Any pre-surgery advice: hysterectomy & sentinel nodes

My suggestion is that you tell yourself that getting g over this first hurdle is your biggest job for now, and that there is nothing you can or need do about what comes after until you have more information. I love this group and also know that each person’s story reflects their unique set of circumstances, so reading “what comes next,” may take you down trails that don’t and may not serve you until they do. If you can give your brain a different job tonight, consider what has helped you to remain calm…healthy distraction? Prayer? Meditation? To any of these, I would add making your out-breath longer than your inbreath. Breath in through your nose if you can. Fill your belly, your chest (front to back, side to side, bottom to top, as much as you can without dawdling at it, pause between inbreath and outbreath briefly, then slowly breath out of your slightly pursed lips for as long as you can, until you feel your diaphragm pushing up into your lung space. When you stop pushing air out, your body will automatically let air flow back in. Give a little attention, again, to filling up your lungs up in each direction, then slowly exhale through slightly pursed lips again, again until you sense your diaphragm pushing up into your lung space (or feel it being pulled up into that space, another way to sense it). This will lower your blood pressure and heart rate, and help you get to sleep. If counting helps, you can build up to counting in for 4 counts, pausing as long as is comfortable and easy, then breathing out for 8 counts.

Some things that can help…lie on your back with knees up and feet flat on mattress, and, if space, raise your arms above your head. This helps make space inside for more breath. Don’t do any of this if it’s uncomfortable or you feel it doesn’t help you.

One other thing you can do with your brain (giving it a job besides ruminating) is to lie there and sort out where you are.,.notice hie gravity anchors you where you lie, noticing the points of contact between your body and the mattress in whatever position you are in, sensing how gravity is holding you there without any effort in iuoyr part, and, possibly, informing you of which way is up (toward the sky), which way is down (toward the center if the earth) , etc, and even what’s forward (toward your toes when you are lying down) and which way is back (behind your head). Then notice sounds around you and that you can sense what directions they are coming from. Then notice how you can sense the space or distance between the edges of your body and the walls, ceiling and floor of the room you are in. You may have a mental map of landmarks beyond those walls, and what directions ton they are in relative to the direction that your head and body are facing. This locating of yourself brings you in to where you are and that this is now.
Both of these little projects can bring calm by doing them, but if you can focus to do them, are also giving your brain a different job to do than focusing in what worries you.

Your worries don’t solve any problems, but are completely understandable in this moment if your life. Also keep in mind if you have worries that won’t settle and keep you up, you will rest during the surgery tomorrow.

I am wishing you safely and calmly-enough through tomorrow’s procedure, and am hoping, alongside you for good-enough news afterward, once it’s available.

🩵
Gynosaur

What a lovely and thoughtful response to subway's concerns

@gynosaur42 thank you! I have lots of mindfulness training & your suggestions are helpful!
I actually had a fantastic night's rest - 1st accomplishment! Feeling ready for today.

@sabwal Will your surgery be robotic or open abdominal? Advice for recovery varies depending on which. Mine was open abdominal, so my recovery time was longer. A high quality abdominal wrap to bind my stomach was suggested by many on these sites and it was the best of all suggestions; turned out to be a must have. Don't know if the same is true when you have robotic surgery. Best news in your case is finding the cancer so early and having the surgery so soon. My surgery was two months out from the time the cancer was found and having to wait was the most torturous time of my life.

See my response to sabwal. It was meant for you.

@sabwal
Oops! Should have looked more closely at dates before replying. Keeping you in my thoughts and hoping for a skilled and supportive team and optimal outcomes. Will hold space as you undergo and recover from your procedure. Will wait alongside afterward for news. 🙏🌟

@inquirer the plan is robotic. Yes, I'm grateful for the speedy turn around.

@gynosaur42 No worries! I'm in pre-op just waiting so this is a nice focus!

@gynosaur42 provided a step-by-step breathing and mindfulness activity. I do this frequently and especially when I have trouble sleeping. Following my breath, and taking longer on the out breath is so soothing for me. I did that as I waited in pre-op for my hysterectomy.

Everyone responding here has been where you are and I see you are getting some wonderful support.

When I awakened from my surgery, my surgeon came to see me and gave me preliminary pathology results. I received the final report in my patient portal a few days after my surgery. When I returned for my follow-up visit after my hysterectomy my surgeon went through the final pathology report very carefully and provided me with a 5-year-Survival plan. With the plan, I knew how often I was expected to return for my cancer surveillance appointments and what would happen during those appointments.

I’m a big worrier. I have been like that as long as I can remember. I did what @gynosaur42 suggested and let those worries float away and reminded myself of what I did and did not know and what I could and could not control.

We’re looking forward to hearing back from you when you are up to it.

@naturegirl5 I'm in the hospital waiting for the surgeon to arrive. I'm so glad I spent the night. The doctor told my husband she was very pleased with the surgery. I'm not sure I want to hear initial results right away, especially if it's bad. I'd rather focus on healing and wait for the full report in a couple of weeks. Crying right now would hurt like hell.