Well, I had a hysterectomy.
And today, I’m going to talk about it.
Here I am one week post-op.
I’ve been trying to get my thoughts together and well, they’re kind of all over the place. I’ve decided to share my story because I know many of you are considering having one too and perhaps you’re close to my age and don’t have any friends who have had one, so if I can shed some light on my experience and help you, then I’m happy to do it. This post is only going to be about my hysterectomy, I will tackle hormone replacement therapy (something I’ve done for over 6 years now!) later this week as it’s an entirely different animal and deserves its own post.
BUT before I begin, I want to make something so crystal clear, THIS IS ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE ONLY. Friends, I understand my experience was definitely in the “ideal” category. I got to make this decision on my own (with the help of my doctor, of course), on my time and without any other problems happening simultaneously. So many of you are having hysterectomies that are not on your time. You have cancer, you have major medical issues, you did not get to decide the when and the where, you are going through chemo and radiation and this is NOT your plan. I have prayed for you ladies more times than I could count over the last six months. I know that so many of you have had to have this operation to save your life. That is not my story. Please don’t take what I say as downplaying something horrendous for many of you. Just because I had a great experience and recovery does not mean you did because you and I are in two different boats. Okay? I just want to make that clear. My story and your story are very different and from the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry your story has been out of your hands. A friend of mine had her hysterectomy the same week I did because of advanced ovarian cancer, so believe me when I say, I am so sorry and praying for all of you also going through that right now too.
Okay…my story…(Dad, I’m about to talk about my girly parts, please feel free to skip this post and then resume reading my blog tomorrow. Okay? Okay.).
This is lengthy because I feel like you need all of the backstory before we begin…
September 14, 2008…on my way to the hospital to have Kensington. She was born at 2:34 PM the next day 😉 .
Getting here wasn’t super easy because my girly parts have never been my friend so to speak. Over the years, my period came and went sporadically. It wasn’t consistent, wasn’t punctual, wasn’t something I could rely on. I honestly didn’t care much about it and didn’t even really worry about it until I was ready to start having a family. Then, all of a sudden, the fact that it was inconsistent became a problem. I told my OB at the time and he prescribed me meds to make it happen. That didn’t work. It still didn’t happen. At the time, I was a really healthy and active…so whhhhy could I not have a period?
So, this went on for quite some time and as you guys know, I ended up doing fertility drugs and having six IUIs. I got pregnant on my first IUI and then miscarried and had a D&C. After that, I did five more IUIs all which were unsuccessful. After my sixth failed, I stopped trying with drugs and procedures and took a break for my own mental health. Then, on January 16, 2008, the day I was to start the drugs for IVF, I found out I was pregnant with Kensington…
…and then when Kensington was a baby, I “accidentally” got pregnant with Smith.
I got pregnant with Smith when K was like six months old and had only had one period since her birth, so we were once again, really surprised.
The entire time I was pregnant with Smith, I knew he was my last pregnancy. I knew it in my core. I knew it down deep. I knew. Looking back, it would have been so easy to have had my tubes tied during my second c-section, but even though “I knew”, I also didn’t want to make a permanent decision as a hormonal/throwing up/pregnant person that would be really hard (if not impossible) to undo, so I didn’t. That being said, when Smith was about 10 days old, I just knew, knew, knew, KNEW in my gut that I was never to be pregnant again…so Mr. Shull stepped up to the plate and we made things permanent. Now, looking back, I can totally see that it wasn’t just me knowing, it was God firmly closing a door because he had another one ready and waiting to swing right open…
So, over the last ten years since my last pregnancy, not only has my period has been really sporadic, I started getting fibroids too. Um, nothing in my life has driven me closer to insanity than fibroids. There was one Sunday at church were I literally thought I was going mad. The bleeding would not stop. I mean…WOULD NOT. It was making me panic and get all sorts of nutty.
So, fast-forward to this past September…my beloved (and by beloved, I mean BELOVED OBGYN) stopped practicing OBGYN stuff a few years after I had Smith and it totally crushed me and broke my heart (ha! because a girl needs an OB she loves!!), so when I went to visit him and his wife about something else, we started talking all things OBGYN and I told him about my problems and he seemed concerned. Of course my new-ish OB (the one I started seeing after he stopped doing OBGYN) knew about these problems too and was concerned but he seemed more concerned. I told him that we had discussed having a hysterectomy and he was very much on board with that idea too. He told me though that in his professional opinion, not all hysterectomies were the same (different technology, different methods and different techniques) and that some OBs just do it much better than others, so he said to get an additional opinion before I made my decision. So, I ended up visiting with other OBs and found one that wasn’t mine so to speak but I felt very comfortable and confident with his method and results with this type of surgery. I also just really liked him as a person. He spent so much time with me when I would come in, really put my mind at ease and always made me feel like he had all the time in the world to answer my questions. At my first appointment, he confirmed that yeah, my girl parts were a mess. Not only were the fibroids and irregular periods a problem, but my uterus was legit in the wrong place, and I swear, when he went looking for my right ovary, it felt like he found it in my leg. It was NOT where it should have been plus, he said I had a ton of scar tissue inside as well clinging to everything from my reproductive organs to other major organs nearby. He wanted all of that removed too.
When it came time to decide what reproductive organs I would have removed, I made the decision to remove it all. I just didn’t want to ever think about or worry about getting some other form of cancer (like ovarian) when my doctor had just been there to remove my uterus. I know this is a super hard decision for many women, but honestly for me, it felt very easy. I already do (and love!) hormone replacement therapy, so I wasn’t scared about needing to do that the rest of my life. I actually felt very relieved to know they were going in there one time to take it all. So, that’s what we decided. I would have a robotic hysterectomy and remove everything.
If you would have handed me a calendar and said “what week do you NOT want to have major surgery” I would have circled the week of December 6 because…K had a volleyball tournament, we had the school’s annual Christmas caroling, the kids’ Christmas choir concert, dance rehearsal and recital for three girls, McKinney’s light parade and pics with Santa. NOT THAT WEEK. But, that really was the best week for his schedule and then also mine when you factored in trips. I missed out on skiing, but if I would have waited until January instead, that would have messed up spring break. If I waited until after spring break, that would have messed up the beginning of summer and so on. Basically, as a mom, there really isn’t ever an ideal time to be down…so, we just made it work.
Here we are!! (This was like legit the only pic I had. Sigh. Ha!)
On Friday, December 6th, we dropped the kids off at school and headed to the hospital for my surgery. My check-in time was at 10:30 for my surgery to begin at 12:30. My sweet parents were there and waited with Andrew. I was having a complete hysterectomy…and the actual surgery part was only going to last a whopping 20 minutes. Yup. It didn’t take long at all. They put me under, took me back and bam. All done.
After I woke up in recovery, they took me off to a private room to spend the night and my girlfriends all were texting me to check on me. I sent them this pic…
…that’s it. Four tiny little incisions and it was over.
The next morning, I was feeling really well! I ate, I was drinking and going to the bathroom, and I got up and walked and was ready to head home. I even walked out the door on my own. I headed home and slept and then walked a mile that day. The next day, I walked another mile. The doctor and nurses kept saying that the more I got up and walked, the better I would feel and you know what? I felt really great!
I spent most of the week in this position here. I would get up, walk around the house, go for a walk (Andrew and Erika were so sweet to walk with me!) and then rest some more.
On Tuesday, Erika picked me up and took me to Target to get a few things and then I rested until it was time to go watch our teachers carol.
On Wednesday, I stayed home and took it easy and then we decided…
…to do Jammy Cocoa Christmas that night.
On Thursday, Erika picked me up again for errands and then that night, our kids had their school Christmas choir concert. On Friday, Erika (who I should now refer to as the best friend a girl could EVER ask for!) picked me up and took me to the mall for the kids’ concert and field trip. I would rest at home and then do something and then rest some more.
This was me on Saturday night (one week and one day post-op!) at the Light Parade. Really and truly, other than feeling really swollen and bloated in my mid-section and sore, I was doing great.
Here I am on December 15th. I was really pleased with how small the incisions were, and how minimally invasive it felt.
By my two week check up, he thought I was doing fantastic and healing great. By four weeks, I was able to resume light workouts and by six weeks, I was completely back to normal.
Here are a few other random thoughts and bits of info:
1: I came home on pain medication but after the first day, I wasn’t taking anything more than regular Tylenol. I was very sore but not in actual pain.
2: I didn’t always want to get up and walk, but it really did make me feel better.
3: I couldn’t lift anything heavy for 6 week, so that meant, no picking up Madeley. That part was hard because I’m so used to just scooping her up all day long, but for that period of time, I didn’t pick her up.
4: The hardest part for me was lying down. I would do fine sitting up, but lying down to go to sleep (in the flat position) always used my stomach muscles and that hurt. Then, sitting back up was hard too. I would always think I was doing fantastic until I tried to lie down or sit up. I would say that it went mostly away by the 2 week mark but didn’t completely go away until 4 weeks.
5: Sneezing was just the WORST! Anytime I thought I was going to sneeze, I braced myself for the worst pain EVER. Ha! That subsided completely by four weeks too.
Here I am, 2 months post-hysterectomy and feeling fantastic!!! Honestly, I feel amazing! I am so thankful that I did it when I did it, and I’m thankful that I took the time to find the right doctor for me. There were moments leading up to the surgery when I wondered if I was doing the right thing or not, but all of the women I know who had had one before me kept saying the same thing “best decision ever” and now, on this side, I couldn’t agree more.
Later this week, I’ll share my new HRT with you guys and then, I will do a post where I answer all the questions you might have in one place so that’s it’s consolidated.
Thank YOU for being so sweet to me as I recovered! You guys cheered me on, encouraged me and loved on me over the holidays and for that, I’m forever grateful. xo
Susan Jeff says
Thank you for sharing! Female hormones are such a tricky and difficult subject. You look amazing and I am glad you feel great too!
Carly says
Shay, thank you for sharing. No matter where you are in life as a woman these stories are important. You look like you’re glowing.
Mary says
One of the best things I’ve ever done!
Lynn says
Thanks for sharing! I too had a robotic hysterectomy 2 years ago!! Best thing ever! Thank God for new inventions!! I left my ovaries though… I was having no issues and my Dr told me the research now shows ovarian cancer starts in your tubes! So they took that out but left the ovaries for hormones!! The best thing too is no more Pap smears ?? So glad you healed quickly!!
Tanya says
I’m so glad you shared your story because I know it will help someone. Issues with a period or lack of, as well as hormone problems, can really dominate your life and make it hard to think about anything else. I had extremely heavy periods to the point of anemia after reaching the age of 40. On those days, I really could not be away from a restroom for more than an hour. I had a uterine ablation, and it gave me those days of the month back. Best thing I ever did! As you stated at the beginning of the post, every person’s story is different. I have two friends who tried an ablation for the same problem. It didn’t work and they ended up having hysterectomies. Thanks for always being so open about your life, because so many people benefit from hearing about your experiences.
Sarah M. says
I was nodding along with a lot of your post. I also had fibroids and it led to two different surgeries and then two c-sections and another surgery to remove scar tissue. I know all about that kind of recovery. Thankfully things seemed to have settled after my second child but if the fibroids return, I’ve already decided hysterectomy all the way!! Glad you’ve healed well, thanks for sharing!
Jessie says
Thank you for being so open and honest. I know this can’t be the easiest thing to share. I know you will help someone with your story. You attitude is so amazing too. Glad things went so well for you! Girl problems are so tricky!! I can attest to that!
LB says
What a great time for you to share your story. I’m going to get news tomorrow about a hysterectomy being medically necessary or not. And although every hysterectomy is different, it is comforting to read that you had a positive experience. Very, very happy for you!
Mix and Match Mama says
Sending you so much love right now!! I hope you feel at peace when you get the news either way.
Jennifer says
I am completely blown away that a surgery like that only takes 20 minutes and leaves behind barely a trace! Isn’t medicinal technology amazing?! So glad it went so well for you! Thanks for sharing your story!
Mix and Match Mama says
Right?! I was too!!
Merrin says
I had a robotic total hysterectomy 1 1/2 weeks ago. I had endometriosis and a tilted uterus that pressed on my bowels, bladder and back. I had lots of scar tissue being removed and my bladder had large blood vessels wrapped around it that the surgeon had to untangle. Your bladder, bowels and intestines are in this area, so the surgeon has to be very careful not to rupture any of them. My actual surgery time was well over an hour not including the prep time. It really depends on the person, if they have scar tissue, have any organs fused together (bladder-uterus), etc after the surgeon opens you up. I was thankful my doctor let me know of complications that could occur during the procedure and took his time since it is a major surgery.
Christine Munoz says
Thank you for sharing your story! I had a hysterectomy at 32 because of endometriosis and adenomyosis (cysts up and down your ‘canal’). Even after a tubal and being on an IUD, my periods were awful and wouldn’t stop ever. 4 years later and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’m glad you’re pleased with yours, also!
Kristin says
I had a very similar experience. Robotic complete hysterectomy for fibroids, endometriosis, and an ovarian cyst. Yes to sneezing and getting up from lying down being not fun. If anyone is about do do this, I would roll onto my stomach so I could kind of get my legs down first. DON’T try to sit up like you’re doing a sit up or crunch! I also was walking the day after surgery, and think having it done was the best decision. No more horrible pain! The only problems I had were post-anesthesia nausea and either they didn’t warn me or I didn’t hear them that the gas from the surgery could cause shoulder pain that would make me think I was having a heart attack. Fortunately, my mom is a nurse and was with me when that happened, and told me what was going on. I know not everyone has a great experience, but I most certainly did, and I am glad that you did too.
Angela Ellingson says
So happy that you’ve had such a great experience and that you’re feeling so good!
Meleah says
I have been waiting on this post…I am debating a hysterectomy due to endometriosis. I have already had laparoscopic surgery once for that, and since I am finished having babies my OB recommended a hysterectomy instead of just removing the endometriosis again. I know I will feel so much better, but like you, am a busy Mom (and teacher!) so scheduling is definitely a concern. Love and appreciate your honesty so much! So happy you have had such a fast recovery.
Erin says
A hysterectomy will not cure your endometriosis. It has to be thoroughly removed! Look for doctors that specialize in endometriosis and do excision surgery. That’s your best bet for long term treatment!
Ana says
I agree 100% with Erin. I was also thinking about having a hysterectomy at 25 due to endometriosis but after learning that a hysterectomy wouldn’t cure my endometriosis, and after hormonal treatment with the pill and two laparoscopic procedures, the only thing that gave me relief was a radical change in my diet along with exercise. I removed gluten, dairy, and refined sugar from my diet and as the inflammation in my body went down, my endo symptoms disappeared. I haven’t had flare in over three years. Of course, every case is different, but I highly recommend a change in your diet if you haven’t removed these food groups already and light to moderate exercise. Yoga is wonderful, but I know some endo sisters cannot even work out without experiencing pain. Sending love!
Erika Slaughter says
It was our own little version of Driving Miss Daisy. 🙂 You’ve done it for me numerous times! Your recovery was amazing! So glad you shared your story!
Meredith Hieber says
I was 33 when I had my hysterectomy. Best decision every!!!! My story is similar to yours. I never had regular periods and started to have fibroids and become anemic. I was on a Spring Break trip with my family five weeks later.
Rachel Dean says
Thank you for being so open and sharing your story! I’m sure this post will be helpful to many women!!
Laura Bridges says
Thank you so much for sharing! I just had a uterine ablation for the same issues. Hoping it will work but it’s great to have this information in case it doesn’t. Glad you are doing well!
Sheaffer Sims says
So glad you did it, so glad it’s over, and so glad it’s been a great decision for you! You were a ROCK STAR, as always.
Kelly Sites says
I have a similar story (IUI, IVF, fibroids, etc). I had a robotic hyst when I was 44 and it was THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE. i FELT AMAZING and was on the treadmill (with no incline, per the Dr.) at week 2. I had no pain meds after day one, like you. Before my hyst. I had horrible quality of life. Huge fibroids that gave me huge pain and I would curl up in a ball many weeks out of the month in pain. Life totally changed once I had them out. (I kept my ovaries).
I also feel really sorry for those who are forced to make this choice and they really don’t get to decide. I’m so sorry for that.
Thanks for sharing. I’m super excited to hear about your HRT. I’m on an estrogen/prog. cream and it works great.
DANIELLE K RIGG says
I am so thankful you are doing well. I am thankful you also shared your story for women to take control of our bodies, do not just listen to the doctors. My question is how do you tell your children about your surgery, without making them scared? My husband will be having surgery and my girls get so nervous and scared. The oldest esp. can get herself so worked up she will get herself sick. Any suggestions, are GREATLY appreciated.
Thank you again for always digging into your heard and sharing your life, I know it may not always be easy. But, please rest a sure you are helping SO many of us! For that and you, I am thankful. God Bless you and your family.
Mix and Match Mama says
For us, it was actually a really good bonding time as during this time frame, so many of my kiddos were undergoing similar things. Ashby was absolutely able to relate to me, K had just had her biopsy and we’re still in “talks” about M having a liver biopsy too…so for us, we really united and bonded over mama’s surgery.
Adriana says
Reach out to a child life specialist at the hospital or local children’s hospital- they can provide some good information and words and phrases to use. Honesty is always key and child friendly explanations.
Narci says
So thankful that your surgery and recovery went so well. What a blessing!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
You are so, so, so brave, Shay! Thank you for sharing your story – it was so eye-opening to read! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Leslie says
Thanks for sharing! It is not talked about enough. I had a horrible case of fibroids and almost bled to death multiple times. They are no joke!
Melissa says
I have a question for your upcoming questions post. As a fellow c-section momma, I’m curious if any of the doctors wanted to use the same incision spot for your hysterectomy? Obviously the scars you ended up with are smaller and seem less evasive, but did any doctor you met with suggest using that same incision? Thanks!
Toni :0) says
I can tell you my doc used my c-section scar for my my partial hysterectomy when I had mine done. It worked out fine and that was four years ago.
Jami says
I had a robotic hysterectomy back in August of 2018 and was back to work in 2 1/2 weeks and by 7 weeks was vacationing at Universal Studios Florida. I was shocked at how easy it was. My story was a little different as it was medical necessary. After an ablation it was found I had pre cancerous and possible cancerous cells in my uterus. All this took place over the course of less than 2 weeks. Unfortunately due to the presence of cancerous cells my oncologist felt it would be too risky to do any HRT. That put me in full menopause at 39. It hasn’t been as bad as I thought but definitely not fun at times. Thankful you had an easy time with it.
Heather says
Thank you for sharing your story. I have stage 4 endometriosis. Went through IVF to conceive my amazing twin boys who are 10 now. I knew at that point a hysterectomy would be my best option but no one would listen. I kept hearing I was too young. Fast forward to this past July, I researched and found an amazing doctor at Hershey Medical center in Hershey, PA. He completely agreed that a total hysterectomy was my best option. At 40 years old, tired of being in pain, I was ready. My experience was a bit different because of how severe my endometriosis was. Everything was stuck together, my husband said it was amazing that I functioned everyday. I had a slow recovery, but thankful I am a teacher so I had the rest of the summer to rest before heading back to school. I am currently not taking any kind of hormones, once in awhile I get a slight hot flash, nothing I can’t handle. Best decision I could have made!
Kim M says
Thank you for this! This is something I am interested in but never really knew much about. Like you, I ‘knew’ shortly after we delivered our second that I was not meant to be pregnant again. I don’t have trouble with my periods or anything so I’m not sure how coverage would work if not deemed medically necessary- but this is such valuable info. Thank you.
Angela says
Thank you for sharing your story, Shay. I’ve been praying for you and your family with everything you guys have been going through! xo
Tracy Doubts says
Thank you for caring enough to share your story. So glad that all went well for you and that you have recovered!
Patty says
You’re my hero!
Joanne says
I am so happy to read this… and that you are doing so well!! I had a surgery at the end of December to remove a uterine polyp but I still have a fibroid (and ovarian cysts) we hoped were not causing issues. But they are! The pain and bleeding is making me nutty. We’re trying the birth control pill (even though I had a tubal years ago) to see if regulating hormones will help but if not I’m facing a hysterectomy this spring as there is nothing else we can do. When I started down this road last Sept I kept thinking I could handle anything BUT a hysterectomy… now I’m like just take it all. HRT can’t be worse than what I’m feeling now… I hope! I do have many women around me who have or (who have moms that had) hysterectomies and they’re all telling me it’s not that bad and I will probably be so much happier once I just do it. It doesn’t sound like your recovery was all that much worse than mine after the D&C; just a bit longer which I know might drive me nuts at the time but 6 months of pain and out of control bleeding is making me crazy too. Thank you so much for sharing.
Angie Weathers says
Thank you so much for sharing your story!! I had a Laparoscopic Hysterectomy on 12/16/19 due to cancerous cells on my cervix. I kept my ovaries as there was no threat to them. I had been dealing with this for the past two years and after trying three other procedures, this was the last option. I never had any children (I miscarried at 8 weeks a few years ago) so the decision was devastating. I knew it was in my best interest, but having the decision made for you makes it a little harder to swallow. I had about two months to prepare myself for surgery and took that time to process what was about to happen. I went into the surgery with a positive attitude and peace about the decision. I was up walking the next morning and like you literally walked out of the hospital. The pain was minimal and I took no pain medication once I was home. I had the bloating and swelling which was to be expected. I walked daily and did everything I could to help with my recovery. I am 9 weeks post-op today and physically feel great. My body has healed amazingly and I only have three small scars. I am now struggling with the emotional healing. Some days are better than others, but I know it will just take some time. So happy to hear you are all healed up and doing so well!! I have been an avid reader of your blog for several years….. and this post gave me the nerve and confidence to finally comment 🙂 I’m a Texas Girl too!!! I live in the Houston area. I look forward to reading your blog every morning. Have a great day and thanks again for sharing your story.
Eileen says
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! ?
Rebecca Jo Vincent says
Thank you for sharing this. I’m having issues with fibroids & INSANELY heavy bleeding & they want to do an ablation – but others are just telling me to do a hysterectomy… so this has been very informational for me. & FYI, my parts are all backwards & I have a reversed uterus too – who knew these things happened.
Thank you for sharing your incisions too & your story – I imagined being gutted from the procedure.
Glad you’re feeling great & cant wait to read more about the hormone replacement therapy.
Shelli says
You are a strong and blessed woman to share your experience with all. God bless ~~
Kelly says
I’ve been so interested to hear about your experience. My uterus ruptured when delivering our last baby and we did an emergency surgical hysterectomy. My recovery took a full 12 weeks and was incredibly intense. The robotic approach sounds so amazing if you do have to have the procedure. Thank you for sharing – I know this is so personal!
Crissy says
Thank you so much!!! I have been praying about a hysterectomy for several years, but honestly I was very scared. Both of my daughters are adopted and to think that the window of ever having biological children would be completely closed honestly was too much for me to even process. Thankfully I am at a better place and your openness is so very helpful!! Can’t wait for the HRT post as I am very curious about that as well! Many blessings!
Leslie H. says
Thank you for sharing, as I’ve been curious. I will be planning my hysterectomy with my doctor for preventative reasons, due to genetic testing and losing my Mom 2 years ago to Ovarian Cancer. When the time is right, I know I will be ready to move forward. Scary, but necessary. Thank you as always for opening up your life to us all.
Shital says
Well I am crying- I have my hysterectomy scheduled in a couple weeks and I have been super nervous about the surgery and the recovery. Thank you for all the tips it puts me a little at ease. I appreciate your honesty and being so open. Thank you!
Mix and Match Mama says
Awe! Sending you all the love!!!! I hope it goes so smoothly for you too!!
Abby says
I had to have a hysterectomy at 30. I have had issues forever with sex, and was told I would never have kids and would be lucky if I kept my uterus till 30. My uterus was tilted 90 degrees and I also had endometriosis and pelvic congestion syndrome. I still have my ovaries, but have been having some odd things going on at night only. This post made me call a new doctor to get an appointment to figure that out. Couple of questions for you. And sorry if they are personal, but is sex or was it painful for you? And why did you start HRT earlier? I know you said you are going to be doing a post on that, so maybe you will answer that. Since I have my ovaries, I haven’t need HRT, but now at 36…I am thinking I do. I just have some things not going on that are normal and want to get it figured out. I also have two kids and I consider them both miracles since I was told I would never get pregnant. They are close I’m age, 22 months apart, but I praise God and thank Him daily for my two miracles.
Bobbie says
Thanks for sharing! Glad to hear about your experience. Totally can agree on the sneezing…I had an emergency appendectomy when I was 22 and the hospital gave me small pillows made by hospital volunteers and told me to hold them to my stomach when I had to cough or sneeze! It actually helped a bit :-).
Tracey Harris says
I am so glad that this experience and recovery went as well as could be expected for you! Reading about the horrific pain of sneezing took me back to 3 years ago when I donated a kidney. That was done laproscopically as well, along with a large incision in the middle of my stomach. When I sneezed I braced myself as well and always just made a little “choo” noise. My daughters and husband teased me and still do to this day!
Anne says
That picture of K on the mailbox is the sweetest!!!
Not to pry, but curious, why did Mr step up to the plate if you were so sure you were not getting pregnant again?
Mix and Match Mama says
At that point, it was easier for him to get it done verses me who was home recovering from a c-section. Besides, he always joked that I had done my share (fertility treatments, D&C, three pregnancies and two c-sections).
Andrea says
Hi Shay, thank you so much for sharing your heart & your story with us! I was recently diagnosed with a prolapsed uterus, so about 10 days ago I had a partial hysterectomy (left the ovaries in) and 4 other gyn procedures done (all in one surgery!) It was very complicated & while my recovery hasn’t been quite as easy as yours, it hasn’t been horrible either. I had to stop taking my pain meds after about 5 days because my husband went back to work (so I had to drive the kids around!) plus they were causing such awful constipation that honestly I’d much rather just be in pain from my stitches & incisions! I thought maybe it was good for me to feel some pain anyway because then I’d remember what I’d been through & that I still have limitations (have to take a break from lugging my 40 pound son around all day!) I think this post is going to help a lot of people & I’m so glad you are feeling better!!!
Alexa says
Ahh! I’ve been excited to hear about your experience! 4 days ago I had a total robotic hysterectomy keeping my ovaries at 28 years old. It’s been nice to rest and relax a little but I’m going to go stir crazy before it’s all said and done. Hope you are doing well.
Mix and Match Mama says
I hope YOU are doing well, Alexa!!!
Tisha says
I am so glad that all went well. Thank you for sharing your personal life in hopes to help others.
Holly says
This is hard to read as I have an introverted uterus, irregular periods, and pass an insane amount of clots to the point I’m on meds to decrease my flow. At the end of this month I have a D&C booked and at the same time a polyp removed. After this my choices are to continue on the meds I take now during heavy periods, have Mirena inserted, or have ablation basically it’s a surgery where they burn the walls of your uterus.
I’ve often thought if the hysterectomy would be an easier route. In Canada tho we have free healthcare but not much control over the healthcare we receive if that makes sense and hysterectomy is a last resort here.
So all the feelings over here! My tubes are tied I thought I was done with that area of my body ??♀️
Amie says
So glad you are feeling great!! On a non-related note, can we talk about that white watch?! I remember when that was the thing! I had to have one too and I loved it!! Now I wonder what on earth was I thinking? haha
Em says
Well first off, thank you for sharing this part of your life with us! You are so strong and inspirational. Now I hope you don’t take this as weird, but I just HAVE to comment that your body is KICKIN!!! I’m a year and a half out with my second kiddo haha and I am hoping that I can look HALF as fabulous as you someday!! I read your blog daily and love hearing your workout and eating routines, but any other tips and tricks that you did to look so fabulous after having babies!??! Thank you for all you do for your readers!!
Kacy M says
My mom had one (medical reasons) and a few of my coworkers (bad periods/no more babies). It definitely is different for everyone but thanks for sharing something so personal!
Bri says
Ah man. Lucky duck! I am 2 weeks post op after my hysterectomy and I ended up in the ER last night with bleeding and sever pain. ? but I’m so excited for no periods!!!! I have 2 very young (9 months and 3 years) children and this has been terrible.
Mix and Match Mama says
Oh! I’m so sorry!!!!
Vicki says
Hi Shay! Thanks for sharing! I had a hysterectomy because of fibroids – I can totally relate to the amount of bleeding, oh my! I’m six years on and am so glad I had it done, as you said, best decision ever. I have little incisions, like you and they still very occasionally itch but really that is nothing! Take care xx
Sarah Shaneyfelt says
This was extremely informative! My fertility doctor told me that a hysterectomy would be in my future since I have terrible endometriosis, but I’m just not ready for that right now. Other than not giving up hope of carrying a baby someday, I’m also nervous about how it will affect my hormones. So I’m really looking forward to reading your hormone therapy post and seeing how you are able to manage your hormones. I’m so glad your surgery went well and that you were able to make the decision to have a hysterectomy. I’ve always been sad when I’ve heard or read about others who didn’t get the chance to make that decision.
MeetTheShaneyfelts
Kimberly says
I am so thankful surgery went so well for you! I also had a total hysterectomy on August 1, 2019 due to fibroids that continued to grow but I had no pain and no bleeding. can you believe that? i went in for robotic surgery and the fibroid ending up being so large that i had a total abdominal hysterectomy. so i ended up with 4 small incisions and one very large one , i assume the same as a c-section scar. The recovery was more difficult that i thought it would be since I was hoping for robotic surgery but at least no worries of cancer or ultrasounds every 3 to 4 weeks (just an ugly scar). Now, I feel good and i also am doing HRT. Just took alot more time to recover than i expected. I would tell anyone to consider robotic surgery if you have fibroids before they become to large to remove that way. I didn’t want to have surgery so i put it off when i should have because i didn’t feel i was old enough for a hysterectomy…..crazy thinking. I am so glad you are doing so well!!!
Brenda Krug says
I searched for a GYN to finally agree with me to have a hysterectomy because most Doctors do not want to do unnecessary surgery which I understand. I didn’t have a lot of GYN issues other then break through bleeding after I went through menopause, However, my mother had ovarian cancer and passed away after battling that for 3 years ( surgery, chemo, radiation) and I was so adamant about getting everything removed after her diagnosis to have one less thing to be concerned about as I got older…My Mom was in her 70’s…it took the wind out of me with her being sick and me and my sisters taking her to appointment after appointment. The day of my surgery, my Doctor prayed with me that morning, and I told her I prayed that my surgery would be the easiest surgery that day, I think within 30 minutes she was out letting my husband know that I was done and in recovery. She said it was the easiest surgery she ever had done. I went home around 3:00 that afternoon. Not even an overnight stay. I was so blessed to have a doctor to listen to me and to have an easy recovery. Only out of work for 2 weeks….Yay God!!!!
Sarah Langley says
Okay…. my doctor and I have discussed this many times… I’ve been thru hormone therapy too, after going thru so much to get pregnant. Here is my main ?? That I really need to ask…. is Sex different…. my husband worries it will be, and I can’t answer it….. sorry just to throw it out there like that, but that’s my only reason for still debating on having it
Karen says
Wow what a God wink for me!!!! I’m almost 54 and have never stopped having periods. They have been quarterly the last couple of years and super duper heavy. I just had a D&C last month hoping that it would reset my body which supposedly has been in actual menopause this past year. Well that did not work…….ha at my 4 week postop I had to report another period had started the day before that visit. Well I am now scheduled for a hysterectomy next month. Apparently the cells building back up two weeks after a D&C at my age is not a good thing. I knew about your surgery and had hoped you would have talked more about it, and here we are. I really hope you touch on removing everything. I only have one ovary left and my doctor wants to remove everything and of course Dr. Google tells me I will have a shorter life expectancy if I remove it……..ugh . Thanks so much Shay! You have given me hope that my recovery will not be too bad.
Rachel says
Thank you so much for sharing and for being so open about this journey. I will need to have my ovaries removed before I turn 38 (BRCA gene)and I have been stressing about it so much. But hearing you went through this and have had such a positive experience makes me feel so much more at ease. Just knowing you aren’t alone in something like this makes all the difference.
Jeanie says
Wow, it sounds like a piece of cake! One thing that made it so easy for you is your routine of always moving — working out, swimming, walking, etc. I’m glad it went so well.
Sarah says
I’m so glad your recovery is going well.
Lindsey Ruston says
Thanks for sharing! I had surgery in January for what the doctor thought was a fibroid (the pain was worst than labor) and possible endo (based on period symptoms). I also had a not great looking tube. So the plan was to take the fibroid and both tubes. No more babies for us, which I was more than fine with! Plus, with the newest research pointing to ovarian cancer starting in the tubes, I was extra sure they both needed to go. Well, the surgeon did a lap and found all endo, no fibroid and excised all the endo. The endo acts like glue and things were glued together. Recovery, physically has been fine, just still sore from all the work done. The mental part of managing this disease is taking more time. It makes me wonder about other health issues throughout my life (I’m 37) and if they were endo or endo-related. The surgeon was surprised at my pain tolerance and that the fact that I got pregnant, twice, without help and had my daughters. I knew those girls were miracles, but the fact I was able to have both of them (2 years apart) means they truly are meant for our family. Thank you for sharing your story. This sort of thing isn’t talked about enough, but once it is, you really find out that you’re not alone and so many women have their own stories.
Lyssa says
I just want to share my story, not to discredit anything you said because as you said, surgery affects us all differently, and what may not be a big deal to one person, maybe to another person. Also, as you said, sometimes people don’t have a choice to have surgery, I was one of those people, therefore I just wanted to share my experience, which wasn’t as awesome as yours, unfortunately, but this is just to inform.
The summer I was 30, I started having really bad periods. I had always been regular, and suddenly I was bleeding so much that I had huge blood clots and I had become anemic from blood loss. I didn’t know what was happened when it started, I had been at a teaching convention and I had never experienced anything like that before, I thought maybe I was having a miscarriage or something.
I went to my OBGYN and she prescribed a stronger birth control pill thinking it was going to help. It didn’t, but she wanted to give it more time to do its thing. After about four months, I was so anemic that I could barely function at my job and I’m a sped teacher. They sent me for an ultrasound and didn’t really find anything alarming, so they decided to give me a hystoscopy. They thought it was just fibroids and weren’t really concerned. About two days after the surgery, they called me into the office to discuss things, and well that’s NEVER good news.
To make a long story short, it was stage one uterine cancer. The cancer hadn’t metastasized outside of the uterus, but their plan was to remove everything. My husband and I weren’t even married at the time and we were planning on having children. We went through IVF quickly to try to preserve embryos before the surgery happened, we went through it twice and only wound up with one embryo. Then they didn’t want to wait anymore and I had a hysterectomy, a divinci one like you did.
They removed everything, and my entire body changed. I gained 30+ lbs, I have the metabolism of a very elderly woman now and developed hormone problems. I went through menopause at 31. The recovery was awful for me. I could barely move for two weeks and even after the recovery time, I had to deal with hot flashes, sweats, and sorts of other issues. I was healthy and active before my surgery and ever since I don’t even feel like me anymore. I went to therapy, I take HRT. A few years later, we found a surrogate for our embryo. Our embryo was missing genetic materials and wouldn’t live past conception. I didn’t have a choice. We wanted to leave the ovaries in, they told me no, we wanted to do another round of IVF, and they wouldn’t let us do that either. We lost our chance to have a family and we didn’t have a choice.
I’ve been cancer-free for six years now, which is great, but I still don’t really feel like myself and I feel like I’ve lost so much of myself from this experience.
I just wanted to share this story, so your readers can see the darker sides of a hysterectomy. Again, this is not to discredit yours or anyone else’s experiences, I’m grateful that people have had such a positive experience with it. I just wanted to share the other side too to inform.
Mix and Match Mama says
Thank you so much Lyssa for sharing this!!! YES! There are so many sides! I’m so thankful you took the opportunity to share this one too. I am also so thankful that you are in remission. God bless you as you continue to walk this road. I am so sorry you had to do it in the first place.
Sarah says
Thank you for sharing your hysterectomy journey on your blog. I enjoyed reading your story as well asI reading the comments. It helps knowing everyone’s journey is different…some good and some bad.
My story happened 5 years ago this month, at age 32, two months after giving birth to baby #5, I had to have an emergency hysterectomy. Long story short I went in for a D&C due to placenta being left from delivery. When I woke up in recovery I was bleeding a lot, and it wouldn’t stop. I was rushed back into surgery to try and stop the bleeding. My doctor couldn’t stop it and had to make the decision for me to do a hysterectomy (leaving my ovaries) or I would die. He didn’t even have time to quickly discuss with my husband. It was a nightmare to wake up in pain, super weak due to losing over half my blood, and then to be told I no longer can have babies (we were hoping to have 1 or 2 more). It was one of my darkest moments in life, but the support and love of my husband, my amazing doctor, and the Lord who never left me is what got me through. Romans 8:28 is a verse I clung to, and I can honestly say 5 years later I am thankful for this trial. It has grown my faith in God, I’ve been able to share my story and faith with other ladies, and I know now the Lord’s plan was better than mine. Yes, it still hurts at times and I still have my moments, but I can also see the good now too. Thanks again for sharing your journey, and I am so glad everything went well for you. I would never wish my experience on any woman. Your blog is such a blessing to me, especially, the adoption posts about your girls. I was adopted from Korea as a baby. You are doing a great job with your family.