Steve's wife in hospital

Subject: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 08:57 AM

Sue is going into hospital on Friday (16th) for a hysterectomy. We know it's a fairly routine thing these days, but she would benefit from some Mudcat Comfort (and so would I!). Sue will be off her feet for a few weeks (I'll believe that when I see it), but after that she should start to get back to her old self, the way she used to be before she needed the op. I know it'll help her, knowing she has the support of my "other family"!

Steve

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:00 AM

Bummer, Steve. Make sure she sticks to the convalescent routine, I understand from friends that have been through it that the rules on lifting etc. are IMPORTANT to aid recovery. Best wishes to both.
RtS

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Wesley S
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:10 AM

Best of luck Sue and Steve. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

PS - Steve - don't forget to pamper her when she gets home. Don't let her lift anything heavier than the remote.

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: GMT
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:14 AM

Sorry to hear this Sue and Steve, I'm sure all will be well, but heed RtS advice. No lifting or stretching until the Doc says so.
Sue all the best for a speedy recovery, make full use of the convalescence, and give Steve a chance to pamper you.
Gary

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: gnu
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:14 AM

VERY IMPORTANT indeed. Advice they probably already know, but, on the off chance they dont't - enlist family, friends, neighbours, hired help, whatever it takes, to make sure she's got someone with her at all times during the immediate recovery period, ESPECIALLY if she'e the type, and I see she may be, given Roger's comments, that says, " No, don't bother. I'll be fine, etc, etc."

All the best to them.

gnu

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Noreen
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:17 AM

Positive wishes for both of you. Without going into details, I'm sure the operation will be a great relief to Sue in the long run, despite the immediate discomfort.

Love to both,

Noreen

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: MMario
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:17 AM

My Mom had a hysterectomy several decades ago - recently got the post-op report because the doctor retired. (She had never bothered getting it before becuase she figured if he hadn't called her about it it wasn't anything important.)

It turns out that Mom - mother of nine - had a tipped uterus - which according to the report should have made her getting pregnant "difficult to impossible".

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:17 AM

No stairs and no lifting. And be prepared: day three after the surgery is likely to be a teary one.

Now, Sue. Pay close attention. I have been thanked for this bit of advice before. The last few seconds before they put you under are filled with the most wonderful feelings of "everything is OK". Enjoy them.

The surgery is routine for the hospital and the doctors but NOT FOR YOU! Take care of each other.

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:17 AM

Steve, I've been there and I heartily agree about the lifting rules. Also, know that it will take her body a lot of time to adjust. Will they leave her ovaries? If not, she made need hormonal replacement therapy. There are some good synthetic drugs out there for that, but I prefer the natural stuff and that is what I used when I went through premature menopause, which is basically what happens in these cases.

Funny thing, I hadn't thought about my past surgery in years, it was in 1979 at the ripe old age of 26, but last night I told Rog if I'd known then what I do now, about the emotional, pyschological effects, I would have asked the doctor to save my uterus for me and had a little privare ceremony to honour that part of me which nutured my children and given it a good send off. That might seem a little gross to some, but I wish I'd been able to do so.

At any rate, you and she have my good thoughts and wishes for a safe surgery and speedy recovery.

Love and Light,

kat

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: GUEST,Fibula Mattock
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:21 AM

Steve, I hope everything goes smoothly and successfully.
All the best!

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Big Mick
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:21 AM

Steve, I am sorry to hear this. Would you please deliver a Big Mick Hug to your lovely wife. And be assured that we are all in your corner. You have always been one of the steady voices here, and I have the Missus in the prayers.

All the best,

Big Mick

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:25 AM

My best thoughts to you both. Steve, I think you're already finding its a lot tougher to have someone you love going through surgeries and hospital time rougher than if it were yourself. Good for you. Take care of her and yourself and with a splash of Mudcat thoughts, you'll get through it all and back to whatever passes for normal for you........around here normal=bizarre, but that's another story. All my best........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Allan C.
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:29 AM

Best wishes to you both and to both of you I offer advice that fits in nearly all situations: Take it easy!

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:32 AM

Steve, thanks for letting us know. This can't have been an easy decision, and people have given wonderful advice.

Do you want this sent around to the Prayer Chain as well?

~Susan

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: mousethief
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:35 AM

Prayers thoughts candles and best wishes.

Alex

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: alison
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:55 AM

Prayers, good thoughts, and hugs heading your way.....

I look after hysterectomies pretty often.. so if I can offer any advice please feel free to PM me

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: CamiSu
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:58 AM

Best wishes Steve and Sue.

CamiSu

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 10:24 AM

Best wishes for a speedy recovery - and Kat, I kept my gall bladder when they took it out (which was a HUGE fight, I had to plead religious grounds). I keep it in its jar with my spices...

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: gnu
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 11:07 AM

I realize how serious this thread is - see my post above - but, Mrrzy.... must be good for deterring unwanted dinner guests from returning. Just ask for a bit of help in the kitchen and... insert just about any scenario you want here. Good one.

gnu

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 11:15 AM

Steve. All our best thoughts, prayers and wishes to you and Sue. The good news is, that her life will be very much improved after this surgery (the admiral aka She Who Must Be obeyed) had it done some years ago, and it gave her much relief. The bad news (for you mate)is, you are gonna have to do all the heavy lifting and housework etc, for a few weeks buddy. Good Luck Sue Mate, we are all here for you. Yours, Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Morticia
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 11:17 AM

My best wishes for both of you.... and Steve, if she won't stay still, nail her to the couch.....it was about the only way with my mother!

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Giac
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 11:26 AM

Best wishes and hugs to you both.

Mary

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 11:28 AM

Susan - yes please!

Thanks for all the kind messages -- it's a bit hard to type with my eyes stinging -- I'll get in touch with Sue tonight and pass them on; I'll be back with her from tomorrow to pass on the hugs in person.

Steve, with love

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 11:34 AM

Let them flow, sweetie. Best medicine sometimes.

~S~

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Megan L
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 11:38 AM

Will be thinking and praying for you both, it just as hard to be the one left waiting.

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 11:40 AM

Sorry i came a bit late here matey, please pass on my thoughts and best wishes too. Drag her along to the Blancmange Arms when it's all over.

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 12:11 PM

All of comments above seconded. Catspaw said it very well-- it's harder to go through it for those you care about than for yourself. Hope and pray all will be well.

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: CarolC
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 12:26 PM

My best thoughts and wishes go to you and your wife, Steve. Hoping for a speedy and easy recovery for Sue. Good luck to both of you.

Carol

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 12:33 PM

We're thinking of you.

Rick and Heather

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 12:47 PM

Steve - sounds like you need a hug too. Honest it will be better than OK. If I had known how much better I would feel, I would have had it done years earlier. As for saving it - only to beat it to death for causing so much grief. ((((X))) I think that's a virtual hug or something close to it anyway.

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Hollowfox
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 01:52 PM

Sue and Steve, good thoughts to you now, and a candle when I get home from work. Sue, listen to all those postings about lifting, etc. You're not being lazy, even if you think you can do it. Think of it as waiting for the glue to fully set. *g*

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 03:34 PM

SIX WEEKS! Don't cut corners.

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Biskit
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 03:36 PM

Heart Felt Wishes for a speedy recovery Sue,...and Steve, I hope those lower back muscles are in good shape. DON'T LET HER LIFT ANYTHING!Love, Donnie...er...-Biskit-

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 03:45 PM

Kindest thoughts and wishes to you both.

Jon

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 04:10 PM

Best wishes to both of you.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Hawker
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 04:33 PM

Steve,
Give my love and kind thoughts to your wife
Sounds like all the good advice has already been dished out
I had the same op 2 years ago, it was there one minute and 2 weeks later it was gone! (no need to go into the whys & wherefores) For me it was the best thing I ever had done! I am a whole lot better for it.
The only thing that i can say that really surprised me about the op was how VERY VERY tired I was, I have had several operations and 2 ceasareans, and though the pain was not excessive in relation to them, the fatigue was HUGE her body will need lots of TLC in the first 6+ weeks
I am thinking of you both and hope that her op has the same positive outcome as mine!
Lucy

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 04:01 AM

I spoke to Sue on the phone last night, and she was really happy to hear of your support. When I go home tonight I'll call up the 'Cat and she can read them all for herself (she's still a complete innocent when it comes to the Internet!). Meanwhile, she's asked me to pass on her thanks.

Steve

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: GUEST,Patrish
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 09:37 AM

Positive thoughts and warm wishes from Yorkshire.
love Patrish x

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: catspaw49
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 11:18 AM

Steve, I am not hijacking this thread, but I can't help but notice that a few of us seem to have wanted keep our removed parts. I don't think I want to attend the ceremony kat refers to and I am positive that I won't be eating anything coming out of Mrrzy's kitchen. I would find this all a bit strange were Karen not a histologist........that's a person who does the processing of "removed parts" and makes slides for pathologists to diagnose, like those pretty cellular pix in textbooks....she makes those slides.

I have become used to "odd" conversations about the day's work and am no longer on the verge of nausea as we talk. At times, its funny. We were at a party once and people were telling of their problems on the job (none were in the medical field except Karen) and she piped in with, "We had a 4 pound uterus today." This was a conversation stopper to say the least.

What has really amazed me though is the number of people wanting their "old parts." I'm sure that some are strictly for entertainment value ("Hey, want to see my gallstones?"), but others are just plain weird. The most notable I remember in this category was the man who wanted the placenta from his wife's childbirth to turn it into an "art piece." I have this image of a visitor at his home asking, "Is that a Picasso?".............."No, its just the leftovers from little Jimmy!"

Anyway, you are both still in our thoughts and we expect the best. Good advice from many here......So SUE, take it easy and let Steve do the work! And Steve...DO THE WORK!!!! Best as always,

Spaw

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: GUEST,GMT (with cookie lament|)
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 03:11 PM

I'm away from tomorrow for most of the week; so just to say good luck Sue.

Cheers Gary

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: GUEST,Sue
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 05:39 PM

Steve has made me read your posts to make me sit down and stop tearing round the house doing all the things that I think need doing! Many thanks for all your well-wishing and advice. I'm not the sort of person to stay still for long, but I'll have to learn! I'll get in touch again when I come out.

Love, Sue

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Wesley S
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 05:50 PM

Sue - Just think - you'll have a chance to catch up on your reading !!

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: GUEST,Dancing Mom
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 07:42 PM

Best Wishes to you both. Don't be afraid to ask for help;you'll find that people are eager to do so.Hugs from Virginia. Sharon

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 07:55 PM

a little more creeping thread vine ala Spaw...in my midwifery books, Spaw, it is not unusual at all to save the placenta and involve the whole fmaily, that is if there are other children, in making an art print using the placenta like you would a sponge in painting. It can also be dried and pounded into a powder which is full of vitamins and such! When birthing wasn't so far removed and usually confined to hospitals and people had to conserve all they had,these things were not so uncommon.:-)

Sadly, I won't have the ceremony I mentioned as my uterus has been long gone lo, these 20 odd years.*BG*

Sue, good to hear from you...looking forward to your psoting after.

kat

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 08:16 PM

Take care, Steve and Sue- and know that the Mudcat family is beaming rays of love and healing your way!

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 04:49 PM

Post-op bulletin #1:
Sue is feeling rough but otherwise OK after the op this afternoon. She's in quite a bit of pain at the moment, but she has a DIY morphine IV which is helping a lot. Son Tim & d-in-law elect Kate came to see her too; we all agreed we'd never seen her so still or quiet! Sadly, no more hugs for a while, only virtual ones, but these are very welcome (and have been very effective so far).

I suddenly thought on the way home, Sue should have got people to sponsor her to raise money for Comic Relief, this being Red Nose day and all. That would cheer her up, since she's missed all the fun.

More news tomorrow,
Steve

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Hawker
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 05:01 PM

Thinking of you all,
From personal experience, I felt better once I had ditched the iv morphine in favour of Recta Voltarol
Morphine makes me very sick!
Day 2 gets better
Kind wishes to you both
Lucy

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 05:08 PM

Every day gets better. But for some reason we had an afternoon of snivelling on Day 3. I had to laugh at Wesley's suggestion of catching up on reading. For weeks, I couldn't even watch TV without sleeping. The anesthesia (SP?)does a job on you.

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 05:16 PM

Thanks for letting us know how she is doing, Steve. All the best still beaming your way.

kat

Subject: RE: Steve's wife in hospital
From: Noreen
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 05:16 PM

Thanks for the update, Steve, and glad things are going to plan.

Noreen