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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 2/7/2006 4:48 PM (GMT -6)
Hey everyone!

I have a friend (an adult) who is going to have a hysterectomy soon and I want to make her a little care package....I know what a teen like me would want but is there anything a 40-smthing female teacher would especially appreciate? She also has mild IBS. Has anyone on here ever had a hysterectomy? Just wondered..all suggestions will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks :)

Posted 2/8/2006 6:43 AM (GMT -6)
Hi blondie,
That is so thoughtful of you to do that. Care packages are wonderful and I'm sure anything you put into it will put a smile on your friend's face. Well I'm not 40 but I'm a little closer to it than you are (I'm 30 btw). To make it somewhat personal without knowing exactly what to put... I really think that those little pocket books that you get from the bookstores are really special (some about friendship, etc... you may find one that is a "get well" theme). cookies are wonderful and enjoyed at all ages :) Maybe homemade if thats possible. If you know her scent or preference, bath and body works is one of my all time favorites and sometimes you can find little sampler things so you can put different scents and let her try each one. This is just a couple of ideas... I know it won't fill the thing but hopes it helps you a little.
Posted 2/8/2006 6:52 AM (GMT -6)
Oh yes! I had a hysterectomy at age 33. You can pick from these ideas. Chick Flick movies, soft cozy slippers, Bath & Body shower gel, candles, lotions, the new Il Divo CD "Encoure" (I think that's the title.....it's beautifully relaxing), a good book and notebook, a journal, maybe some hot tea (if it agrees with her) and a nice mug, or a manicure set with nail polishes. Also, some meals brought in was a HUGE help, although that may not be possible if it's not long distance. The main thing is to think COMFORT. She doesn't necessarily need to know this, but as your friend it will be helpful to know that the first week is miserable. After that, it gets easier. She will need to follow her doctors orders for activity limitations too. This means she will be confined to the house for some time, and not able to drive too. So communication through e-mails (once she feels well enough) will be encouraging to her as well. Good luck, and bless you for caring for her!
Posted 2/8/2006 8:49 AM (GMT -6)
What a nice thing to do, blondie. :-)

Is there a Waiters on Wheels or a Dine-11 in her area (or any company that picks up and delivers take-out from restaurants)? When my mom had her hysterectomy she did not want to cook, she ordered out everyday. You can get your friend a gift certificate to one of these cool take-out providers.
Posted 2/8/2006 10:22 AM (GMT -6)
Something I did for my grandmother for Christmas was to make up a HUGE batch of stir fry and rice and then I put it in single-serving baggies and froze it. I told her she could just dump the contents out onto a plate and heat them up when her hip was bothering her and she couldn't bear to stand up and cook. That's a lot cheaper than buying pre-frozen chinese meals (not to mention, I gave her a lot more meat and vegetables than rice) and especially cheaper than takeout. If there's something that you're good at making food-wise, then that would be a good idea since I seem to recall my mother was too sore to cook when she had her hysterectomy.

Epsom salts would probably be nice for a soak when down there is still sore. You can add food coloring to plain epsom salts and you can add scent to them too and make your own mix for cheaper than you can buy it. I made some up Christmas before last for all the women in my family. I colored half my salts red and left the other half white. I scented both with peppermint extract and pored them into empty wine bottles in stripes, like a candy cane. Then I made a stopper from a marble tied in a piece of red cloth. I stirred the food coloring through the salt with my hands and they were red for several days, lol.

http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm The Dollar Stretcher is a good place to look for gift ideas that are on the cheap and/or that you can make yourself (I assume being a teen you don't have a lot of cash). There's a "Search our Site" tool up at the top that can let you search for "gift"
Posted 2/8/2006 10:35 AM (GMT -6)
I have a great suggestion for you, check out Hystersisters.com, a web-site all about hysterectomies with great resources. They have great gifts for those having surgery, and they have great ideas for helping out the "princesses", as they call them.  It will give you tons of ideas, and be helpful for the lady having the hysterectomy.  Bless your heart for your kindness.
Posted 2/8/2006 3:11 PM (GMT -6)
Thanks guys!!! Now I actually know where to start haha. You guys are awesome :)
Posted 2/8/2006 4:09 PM (GMT -6)
Depending on how close you are as friends, you could give her one of those little sample-size boxes of pads or tampons with a note that says, "Just think of what you're missing!"
Posted 2/10/2006 2:29 PM (GMT -6)
I am 43 and had a hysterectomy at age 29. It was the best thing to ever thappen to me health wise. If you get her slippers I would get ones with open backs so they easily slip on. A book that is easy to read (not to deep) would be nice too. Maybe a coupon for a dinner or something. This is a great thing you are doing.
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