Benita Palenske
Read the full story of Benita's recovery here on WellCommunityChicago.org.
Benita Palenske grew up with a daunting family medical history. Her mother, aunt and grandmother all suffered from gynecologic conditions. At age 37, Palenske’s history caught up with her. In 2009 she was diagnosed with adenomyosis, a condition where the lining of the uterine walls grows into the muscular walls of the uterus, causing severe pain and very heavy periods. After exploring several treatment options with her gynecologic surgeon, Benita realized that a da Vinci hysterectomy was the right choice.
“I had my robotic surgery on a Thursday. I was home on Friday morning, at church and cooking dinner for my husband by Sunday and back to work on Monday. It was great...
What pain I had wasn’t sharp, as I was expecting, but almost like I had done too many sit-ups. Just a month after surgery, I could barely see the four dime-sized scars on my abdomen. My mom and aunt have major scars from their (traditional, non-robotic)surgeries, and when they saw my scars after my surgery they couldn’t believe we had had the same surgery...
For me individually, robotic surgery was the answer. I finally feel normal, and that feels great."
Learn more about gynecology services at Swedish Covenant Hospital > or call 773-878-7787.
