I was diagnosed with stage 1b2 cervical cancel back in February. Now on Tuesday am booked in for a radical hysterectomy. Not looking forward to this Worried about pain and keep seeing things about doing nothing for 6 weeks plus which is impossible as i dont get paid if cant work so wont be able to survive. Also hating the thought of being stranded in a hospital where the nurses ignore u while you lie there in pin and nobody allowed in to see you and help( had bad experience at hospital in 2018 and only ever got anything done due to visitors) So got all this running through my mind and TBH i dont feel ill at all. Its this surgery going to wreck my life for heven knows how long. Not to mention a teenager wrecking my house while im not there and i wont be fit enough to sort it. Sorry i guess this is rambling
Hi Sam71
Sorry you find yourself in this club but welcome, Jo’s is a great forum.
I had a radical hysterectomy back in 2017 and I remember a number of fears heaping up so the whole things builds up in your mind to something monumental. East to say but try and take it a day at a time. Maybe there are things you could do now to prepare for the time you are in hospital and the post op period, I was given a leaflet during one of my pre op appointments which suggested things like having ready prepared meals in the freezer (if you have a freezer?) for when you get back home after the op. If there’s a time in your life to let standards drop, it’s during treatment/recovery time - housework can wait; maybe consider putting treasured items somewhere safe to limit damage from a teenager?
Admittedly I didn’t have a teenager at home - are there any friends/family that could help out? I’m sorry you have the additional worries about income. I would suggest telling your Clinical Nurse Specialist about your concerns as she will likely have experience in supporting/signposting other patients in similar situations. If you are in the UK it’s worth contacting Macmillan for advice as they have expertise in a number of fields including family and finance:
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/get-support?&infinity=ict2~net~gaw~ar~305825389193~kw~macmillan%20family%20support~mt~e~cmp~g_ps_cs_uk_bnd_non-cancer+type_demography_ex~ag~family&gclid=eaiaiqobchmioi__n6659wivtwdmch0wpqfweaayasaaeglzu_d_bwe&gclsrc=aw.ds
How is your sugery being done? It helps to know as it enables others to share relevant experience. I had robot assisted keyhole surgery which has a relatively quick recovery time but I believe open surgery is more favoured now.
Feel free to ‘ramble’, rant etc etc - there’s lots of us here with various experiences to share.
x
Having open surgery with vertical cut. No idea why has ti be vertical. Going in tomorrow morning Not been told how long im expected to stay there Hopefully will be allowed at least one visitor. Just hope this operation works and is worth all the hassle
Hi Sam,
Have they discussed with you exactly what they’ll be taking and why they are opting for this sort of surgery? They should have done so - and it sounds to me like you’re not totally happy that you know why you’re having the treatment you are - i.e. a radical hysterectomy by open surgery. From what you say this is scheduled for tomorrow? It must feel like it’s crashing in on you too fast. We will all be thinking of you, but please do talk to someone about why this is being done, and what the advantages for you are. You deserve that. Here’s hoping it all goes smoothly for you. X
Well the consultant did talk at me - or rather mumble through a mask she refused to move and i need to see peoples lips to hear properly. Also as wasnt allowed to have anyone at the appt with me it didnt help. . I did ask why they needed to do verrtical cut and was told " thats how i do it" and asking why they removing lymph nodes was told just in case the cancer spreads in the future
Where are you based Sam? I’m surprised they would be removing lymph nodes in case it spreads ‘in the future’. Also if you were not able to hear what the consultant said clearly then you’ve not been properly informed. I’m so sorry to hear you’re going through this this with uncertainty. I hope you can take someone with you tomorrow who can find some answers to your questions. X
Hi Sam
I was initailly staged as 1b2 (old Figo 1b1) and my lymph nodes were removed to determine if there was any cancer in them, despite my MRI and PET scans indicating they were clear. I believe histology is the best way of determining if there is cancer in the lymph nodes and I guess that requires them to be removed. As far as I know it’s standard procedure to remove lymph nodes with stage 1b2 cc but if you have doubts, as Jacks advises, try and get some answers.
I know when I had my pre op consultation that I felt the clinician was somewhat nonchalant. Discussions and decisions about treatment plans will have been made at the MDT and thereafter, from the clinician’s point of view, it’s just a case of delivering the news to the patient - no doubt clinicians differ as to the manner in which they do that.
I hope all goes well for you
x
Oh well had the RH last Tuesday. Stapled from pelvic bone to above bellybutton. Apparently took nearly 8 hours due due complications due to previous appendix surgery. Relesed out of the hospitel just under 48 hrs after with paracetamol and anti clotting injections that my partber has to do. Told to make appt at GP surgery to get nurse to remove staples ( they be lucky she doesnt work weekends and i only tried 65 times so far with no answer) Dont actually feel too bad apart from weird feeling in both arms. And staples feel as though getting tighter
Oh you poor thing, Sam - the staples sound horrible. I know all about the Heparin injections for anti clotting - they should be done in a quadrant round the belly button, in a different quadrant each day. I had them after abdominal surgery and when I had sepsis following my brachytherapy - because I was lying in bed all day. They itch but you get used to them. I do hope you start to heal well and it won’t be long before those staples are out and you can start to make a full recovery. Well done. Xx
Yeah seems to me that 30 days of the injection are a bit much tbh. Especially as ihave no mobility issues Staples are out but still a small gaping hole thats packed etc. Weirdest this is at top of legs and round pubic bone it goes from numbness to feeling like needles stuck in me. Herd nothing from hospital about histology results either. 3 weeks so far and no ide of when i get a follow up appt
Hi Sam
I was told numbness at the top of the legs could be a side effect of a RH. I didn’t experience that particular issue: wondering if the feeling of needles is the sensation making a come back? You could always call your specialist nurse for advice and also to ask how the histology results are progressing.
x
Lol easier said than done one i dont ecen know if i have a specialist nurse and 2 i cant hear well on hone
Should say phone
Hi Sam
If you’re in the UK a specialist nurse is usually present with the doctor during all or most face to face appointments, from diagnosis onwards. You could ask about specialist nurse support at your next appointment or who you should contact if you have questions or concerns between appointments. Thay should be able to offer alternative means of communication other than telephone e.g. e mail.
Hope you get your histology results soon.
x
