h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

you say *two* ways, but don't mention the other - the operation.

The bleeding is a sod. You can't go out. You can't sit down. You can't drive more than 10 minutes. You can't even walk up the stairs. It's thick and dark. It comes in lumps the size of half a pound of liver. I had to chuck out a whole bed in the end it was so disgusting.

(sorry for any squeamish fellas reading this. Now you know why you can't schock us with any stories of excrements or anything)

Yes, I am still working on it, TC.
I had a whole page typed out, Guide ML'd & everything, previewed, it was fine...went to "update" and B*****D I.E. crashed and I lost the lot. It had taken so much out of me {pardon the pun} but I had to walk away literally, turn off the p.c. I was so upset. I just came back to it to start again, now the New Year is here. My new year resolution, to finish off old projects, preferably before I start new ones
I have to perform a Sainting on Sunday, that requires a script & quite a lot of preparation, but I am determined to finish this & put it into Peer Review before I start my script for Sunday...
...and I get my grandson back to mind tomorrow...and my youngest son is off school until the 10th Jan, so my online time is going to be drastically cut as I battle to keep the peace between them two

I have all my entries in the HTML editor - some in Word. I never correct anything in the window itself. Let alone write it.

That way, I can work on my entries off line too, and cut and paste them into the window. And I have them all together in my Explorer on my hard disk.

Interested in learning German? Try our new "German Lessons" (Sorry, but I'm advertising like mad here!)

I got as far as it is now, when Jeremy messaged me on icq, so I previewed, updated, chatted to him for a couple of minutes...and my whole pc froze. I had to reboot. I'd have lost the lot again! I don't have word...
I've always wanted to learn German...
OK, I'll be along!
Do you know anyone else who's had a hysterectomy who would not mind giving me their thoughts?
I intend to write a good deal on the depression/after effects also...
How is it shaping up?

Well, the New Year should give a bit of a lease on life, so maybe I'll perk up for a few days. I do know, though, that the only person who can pull me out of this is me. I don't think I'm a case for a therapist yet.

Sorry, don't know anyone else who's had one, except the ones already known to us - lots of my older friends IRL have. I am seeing some on 14th - could bring up the subject then.

Silly question - have you done a search on the subject?

Maybe some of the more adult women's mags have chats or forums on the subjects. Try Good Housekeeping or Woman or She - or you might come across some American stuff if you search the web. CNN have a whole section on health - maybe they have something like that.

Also, I think women's magazines like Family Circle or GH send out leaflets or have faxes you can poll on various subjects - such as sterility, frigidity, puberty, breast cancer - this would certainly fit into that category. You may find material there to back up the claim that it DOES affect your hormones and your moods.

Would like to help, too, but am getting behind with my subeditting and have pages to do on the GerManiaConnection - not that I'd want to give any of that away!

You have so many other problems, too, in your life - I should think myself really lucky.

Believe me, my problems pale in comparison with some of the people I come across. I can't imagine being homeless, for instance. My home is my pride and joy, I have a lovely house, which I try to improve every year...even alone I can get things done. Last year I had my back garden grassed area paved; the gutterings & fascias replaced; a new boiler fitted and just before Christmas, a new patio door fitted. I try to count my blessings, as in my eyes I have a lot to be thankful for. My mortgage is almost paid up too! It's an old cliche, "Count you blessings" but it works for me. And keeping busy...
H2G2 has been my lifeline, I love it so much, I greet a lot of newcomers, and it only takes a homepage like "I'm in a wheelchair & housebound" to pull me up...and make me realize what I ~have~ got going for me

I'm happy with the entry now, but I preview, it's fine, update, and it's as it was before I started work on it today...
Hmmmmmmm
Maybe it's the site.
I've saved the bare bones of the edit copy, in my favourties & I'll try again tonight.
Got to go do my grocery shopping while my teenage son is available to watch my youner son & grandson.
Catch you later...

Have read the new version. I would like to put it to Peer Review, but I expect a little more might be added yet.

Another note for after the op - my gynaecologist said I could do serious sport within 6 weeks of the op. 5 years later I still haven't tried it out yet!

In fact, that may be something that one should do. Immediately go to physiotherapy, and when you know what you can do, take up keep fit classes again, or go to a gym. I'm sure I shouldhave done something like that - in this case, attacking the symptoms might have been a quicker cure for the problems in themselves - by improving how I feel and look I may gain a more positive attitude.

Also, after the operation, you may have a catheter (for passing urine). As soon as you can go to the toilet yourself - i.e. can walk about, this will be removed, which is a great relief. (Speaking for Germany here: The catheter may even be inserted before you are anaesthetised. Any problems and this can be done while you are "out", which is certainly more pleasant, especially if you have already had several children. Some nurses are deft with a catheter, others may as well be committing murder.)

Although I was told the op is a routine affair, and shouldn't cause any probs, in my case there were complications and I lost an undue amount of blood. I had to have two packets of blood transfusion until I could stand up again.

The first time I tried to stand up, I had a most uncanny experience. I fainted, but clearly remember a feeling of extreme tranquility and a dark tunnel with a light at the end (very similar to what people describe when they nearly die). Apparently, though, I was kicking and flailing and screaming and the nurses - three of them - couldn't hold me down. But that is another subject altogether.

Will follow this closely......

TC, I could practically write another entry on all you have told me, and add it as "a personal experience", no names mentioned.
A near-death experience.

Oh, I wish we could get together for a proper natter over several cups of tea.
I am awaiting further personal quotes from my posting asking for contributions.
This op. must be similar to childbirth, in that no two are the same.
I never had a catheter fitted, which is why I never mentioned it.
But I did have one in me when I came round from my bladder repair op. the previous year. And a drip.
My friend IRL, had a hysterectome & bowel repair at the same time, when she came round, her vagina was stuffed with padding, cotton wool type. She was so uncomfortable, she was tearing it our herself & getting extremely upset. She got an infection and her temp. reached 105 degrees, she almost died.
You hear such horror stories, it's difficult to know what to put it.
What's routine? What's normal?
I have a friend on here, silver dragon, who is a full-time nurse, she is not on h2g2 much, but I have messaged her on ICQ and asked her for her opinion & any notes to add...
I think there's a way to go yet with the entry, TC.

{any chance of you writing about your NDE?}

I think I'm finally through with this entry, TC. It's just been posted at Peer Review: http://www.h2g2.com/F48874?thread=97614&post=811231 Thanks for all your help.

I think the cuppa might be arranged. I hope to come over at the end of May. Is it feasible to meet in say LIncoln or Peterborough? Would they be fairly central between London or Cambridge and you? I may even try and see Java who lives "in Lincolnshire".

Have now read the article again. The heavy bleeding (that you quote from me) was due to fibroids. There is a connection, and the tissue I was losing was due to the fibroids.

~still working on the entry~
Wonky's comments to be included!
Lincoln is 36 miles away from me, a mere train journey.
May sounds fantastic as I "lose" my grandson after Easter...
Lincoln is a fantastic old city & I'd love to show you round!

...and I would love your opinion...8-) The thread at Peer Review is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F48874?thread=97614&post=871938 Thanks!

Have I mentioned that I have dreamt about having babies lots since the operation? It really gets to your subconscious.

Blimey, that's not happened to me!
I don't even look in prams now & coo at babies.
Steer clear,
Have you read the finished article?

I'm just waiting for my grandchildren.

Re: visit in May. Sorry, but have only a short stay, and have checked rail time tables and would be travelling rather a long time - another time maybe!

TC, go read Greebo's post {post 11} on this thread: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F48874?thread=97614&latest=1 I'm adjusting my article today accordingly. I wonder if they will let me include her poem...