Hysterectomy Recovery: Ground Zero

Pre-surgery photos on Oct 13; Almost exactly 5 months after first endometriosis excision surgery.

Previously on Erin's Surgery Updates ~ On Monday, October 13, I had a supracervical hysterectomy (removing uterus, leaving my cervix and left ovary) as well as a secondary endometriosis excision surgery. I haven't received the surgical reports yet so I'm unsure of exactly how many endo lesions were removed but I'll be sure to update y'all when I know. What I do know is that Dr. Zaidan said he was glad this surgery happened in succession so quickly after the first surgery because he knew the re-growth of the endo could be extensive... and he was right.

Oct 13, Day of Surgery: 0/10, do not recommend this level of pain. This is so rough. I'm way more sick from medications this time around than I ever have been before. I think it's a combination of the relaxant they gave me while getting the IVs in pre-op, the anesthesia, and then the Dilaudid post-op. Two doses of Zofran before leaving the hospital did next to nothing. I lost count of how many times I vomited. I can't hold down any liquids, foods or meds.

Oct 14, Day 1: 0/10, do not recommend this level of pain. Still dry heaving every time I have to get up until around 5am. Barely slept due to the pain. I don't eat or take any Norco until 10am, as there is NOTHING in my system and I am still quite nauseated every time I get up. Pain all day, nausea almost the entire day. I watched at least 4 movies to distract myself but it's getting harder and harder to do that as the day progressed.

Oct 15, Day 2: 6/10, I can handle this amount of pain, I am high and I can eat small, soft snacks. All of my food is staying down. Nausea is mostly gone. I was able to sleep more last night because the Norco started to kick in overnight, thank goodness. I am staying strictly on my Norco every 4 hours as it seems that's the only way to stay on top of the pain. I've been able to eat apple juice, Gatorade, applesauce, fruit snacks, carrots and hummus, gf crackers, gf/df mac 'n cheese, df yogurt, mashed potatoes, chicken bone broth, toast with apple butter and egg salad (df = dairy free, gf = gluten free).

Outside of these actual symptomatic updates, I'm very happy to be on the other side of this surgery. I'm so excited to see how my quality of life improves. Dr. Z is certain that I'll continue feel better once I'm through this recovery. I was hoping that if he found only a little endo in this second surgery that my recovery may be smoother and quicker, but this was not the case. My abdomen feels about the same as last time, maybe even worse if I'm honest. I'm taking it VERY easy, only getting up and out of bed to use the restroom, and ONLY with Trish's help. I'm unable to get myself out of bed at this point but I am at least able to roll over a little now that the Norco is Norco-ing. I'm just happy to report that today is better because Monday and Tuesday were so incredibly brutal. Looking forward to resting and continuing to update y'all as I can.

<3 E