So I Had a Hysterectomy and It Wasn't What I Expected (Part 3)
LISTEN HERE: ITUNES | SPOTIFY
If you missed the first two parts, go ahead and listen to them here and here. To recap, I had a hysterectomy and the healing was ROUGH. In this episode, I share my experiences after I was discharged from the hospital. Thank you to everyone who sent in their testimonies— I share these with you all at the end of the episode.
DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL
I was discharged on a Sunday evening with some prescriptions, a waist trainer, and no real instructions other than “take it easy and take these meds”
The first night home started off okay, but then I woke up at 11pm with incredible pain. Since I was discharged so late at night and the pharmacy wasn’t open, the meds they told me to take… at this point, they were just an idea on a piece of paper.
I took 4 Motrin. I had forgotten I hadn’t eaten anything in 4 days, so the nausea kicked in very soon after.
HOME CARE
My husband is incredibly caring and it was so hard for him to not be able to make me feel better. He loves to be able to fix things.
My cousin Erica who is a nurse with a doctorate checked in on me, so I told her about my experiences. Even though it was late late at night, she said she was on her way.
Erica told me there was a pharmacy open nearby and she went to pick up my medications. She also brought back bed pads (for the diarrhea) and peppermints (for the vomiting).
THE STILLNESS
I was alone for three hours in between my husband leaving for work and my cousin coming over to check on me. Something about being in that vulnerable state got me thinking about my mother.
Grief, for me, can be amplified by the holiday season AND by sickness. So this was a double whammy. The Coachella of grief.
I called my aunt to talk about her hysterectomy story and it was exactly what I needed.
My husband’s mother came to be with me while my husband was at work, and it very much created a more motherly relationship with her.
THE NOT SO PRETTY STUFF
I was vomiting so much that I started vomiting bile (iykyk… it’s nasty). My cousin Erica and she told me to go to the doctor.
I stopped taking the medications and focused on staying hydrated while I waited to hear back from my OB-GYN. She told me to go to the ER. I pretty much refused and if you listened to part 1 of this podcast series, you know exactly why.
By Thursday, I started to feel not quite as bad. The vomiting had stopped and the diarrhea was taking over less time in my day.
By the time I saw my doctors, my mind and body made me look like a fool. I was basically better and the doctors were both pleased.
Make sure you tune into the podcast to hear my reflections on womanhood and all of the testimonies I received from this lovely community. And don’t forget to share about the episode on social media. I’m @tyalexander and @selfcareirl on IG.
RESOURCES:
Make It Happen Journal - https://tyalexander.co/downloads/p/make-it-happen-journal
5 Day Gratitude Challenge - https://tyalx.com/gratitude-challenge
My debut book, Things I Wish I Knew Before My Mom Died, is available in bookstores everywhere - https://amzn.to/3M7BZ8h
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