What support is needed post-hysterectomy?

[PaganQueen]

My sister is having a hysterectomy soon, she’s a single parent like me and we lean on each other in bad times and good so I’m going to stay with her for a while to support as my children will be on holiday with my ex husband.

I don’t know what practical support she might need, wondering whether I should try and borrow a chair for the shower? That is the sum total of my thinking so far 😂😂😂

She is pretty young at 43 to be having such a big op and her mental health isn’t as robust as she’d like at the moment anyway so I know she will struggle in other ways than just the physical ones.

I will of course ask her what she would like in terms of support but I really don’t think her head is in the right place to think in advance what might be needed. So thought if I ask here I could have a few ideas in place to draw on.

I’m summoning the collective wisdom of Mumsnet please!

Here’s what I needed (aged 47) - full abdominal incision so might not be as bad if she has keyhole

Couldn’t really do anything for the first week I was home other than shuffle around. DH did all cooking, cleaning, childcare. I did the online shopping order but I couldn’t lift it in or put it away.

By week two I could move around better but still couldn’t really lift anything - I have a strong memory of trying to get a saucepan out of a low cupboard and worrying I’d pulled my stitches as a result.

Depending on their age, her kids should be able to step in and help. It was a great opportunity for mine to learn how to do the washing/dishes/hoovering etc.

After about 3 weeks I was pretty much back up and running, with the exception of ironing and hoovering.

I really needed the bulk of the help in the first week or two. But I didn’t ever need a seat for the shower (sorry!). Meals in the freezer were a godsend - could you do that? And just practical logistics - taking me to follow up appointments, and any other appointments, plus kids to anywhere they needed to be - I couldn’t drive for about 5 weeks.

Thank you @Changedmynamefor that’s really helpful. I’m disappointed she might not need a shower chair though, she would find it hilarious!

It isn’t keyhole so yes she will struggle with lifting stuff, but children are 18 and 10 so they will be able to help too. Eldest is working but younger one will need a grown up around during the day when sis is sat in her wicker wheelchair!

Excellent idea about freezer meals, that is something I can get on to in advance so good thinking, thank you.

Any more ideas out there?

My mum had the op a while back. She couldn't sit on the sofa as it was too low to get in and out of so a friend loaned her a more upright comfy chair to sit in.

She needs to rest and be very strict about it. A friend of my mum developed an incision hernia because she overdid it so had to have the whole incision reopened and restitched.

No lifting, no twisting, no pushing supermarket trolley.

I had my full abdominal hysterectomy aged 47. The hardest thing to do was sneeze and one of the nurses on the ward said you have to have a cushion ready to clutch into the area which literally ' softens the blow'a bit).
Sitting up to get out of bed was so hard that I learned to roll out sideways !
There is a nylon ladder type thingy that you can attach to the the leg of the bed to pull yourself up on and a hand to get up from the chair was so welcome !

Honestly - sleep, fluids and nicely presented food. If you just keep the house ticking over - laundry, housework, shopping etc and let her rest - picking up nothing heavier than a cup of tea and small, regular amounts of walking, she will be fine. Other than that’s, the towel/cushion trick for coughing/sneezing/being a passenger in a car.

I had a full hysterectomy aged 39. The day afyer the op I was up for a little walk and in the shower. By the time I left the hospital my stitches were taken out as they'd healed so fast and I was walking long laps around the floor of the hospital. As others have said no lifting anything heavier that a cup of tea. But I didn't need help getting out of a chair / bed etc.

My biggest recommendation is to take arnica tablets for 2 weeks beforehand and as soon as she's allowed after the op for a week. It will greatly reduce the internal bruising and really helped my stitches to heal.