Vicki’s Robotic Hysterectomy

Type of Hysterectomy: Full Robotic
Age at surgery: 42
Location: Tulsa OK

I was diagnosed with focal complex hyperplasia with atypia. My regular pap and a d&c came back with the same diagnosis. We tried pills but the pain was terrible. Nothing seemed to make it better. The periods would last for weeks and be so heavy I’d have to use 2 pads at once and it would still seep through. I did get a 2nd opinion via a cancer doctor who did the surgery.

Going in, we were at the hospital at 5:30 am. We got checked in and taken to the back. The nurses had some problems getting my IV in, but that was the only issue we had that day. I got wheeled into the back, the mask was put on me, and I don’t remember anything until I woke up in my room where my husband, my dad, my mother-in-law and best friend were. The first half of the day I slept off the anesthesia and by 6 pm I was sitting up on the side of the bed. The only negative I would say I had was that they never let me walk. They kept clot preventer bags on my legs I didn’t walk until right before I was let out the next day. Even at that I walked out. I didn’t go down in a wheelchair.

The trip home was good. I had to hold the seat belt away because it was still very sore on my stomach. When we got home my dad was there, we visited for a bit and then went for a short walk to keep the blood moving. We settled in on the couch, and even though I moved my legs while I slept I didn’t move enough. I woke up about 6:30 a.m. having to run to the bathroom. While sitting on the toilet I began to hyperventilate. When I got back to the couch my husband started monitoring my oxygen. On 11/1/15 I ended up being picked up by the ambulance with A-fib. I couldn’t breath; my oxygen levels where in the 70’s. We later found out that I had a major saddle embolism clot that had broken free. I spent a week in the hospital, 4 days in ICU and 3 days on a regular floor.

My health is gradually getting better. I am still having some residual issues from the blood clot but that is to be expected. . The hysterectomy went perfect; it was the aftermath that caused the problems. I spent 6 weeks recovering when I should have been recovered in 2 weeks. I am glad I had the hysterectomy because it helped ease the pain that I was in; the pain was sometimes so bad I couldn’t do anything but lay in bed. Forget wanting to have sex, it was too painful.

Always be aware of the symptoms, write them down, and how often. Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion and find a doctor who is reputable in the field. My cancer doctor/surgeon was the top of his field and I am truly thankful for that. Women should understand that having a hysterectomy is not the end of the world. The sex drive is still there. It might be different, but the pain, the anger, and the stress is gone. I’m one of the lucky ones as far as the after effects go with hot flashes and things like that. I do not experience those.