Hysterectomies - it's gotta be done but over here for hand holding part two

[Oddsocksrus]

Over here for the hand holding.
One in five women in the uk will have to have a hysterectomy at some point in their lives.
Come and join us if you are waiting, pre op, bleery eyed on the ward or recovering afterwards.

Thanks all. Santa how long post op are you? I have had 2 CS so I think my muscles have the same view as yours! It's the attractive fold of flesh peeking out of the leg of my depressingly sensible knickers that is doing my head in. waiting I suspect some of the problem could be chocolate/crisp/wine related but we need to be kind to ourselves don't we?Started doing some stretches but feeling really crampy now - would head for the sofa but DS's 3 and 5 need getting to bed. Must check out snow leopards, feel I'm missing out. Wonga loans, not so much.

omg snow leopards - their fate is the hands of a bunch of menopausal post op women - 'tis frightening!

I may have folded and adopted an orang-utan.
This is what menopausal women do isn't it? Adopt furry things and buy pot pourri. I have told my sister to shoot me if she catches me tearing up while watching Made In Chelsea.
Work don't want me back til 13th January. How many channel 5 afternoon Christmas weepy movies will I have seen by then.
And I'll be able to open my own animal sanctuary....

Ooh I fancy a christmas weepy. better than judge Judy May have to check out channel 5.

Don't go there Shewho. Before you know it you'll have found 5+1 and honestly that'll be the end if your sanity and your afternoon.

Evening all
Just had a quick catch up through the thread, it does sound like we are all doing better this week.
Sorry for absence, I've been mind of avoiding H talk I suppose, the antibiotics made me feel awful and on top of that we've all had a sickness bug, it's just been great lol

But all better now and have managed a whole day without a nap, look at the time, this is like being a real person again!

Glad you are back and things looking up for you. I know what you mean about wanting to forget about the H a bit - but hope the anti b' s are nearly done
Overdone things today friend took ds and I to cinema with her 2 then we had some tea back at ours but now feel wiped out and am very tired tonight but am on Pinterest rather than going to sleep !

Odds hope you feel better! Nice to have you back!
King- the joys of Pinterest have indeed kept me sane this last while.
Have been gazing at Christmas food and winter sun destinations wistfully

But, crem if you watch made in Chelsea you are already beyond help .

I am a morning TV girl. Afternoons I do other stuff, not entirely clear what, now you ask.

Who better than the coven to take care of a snow leopard? We are kind, we are feisty, we are used to pain, we have nothing else to do , we are perfect to care for a fluffy, lethal, endangered creature.

Back 12 jan my lot appear quite content to let me rock up on 6 jan which will be six weeks sick leave and a week xmas holiday, with no pre work interview malarkey, just, yeah, fine, Kev, wevs, see you then .

Off to boil my egg. Routine is so important.

Waves to odds, that's an Impressive time to be awake. Sorry you have all been ill, that is rubbish.

Hello again odds pleased your feeling a little bit perkier.
Well after being back at work for a whole 7 days I now have a couple of days holiday so can continue my addiction to the phone app pet rescue (fear it may be getting out of hand though...) but probably better than filling the house with snow leopards

Kevin. Have they agreed a phased return? You shouldn't be going back full time

I am ringing work to discuss my rtw this afternoon. I have offered to return early (at 4 weeks) because no one else does my job and work is piling up. It's stressful thinking of going back to face that. If I go back earlier I can at least make decisions, delegate the consequent work out and need only do minimal hours. Two half days? Apparently I'd need to use my annual leave to cover the days I won't work. Simple answer is that I just stay off sick then isn't it.

But then I go back the situation of returning to a mountain of work which will take me a long time to catch up and we have a big external assessment looming. Quite important and if I'm not on top of it it will reflect on me. However if I'm not there, It won't. What would you think

Santas think you shouldn't go back, 4 weeks seems too soon and once your back it's hard to rest when you should.

I am not really worried. The only reason they haven't agreed a phased return is I haven't asked for one. What will happen in practice is I will go back in and they will say, "don't overdo it, go home if you get tired" and I will say "cheers, might do that for the first week" and it will all be fine. I'm in the management team myself so it's not as if anyone is likely to override me.

Santa, how did it go?

I am inclined towards the compromise myself. I postponed my surgery by a fortnight so I could get a big bit of work done and then leave others to implement it. Even though it meant one more period from hell and one more drop in iron levels, I'm glad I did. I am far more relaxed and everyone is more supportive because of it.

So in your shoes I would agree a phased return, say two mornings plus some work from home, after four weeks or so. I've found a big jump in my fitness now at four weeks. No more internal pain, no concerns about pulling on stuff, more stamina altogether.

Can I claim a tired as deck day today? 3 weeks in and I swear I have felt worse today than last week. Walked smallest to school,10 mins each way and practically crawled into bed. Blimey back to work in 3 weeks hope this is a blip

That should say feck....how the chuff do you turn auto correct off on a kindle

Interesting. He asked for a face to face meeting tomorrow. If they are at all unsympathetic or pressure me I shall stay away.

I've actually had quite a rubbish day today. My Christmas lunch yesterday has triggered the most awful bowel pain all night (didn't sleep) and all day. Mint tea, capsule, lactulose and glycerin sups and I have only just felt able to stop writhing

Green...yep I feel exactly the same about my day

Poor you green. Can't remember now if you were keyhole or normal surgery? I think there is a lot of investment early on, IYSWIM, especially if you are not keyhole. It's very tiring and it catches you in bursts.

But I am finding after four weeks that my energy is more consistent. I have managed two hours plus walking each day this week. Last week it was touch and go, some days it was Ok, others I chickened out.

You may be deficient in chocolate. I suggest you take immediate action as that would delay your recovery.

Sorry to hear that Kevin the Bowel is having a teen moment. Poor you. I am not surprised because what with surgery, stress and trying to do some socialising, the poor old system has had a hammering.

All I can say is seriously that this side of the four week divide feels quite different.

Return to work.... I think it's more likely that they are a bit concerned that you want to come back so early and although they are tempted, they want to have a paper trail in case it makes you ill again. D they have form for putting pressure on people?

As for using your holiday, bollocks, your GP can specify a phased return on the sick note and then that's what you get. Holiday my arse.

There are issues at work. Fairly complex ones. They need me back but ideally fighting fit physically and mentally. I don't think I will be either. I think their dilemma is probably should they have me back at all...but they need me.

I'm so tempted to just stay away and rest. Today has really been quite grim

I think you should seriously consider staying away and resting.

I know you are inclined to stoicism and so am I. Bt you have done more than I did at your stage, especially in the evenings. And you have very little help at home.

Nobody's physical or mental health is invulnerable, and it is not worth it to see by experiment how much you can bear. It's not worth risking a breakdown on either front. Especially if they are tempted to not have you back and you may need to look around. Six weeks off for hysterectomy- fine. Four weeks off followed by five weeks off later in the year because you fall apart- much less good on the old CV.

One big lump of sick leave is much better than bits and bobs. If I went back now and had to take time off sick again before April I will face a disciplinary. They count periods of absence in a 12 month period. I had shingles earlier this year and a chest infection at Easter. With this being my third period off its a red flag.
Tbh if youre genuinely ill there's fuck all they can do except give you a verbal warning. But it's the principle I hate.
Green rest. Kevin rest. Santa rest.
You know what I am shattered today after 3 hours out and about in the world doing a few messages. Shattered to the point of needing a lie down this afternoon.
God rest ye merry sofa-surfers.
Remember Cremolas rule: sitting is an activity.

I like that rule.

Isn't funny how your mood goes up and down without any particular reason. I was quite positive on Monday considering everything. Today I want to crawl in a hole and just sleeps forever.

I agree totally re the sick leave. Far better to roll this on now than return and have a less 'excusable' sickness absence.

I probably need chocolate That might cure everything