Coming Home Alone After a Radical Hysterectomy - Give Me Your Best Tips!

[Whowahway123]

Hi everyone 😊

I’m due to have a radical hysterectomy soon (4wks out) and whilst I’m feeling positive about it, I’m also trying to get organised as I’ll be coming home to an empty house and recovering on my own & dealing with going into immediate surgically induced menopause- fun!

I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through it. What were the best things you did to prepare beforehand? Are there any little tips, tricks or purchases that made life easier during recovery?

A few things I’m wondering about:

• What should I get sorted before I go into hospital?
• What meals or food prep worked well for you?
• What everyday tasks were harder than expected?
• Were there any absolute recovery essentials?
• How much help did you need in the first few days and weeks?
• Is there anything you wish someone had told you beforehand?

I’m generally quite independent and practical, but I’d much rather learn from those who’ve already done it than discover things the hard way! 😊

Any advice, no matter how small, would be very gratefully received.

AIBU to think I can do this all myself?

*it’s open surgery bikini line incision

In terms of sorting things out - change your bedding the day before you into hospital so it's nice and clean, get all your laundry done. Buy extra pants/Pjs etc if needed so you don't have to do any laundry for say 3 weeks.
For food - those little porridge pots were amazing, yoghurts, nice soup. Anything that doesn't require standing up for ages to make. And fibre!! Hopefully you'll have some visitors or can get grocery deliveries for fresh milk and bread etc. You'll need a stock of books/magazines/puzzles/list of tv shows to watch. And a plan for getting active again - they say that activity makes recovery quicker.

Maybe ask to move this to the Women's health board, you'll get some good advice there. All the best with it!

This exact thing happened to me 10 years ago…don’t be me! I completely ignored all advice and forced myself up and about after about day 3…I even washed the car (buckets and sponge!!) the first week I was home. The result of my ‘little miss independent’ act was burst stitches 😢

Ask for help…with as much as you can…and don’t lift anything heavier than a kettle.

Utilise a laundry service…this was a killer for me! Bending, carrying washing, trying to peg it out, fold etc…just don’t! Either rope in family/friends, or book a laundry service (which includes ironing).

Pre- order your shopping to be delivered…have smaller loads, more often. So if you usually do one big shop a week…change it temporarily to 3 smaller deliveries. That way, you won’t have as much to put away, sort out. Ask the delivery driver to carry it through to your kitchen…explain you’ve just had an operation and can’t lift.

The obvious…pre cook and freeze at least a weeks worth of dinners. Have breakfast/lunch easy meals prepped for the first couple of days back…croissants/bread for toast/sandwich fillings that require no effort.

Bottled water…have plenty in so you can just grab one to keep by your side. Honestly…you might think ‘oh I’ll just get glasses of water’, but you’ll be walking hunched over, and in some discomfort…last thing you need is a dropped glass or spilled water!

Most importantly…have your daily outfits completely sorted, and maybe put in piles on a spare bed/counter top. Think these through…bending, stretching, reaching down to put your knickers on, is a HUGE challenge. Simple, loose shift dresses are a godsend! Over your head, with no bending/leg lifting!! Knickers are a bonus once you can get them on 🤣 Have some comfortable sliders for popping outside, and comfortable slip on slippers for indoors. Forget socks/tights…won’t be happening for a while 😵‍💫

Good luck OP xx

Get lots of those tablets for relieving trapped wind as it is really painful after surgery.
You will likely want to be in bed for a few days so have drinks and snacks ready in bedroom and plenty to do, I read several books.

The first few days you will just sleep a lot. Soups, yoghurts and other easy to eat foods are probably all you will want.

Get some lactulose in. The first post-op poo is an ordeal!

Practise rolling onto your side then pushing yourself slowly into a sitting position. Lower your legsslowly off the bed to sit up straight. And only when you are ready, bend forward slightly and slowly stand up while exhaling. Try to straighten and use good posture.

I don’t think i’ve explained this very clearly. You may find a youtube video that helps.

Beware of dogs that bounce around or up towards you.

I’ve just searched youtube for “how to get out of bed after abdominal surgery”. I think the videos will help. All the best.

oh and a mini fridge beside the bed was helpful too.

My friend had a travel kettle... easier to pour
Lots of frozen 1 portion meals that she could just put in the microwave
I stayed with her the first night home just to make sure she was ok
Hope all goes well