Hi there @TripleTea.
I would think since at least 3 weeks following your hysterectomy you should be able to doing walking. Certainly that is no issue with expanders in. If your scars are completely healed up you could also do some pool exercises. Maybe not swimming or aquafit yet but certainly walking and doing yout post op exercises in the water will assist you to regain your strength. The fabulous thing with exercise is it really helps our mental health.
Doing some mindfulness techniques and practising slowing your breath can also help when you are feeling panicky or stressed. Practising the breathing outside those times means you can do them easily when it happens. Try downloading some apps (free) and see which you like. Calm...is one. Smiling minds is another and also Minshift. All have assisted relaxation info on them.
With diagnosis comes all the fear and we just go into the fight of saving our life. Shifting from that to being a survivor is hard. We all fear recurrence. It's normal. If it preoccupies your life...talk to someone about that. I think only after all the surgery is done and treatment over do we really start to grieve.
We grieve for the loss of feeling safe with our health.
We grieve for the loss of the hormones that made us women.
We grieve for the removal of those body parts.
We grieve for the changes it has on relationships.
Yes...it's normal but it is hard.
Survivorship is about figuring out how to pick up the pieces if your life and reclaim it...forever changed you will be, but a life worth the fight for.
It does get better. Kath x
