Shell Shocked After Hysterectomy – Kerry’s Story

I was admitted to hospital to be induced with my second baby thinking that I’d be discharged again about 6 hours after the birth, how wrong was I. After giving birth to my little girl naturally the midwife went to sew up where they’d had to cut me and noticed I was bleeding quite heavily. The next thing I knew the room was full of people and I was being rushed to surgery.When I woke up in intensive care the next day my husband told me that they had had to perform a hysterectomy to save my life as there was no other way of stopping the bleeding.

I didn’t really know how to feel about it and three weeks on I’m still not sure. My husband and I had already decided that we wouldn’t be having anymore children after this pregnancy anyway but to have the final decision taken away from me at the age of 32 is heart breaking.

Physically I’m recovering ok. I have been told that they managed to save my ovaries but when I went for a scan yesterday to check that everything is going back to where it should they could only find my right ovary so I’m now waiting to hear back from my consultant. Other than that my wound has healed nicely although it is still numb but tender, if that makes sense. I still feel quite sore in my lower abdomen and still have some bleeding.

Emotionally I feel like I’m on a roller coaster as one day I think I’m doing ok and the next I’m in tears.

Unfortunately I was discharged from hospital with very little information about the hysterectomy as I was primarily cared for on maternity wards so this site has been invaluable when I’ve had questions.

For example 9 days after the op I passed two massive blood clots which scared me beyond belief. I went to A&E to be checked out and it turns out it’s normal to pass some clots, if only I’d known that!

It’s still early days for me getting my head round having the hysterectomy but I can honestly say that physically I don’t feel that bad.

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Now available on our online store and all other online book store’s. In My Own Words: Women’s Experience of Hysterectomy is full of many other real-life stories from women the world over.

Other people’s stories help women feel less isolated. They show that they aren’t going mad, missing the point or stupid.