visible sweat all over your face and hairline at random times throughout a working day.

Image:http://cocoafab.com/

Then there was trouble sleeping due to night sweats. Waking up burning.. Throwing off covers. Waking up FREEZING, scrambling to find the edge of the duvet and pull it up to your chin.. Far too much activity when there is another busy work day ahead next day.

I must admit I was blasé about hot flashes, "..what's so bad about a  bit of heat?", but facing the same symptoms in the future and knowing they may last for years, I could definitely see myself opting for HRT.

As you can imagine, disrupted sleep and managing hot flashes during the day contribute to a feeling of fatigue. 

I also felt thirsty all the time, I was nauseas in weeks 2-3 after the first injection and my whole body was itching all day, EVERY day, after my third injection.

Another side effect to mention was the emotional roller-coaster, sudden tears  - perhaps better described as sudden grief, with no basis and no letup was a shock. That stage lasted only a week but after a couple of rough days I was relieved to re-check Zoladex side effects and put my mind at ease that I wasn't having a minor breakdown!

Knowing I was going through a very short (3 month) tunnel with light at the end made the season bearable.

If you have been prescribed Zoladex for any reason, I would be interested to hear what side affects you experienced. Feel free to comment below..

Thanks for reading! Next post on this topic “Op day and Immediate Recovery”.

Further Reading

Body Mass Index (BMI)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index

Zoladex

http://www.drugs.com/zoladex.html

Livial

http://www.medicines.org.uk/guides/Livial/Hormone%20replacement%20therapy

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone_replacement_therapy

Smoothie-Making: And the Winner This Month is..

My favourite taste this month has been my kale, banana, coconut water, satsuma and green grape combo. Definitely deserving of a blog post for the many mornings I have switched from my chosen pre-prepped freezer bag, in order to make this.

Favourite: Banana, kale, satsuma, green grapes, coconut water.. more kale.

A quarter of peeled lemon or a nub of peeled ginger gives the combo a nice twist but it’s also great with no variations.

Love it!

Do share any favourites of your own below, I'm always trying new combo's..

Preparing for an Abdominal Myomectomy Procedure Pt 1 (or,You're going to do WHAT to my Uterus?!)

Knowing I was due to undergo an abdominal myomectomy this year, I scoured the internet and talked to friends and colleagues who have been through the procedure. I wanted to have an idea of what to expect prior to, during and after the operation.

Each UK health trust works differently, my own (Croydon Health Services) were vague about recovery. It occurred to me that a few blog posts on my experience might be of use to others.

Image: http://www.wisegeekhealth.com

What is a Myomectomy?

A myomectomy is a surgical removal of uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumours that grow on or around the womb.

While the exact cause of fibroids is unknown, we do know they are linked to the hormone oestrogen, at least 40% of women experience fibroid growth to some degree, and fibroid growths develop more frequently in women of African Caribbean origin.

Two types of Myomectomy

There are two types of myomectomy, laparoscopic and abdominal.

Laparoscopic  (keyhole): Surgery incision through a keyhole cut, an instrument is used to remove the fibroids. Typical recovery is 1 - 2 weeks.

Abdominal (open): A cut is made in the abdomen to remove the fibroids. Typical recovery is 4 - 6 weeks.

My consultant explained the size and location of my fibroids called for abdominal surgery.

The clearest explanation of the abdominal procedure I have found is here, I have summarised below.

• The surgeon makes an incision on the skin over the uterus and takes the uterus out.
• An incision is made on the uterus itself, the fibroids are found and cut out.
• The surgeon uses dissolvable sutures to reconstruct the uterus walls.
• The restored uterus is 'popped back in' (not a medical term obviously), the incision is sewn closed.

I found a very interesting video of the procedure, Note: I DID NOT watch this before the operation - you have to know for yourself how much information will help calm your nerves and what will freak you out!

Thanks for reading! Next post on this topic "Is it hot in here, or is it just me?"

Further Reading

Uterine Fibroids, NHS Website
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Fibroids/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Abdominal Myomectomy Blog
http://how-to-avoid-hysterectomy.com/blog/abdominal-myomectomy-2.html 

Video of Abdominal Myomectomy Procedure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMKJ9IoTdD0

How Have the Smoothies Been Going?

'So.. how have the smoothies been going?' Was a question from a work colleague recently.

While I can report, I have been fairly consistent with smoothie making in the past few months, in contrast, I have been pretty shoddy with blog entries.

That's because along with my established affection for Pinterest I discovered the joys of Tumblr, and have been distracted with reposting other people's pictures and blog posts..


Smoothie Making: 3 Things I have Learned So Far

1. I make smoothies for my breakfast on work days. Whether or not I organise myself in time to do this each morning is dependant on what fruit-stock I have in the freezer, and what time my first morning meeting is due to take place.

9am, 9.30am meetings = starbucks or costa coffee
10:30am meetings onwards = home-made smoothies


2. . Almond milk seems like a natural favourite among those with lactose intolerance but after a few goes, I realised I don't really enjoy almond milk. I cant put my finger on why, just end up feeling a little nauseous if I don't drink it when its super-cold. So far, my go-to liquid has been coconut water from a can, which is not ideal but works for me right now.

I recently bought some chai and some green tea bags with a view to trying cooled tea as a smoothie base, will update this post (or a new post) and let you know how that goes. Similarly, avocado's in smoothies? Not my favourite option so far but I haven't given up on that yet. WIll try a few more recipe combinations first.

My only attempt using avocado instead of banana or mango as the creamy element in a smoothie. Perhaps it was combination of ingredients not just the avocado? It was aiiiigghht but not fabulous.

Ingredients: Kale, pineapple, avocado, coconut water. Meh..

3. Prep makes it all possible. On the weeks where I stock my freezer with mixed fruit and veg bags, I can be more consistent throughout the week with morning smoothie making.I do a fruit-fest all at once, randomly filling freezer bags with different combinations so each is slightly different.

I would list here, the contents of these freezer bags I put together, but your guess (based on ingredients we can make out from gazing at the picture), is as good as mine! You get the gist through! 

Thanks for reading! Check out my Tumblr page below.


Tumblr: http://thiabee.tumblr.com/

Keeping Up..

Maintaining the excitement of my first smoothie, I returned to the remnants of the medium zip lack bag. 

In a satisfyingly short space of time I managed to blend these..

Purple Delight

One and a half bananas

One cooked and cooled beetroot from a packet (don’t judge me)

One handful of grapes

Spinach 

Coconut water 

The result was a rich aubergine colour and a lovely taste. 

I took the contents to work for my first smoothie lunch.

With every intention of having ONLY the smoothie for lunch, I chickened out at midday and left the office in search of something to nibble on after the smoothie. I just didn’t believe it could make me feel full!

The two mini pies I bought (steak and ale and chicken), were the size of mini pork pies but gave me a sense of security. I was happy to find that once I drank the smoothie I didn’t want anything else. I still ended up eating both pies after 4pm because.. er.. waste not, want not!

Day One: Feeling Smooth

I am feeling quite pleased about the acquisition of my brand new half-price (£15), Smoothie 2 Go from Kenwood.

I have a vision of achieving a slimmer physique and glowing skin in a number of days simply as a result of handing over my visa card at the till..

Wait – What do you mean I have to do more? Ugh.. ok. Let me work this out.

Two hours on Pinterest.. and a couple of ‘have you seen the new Marvel trailer for… ‘ and ‘..did you see that video of the gymnasts doing those crazy ab-crunching exercises?’ texts, and I have dragged myself BACK to my original purpose. Smoothie recipes.

Oh. Ok, this doesn’t look like too much work. I can do this! 

I start by rummaging in the kitchen. Red apples, cucumbers, and lemons.

Hmn.. I don’t so.

I decide to pop out for fruit and veg.

As I lay my new acquisitions on the kitchen counter, I wonder what was I thinking when I picked up the two grapefruits?

I had no clear plan for those, but I set to dividing the rest of my purchases into clear plastic bags (as seen on Pinterest – be prepared to read that phrase a LOT if you stick with this blog).

Throwing the sealed bags into the freezer, I remember I have every intention of making my first smoothie immediately – and pull one bag out again.

Two minutes later I also remember I have a ‘single-portion’ blender, not a family sized one, and resign myself to pulling selected ingredients out of the self-seal bag and wedging them bit by bit, into the blender cup for processing..

This prep-thing will improve.

Half of the fruit and veg in the freezer bag, fits into the blender cup.

Note: Small freezer bags next time, not medium.

My first smoothie is comprised of the ingredients below.

Smoothie by a Smoothie

Half a banana

One handful of grapes

One quarter of a peeled lemon

As much spinach as I could squeeze into the cup

Coconut water (from a can, because who has time?)

I can’t downplay the delight I feel as I blend it up.. LOOK - it’s working!

Taste test.. 

...nice! Mission accomplished.

Hello There..

Hello There..

..from Smoothies and juices to polymer clay canes and jewellery making. From pondering the mysterious markings of my DSLR camera to the randomness of reposts from my social media feeds. This blog is what is on (and in) my mind..

Image: http://www.tonilatour.com/hello-there/