• naturalLiving
  • activitiesfor kids
  • Easyrecipes
  • yourhome
  • just formoms
  • Start Here
  • About
  • Start Here
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Natural Living
    • Essential Oils
    • Natural Homemade Ideas
    • Natural Solutions
  • Activities for Kids
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Playdough and Slime
    • Sensory Activities
  • Recipes
  • For Your Home
    • Backyard Chickens
    • Easy DIY Projects & Crafts
    • Organizing Tips
    • Tips and Hacks
  • For Moms
    • Caring for Yourself
    • Parenting
    • Product Reviews
    • Travel
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • SHOP
↑

Living Well Mom

I help moms with simple, natural ways to look after their families. Find recipes, fun stuff for kids, and simple DIY ideas. Plus natural solutions made easy peasy!

  • naturalLiving
  • activitiesfor kids
  • Easyrecipes
  • yourhome
  • just formoms
  • Start Here
  • About
  • Home
  • Seasonal
  • Essential Oils
  • Natural Solutions
  • Autism

On the Mend

By Erika in Erika's Life

hysterectomy

I am doing really well. God has been so good.

I’d say I’m at about 75% by now. I have hardly any pain and I’m not taking any pain meds, aside from the occasional regular ibuprofen. Of course, that doesn’t really matter, but my point is that I’m doing GOOD!

I still don’t have my usual energy and I get tired easily. I’m still taking it easy and doing very little. But I can think more clearly (the anesthesia fog + pain meds made the first 3 or 4 days a little odd) and definitely feel more like myself.

I am healing really well. My four incisions are scars now -literally, I’ve healed that fast. You can barely see them. It’s incredible. I’ve been taking homeopathic remedies to help with healing and I think that’s made a huge difference. (Arnica Montana, Bellis Perenis, and Staphysagria.) Of course, the Lord gets the credit here. I am in awe at how faithful He has been. I’m a little ashamed of how afraid I was before my surgery, but hey, it’s another lesson learned, right?

I can even pick up Luke. No, I’m not overdoing it. My doctor said to not pick him up for the first few days and after that, I could, just listen to my body. It’s been so nice to really cuddle my babies again.

I had a little bit of a meltdown on Thursday. I think the emotional aspect of this whole thing finally hit me. I don’t have a uterus anymore and I’m not even 30. Wow. But I’m still okay with it, it was just a little dose of reality that this really is a big deal. I cried and then I felt better. Nate was really sweet. I also had a tough moment because being around the kids was wearing me out. I want to be with my children and to have to go upstairs to take a nap was really hard for me as a mom. But again, I cried it out and felt better. From Friday on, I’ve been doing pretty well.

Nate has been incredible. And my mom-in-law. Mom was here through Wednesday and she was amazing the way she just picked up where I left off – hugging the kids, bathing them, making dinners, doing laundry, and all the other little details that make up the life of a mom. I am so grateful for her stepping in to help us out. It made such a huge difference in my recovery. Thanks, Mom. I love you!

My own mom was so sweet, and even though she couldn’t be here, she sent me a care package with special gifts to open. I got a cute stuffed purple hippo to hug at the hospital, a couple movies, a book, and some chocolate. Exactly what a girl needs to help her relax. Thanks, Mom! I love you too!

It’s also been wonderful to have extended family checking in. Even my aunt and uncle surprised me with a beautiful flower delivery – it definitely made my day! My dad’s been calling and even offered to come up and help with the kids. He doesn’t have any vacation time leftover, but still offered. Thankfully, I’m doing well enough that we’re all set, but it was a big relief to have that option, should we have needed it. I love you Dad!

But back to my husband. Nate has tirelessly taken care of the kids, especially after his mom left on Wednesday. He took off work Wed, Thurs, Friday, and has done an awesome job of taking care of the kids and me. He’s always asking what I need, bringing me a hot pack (that’s been great for my sore tummy) over and over again, even without me asking, and being so supportive. I’m so blessed to have such an awesome husband.

I had to laugh yesterday. Nate said something about he doesn’t know how I do it, day in and day out and stay sane. I said “I bet you’re looking forward to heading back to work on Monday, huh?” And he goes “Just a LITTLE bit!” Haha.

Because, yep, tomorrow I’m on my own with the kids. I may even bring Joshua to his first day of preschool, since it’s just down the road. (And yes, I’m okay to drive, since I’m doing so well and off pain meds.) I just plan on taking it easy. If the kids watch tv all day, that’s okay – this is the kind of situation where that’s fine. One of my best friends is bringing us dinner tomorrow night so that will help. Then on Tuesday, another dear friend is coming to help for the day. So that will give me a break if I’m worn out from Monday.

Honestly, I’m just taking it one day at a time.

My doctor had emailed me this week to check on how I’m doing and when I said I was more tired than anything, she assured me that was completely normal and that I’d be 100% myself again within a month, and probably better! I’m also anemic so that’s contributing to my lack of energy, but I’m eating lots of iron-rich food – spinach, steak tips (yum!), even blackstrap molasses. So hopefully, that will resolve very soon.

Thank you, my dear friends and family, for praying for me -and my whole family. I have felt that prayer power so much in the last week and a half and it’s been incredible.

I am going to ease back into “normal” life slowly. I’ll be writing my surgery story out soon and will be sharing that probably later this week. I’m going to take it easy this week and then hopefully, next week, I’ll start to come back with more of my usual. 🙂

 

Read My Complete Hysterectomy Story here:

  1. Girl Talk in Too Much Detail
  2. Hysterectomy at Age 30?
  3.  A Surgery Date – Hysterectomy
  4. I’m Afraid
  5. Two Days
  6. Home and Resting
  7. On the Mend
  8. My Story: Hysterectomy at Age 29
  9. Healing
  10. 7 Weeks Post Hysterectomy
  11. 6 Months Later…After My Hysterectomy
  12. 5 Years After a Hysterectomy [2018 Update]

Questions or comments? Feel free to email me at erika at livingwellmom . com (no spaces). I’ve received countless emails from women with similar stories to mine and I love hearing from you!

Dear Mom, Join the Living Well Mom Insiders

You’ll get exclusive content, “Sunshine for Your Day,” and more stuff Erika doesn’t share anywhere else!
    By entering your info, you’ll become a LWM Insider! Everything is delivered straight to your email inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.

    Filed Under: Erika's Life, Hysterectomy Tagged With: hysterectomyPublished on September 23, 2012

    You May Also Love

    5 Years Later…After My Hysterectomy At Age 29
    a boy holding his rooster
    Our Autism Story
    When Life Hands You…a Skunk

    About Erika

    Erika Bragdon is a flower essence practitioner and a second-generation homeschooling mom with 3 kids at home and 1 in college. She enjoys her chickens, goats, and gardening on a small farm in New Hampshire, and is passionate about sharing flower essences and more ways to renew body, mind, and soul with moms.

    Comments

    1. Carrie Phelps says

      September 23, 2012 at 12:44 pm

      I’m so glad you’ve had a speedy recovery and are feeling better! Just remember to take your time and relax, you’ll know what you can and cannot do.

      Reply
    2. Jo-Ann Brightman says

      September 23, 2012 at 5:08 pm

      I am glad that you are doing well. My prayers for you will continue.

      Reply
    3. Christy Maurer says

      September 23, 2012 at 5:51 pm

      I’m so glad you are on the mend physically and emotionally! I love that your mom sent you a stuffed animal. Isn’t that just like a mom 🙂 Keep resting and thank the Lord you are doing better than you expected!

      Reply
    4. Sue Hull says

      September 24, 2012 at 12:35 am

      Hi Erica,
      I’m so happy you’re feeling better. Isn’t it awesome to have a great family who takes over when you need them? My family is also praying for you. I told them what you’ve been through. My mom said it’s great that God blessed you with 4 kids before you had to get this done. We all send lots of prayers,love and hugs. I’m anemic sometimes too. I think I need to get some more iron shots. During chemo I had to get 5 blood transfusions because chemo causes anemia,and since I’m prone to it anyways chemo hit me hard in that dept.
      Well my dear you rest and let God mend your body. God Bless 🙂

      Reply
    5. Jessica Lee says

      September 24, 2012 at 8:13 am

      I am glad to hear you are doing better and I hope you continue to get better. I have been following you for a while on facebook but have recently started following your blog and I just wanted to let you know that it is refreshing to see another Christian mom who is so open about her faith. Feel better. God bless.

      Reply
    6. Dakotapam says

      September 28, 2012 at 11:52 am

      Oh Erika, take it easy. I am glad that you are doing so well. Remember that you will feel emotional, and that is Ok! I will continue to pray for your recovery!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Erika Bragdon sitting on a bench drinking a drink out of her mug

    Welcome! I’m Erika and I’m the creator behind Living Well Mom.

    More About Erika

    The Latest

    • Easy Homemade Fruit and Veggie Wash (That Actually Works)
    • Chewy Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
    • 32+ Fun Outdoor Activities for Kids (That Will Keep Them Busy!)
    • Bubble Painting – How to Paint with Bubbles
    • Easy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe (That Your Kids Will Actually Eat!)

    Trending Now

    • playdough in a container Make the Easiest Homemade Playdough Recipe That Lasts for Months {With Video!}

    • outside holding tick spray bottle with dog Simple All-Natural Tick Repellent for Dogs – with Video!

    • Taco Pizza is a great as an easy family dinner (you can even make it the night before) or a tasty appetizer. Kids love this recipe and the cream cheese/sour cream “sauce” and spicy taco flavor are a hit with adults too. Taco Pizza – The BEST Easy Dinner Recipe

    • homemade macaroni and cheese on plate Easy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe (That Your Kids Will Actually Eat!)

    • big strong homemade bubble solution How to Make Bubble Solution (Easy + Strong Bubbles)

    • Hand pressed into a ball of fluffy slime Fluffy Dish Soap “Slime” (Borax Free)

    • Home
    • Seasonal
    • Essential Oils
    • Natural Solutions
    • Autism

    Living well is a journey not a destination

    copyright ©2025, Living Well Mom. / Site by Pixel Me Designs
    Privacy PolicyTerms & ConditionsDisclaimer