*Set aside non-essentials and make practical preparations. Organize your life today by anticipating your needs and that of your family's during those first post-surgery weeks. 

*Plan on extended downtime. Every woman is unique in strength, health, and resilience; accept a reasonable timeframe given your particular level of health.

*Factor in pain as a partner to eventual physical wholeness. Purpose to view pain as productive...expect it, work with it, and understand its function in your body.

*Understand that emotions will fluctuate day-by-day, sometimes hour-by-hour. If you've never undergone surgery before, there is no accurate way to gauge how your body will respond to anesthesia or to pain medications.

*Take the medication prescribed faithfully and seek special help for ongoing struggles. Remember, the body heals most effectively when it is not fighting against raging pain.

*Realize that lack of sleep can precipitate short-term depression-like symptoms. If you experience weepiness, emotional highs/lows, lack of energy, or hopelessness, consider yourself normal...for a sleep-deprived individual.

*Cultivate a "being" rather than "doing" mentality. Redefine purposeful activity and achievement as the ability to rest productively...knowing that the body has undergone tremendous stress and needs time to rejuvenate.