More than a Real Estate Mom - Triathlon, Fitness, and Life on 30A

5 days post-op and I'm feeling pretty good.  There are moments that I fear I may be getting a little too used to not exercising, but those moments are fleeting as I start googling "when can I start running after hysterectomy". I am itching to get out and move!  I'm bending fine, I am moving about the house without issue, and my abdominal muscles seem to be working again. Sometimes there is a bit of cramping, and I feel stinging around the incision sites.  I am tired though. That is something the doctor warned me about and it is 100% true.  Around mid day I just want to sleep.  And then by 7 PM, I'm ready for bed.  Thankfully I have my husband and my mom to put the kids to bed, and I can sleep when I need to. Menopause.  I keep waiting for the dreaded menopause.  Sure, there are times in the night when I wake up sweating... That happened before the surgery.  The hormones were such an issue before the surgery that I may be doing better with...

After years of discomfort and heavy bleeding, my OB/GYN doctor intervened. A little over a year ago, I had an endometrial ablation. The purpose was to manage heavy menstrual bleeding. While this procedure is a success for most women, I am among the 7% for whom there were still problems. Doc and I decided to move forward with a hysterectomy a year later.  I planned the date to coincide with the kids' mid-winter recess and during a slower time at work. The pre-op ultrasound revealed endometriosis and an endometrioma (also called a chocolate cyst) on my right ovary. All of a sudden, a simple surgery got a lot more complicated. I decided to journal about my experience.  This is a way for me to cope with all that has happened. Leading up to the surgery, I focused on preparing my body.  I ran, lifted weights, and cycled (indoor thanks to our delightful upstate NY winter. I decided that the stronger I was going in, the easier my recovery would be. We knew that my right ...