MY RELATIONSHIP TO DA VINCI SURGERY: Patient

MY CONDITION: Uterine Prolapse

TYPE OF PROCEDURE I HAD: da Vinci Hysterectomy

DATE OF PROCEDURE: Mar 30, 2008

MY SURGEON: Dr. Terry W. Grogg

HOSPITAL WHERE MY PROCEDURE WAS PERFORMED: Mount Carmel West

OTHER TREATMENTS I CONSIDERED BEFORE DA VINCI SURGERY:
None.

THE BIGGEST CONCERNS I HAD ABOUT TREATMENT:
Being laid off work for a long period of time.

WHY I CHOSE DA VINCI SURGERY:
My doctor, Dr. Grogg, made it seem like a wonderful thing. He said, "Lucy, for you it will be perfect, because you like to go, go, go and not be tied down."

HOW LONG I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL:
I went in the hospital for surgery one day, and I came home the next day. I went home from major surgery the next day!

MY PAIN AND/OR DISCOMFORT LEVEL:
I had no internal pain, just a little pain at the surgical site. I never took any pain medicine, just ibuprofen.

ABOUT MY RECOVERY TIME:
I was only off work for two weeks.

WHEN I RETURNED TO NORMAL ACTIVITIES:
I wasn't down for six weeks---I was back up and going for it! I was off work for two weeks from major surgery (actually, I snuck in there on a Sunday to do some paperwork).

ABOUT MY SURGEON AND/OR FACILITY STAFF:
When Dr. Grogg said 'da Vinci,' I thought, "He's my doctor. I've been going to him for years." He was so happy that I thought, "Oh, it's got to be good!" I trust him, he's very good.

HOW DA VINCI SURGERY COMPARED TO MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES OR PRECONCEPTIONS OF SURGERY:
My girlfriend had a hysterectomy the old-fashioned way, and she was off for 6 weeks; here I was "in-and-out," like I'd had nothing done.

I would take the da Vinci robot again, for anything I had done. I recommend it to everybody!