Hysterectomy Support Groups

 It can be a frightening time in any woman's life... being told you need to have a hysterectomy.

Whether the reason is cancer, endometriosis, fibroids or something else, the anxiety about such a surgery, is very real.  And unless you have a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, or friend who can relate and share her experience with you, it's hard to know where to turn with that anxiety about it.

Any surgery can be scary, but this is one that eliminates the ability to have children and for many of us, that is a lot to deal with....

🤰  🤰  🤰  🤰  🤰  🤰  🤰  🤰  🤰  🤰  🤰  🤰

When I was diagnosed with fibroids last year, I was told the best course of action would be to have a hysterectomy.  I asked about shrinking them with birth control, but was told changing my hormone levels would actually grow them.  Then I suggested the artery embolization, but the risk of fatal blood clots is fairly high. I was told that just removing the fibroids themselves is an option if I want to preserve my fertility, but fibroids almost always come back, and sometimes worse!

So, knowing that I will eventually be having a hysterectomy, I went to facebook and searched support groups.  Other women in the same boat, can be such an amazing resource - a real sisterhood 💕

Here are some good hysterectomy support groups to join on facebook:

• Young Hysterectomy and or Menopause Sisters
• Hysterectomy Sisters
• Hysterectomy Sisterectomy 

In addition to the online ones, you can also reach out to your local Primary Care Network or Community Health Centre, to inquire about any in-person support groups they may offer in your area.  

It can be of great help for what to expect during prep and the days leading up, and what to expect during healing.  The experienced ladies can help you make an effective post-op recovery plan that you can get your whole family in on. 

Remember, no matter what happens, you've got this. You're strong and you needed that surgery because what was hindering you, was significantly worse than the outcome.  

Fibroids and Sugar

 Recently, I found out something kind of scary about fibroids... they crave sugar.  More accurately, that explains why I always crave sugar.  This morning, I had a Nutella waffle for breakfast... and then 2 hours later, I made another one 😭  

Admittedly, I don't usually indulge to this degree, but I will admit that over the past 4-5 years, my cravings for sweet have increased to the point where I feel almost desperate for my next "fix".  I've racked up quite the debt on my card, which I tap to the vending machine every other day at work, for an Oh Henry! bar (my favorite). 

Kicking the sugar habit cold turkey is near impossible. My brain & tongue are too trained... but the good news is, I can start making healthy choices - and if sugar cravings get you too, then read on:

• Strong soothing flavors - such as peppermint, ginger & cinnamon - can be great alternatives and all have health benefits. They can be found (or put) in green tea. 
• Choose water over pop, and put fruit or fruit juice into the water for a boost of flavor.
• Use honey instead of refined sugar, on things like cereal or toast.
• Opt for smoothies over milkshakes, and yogurt over ice cream - when possible.
• It's okay to indulge in actual sugar sometimes - just not all the time!
• Choose chocolate covered nuts or granola bar over typical candy snacks.
• Dark chocolate = less sugar and healthy antioxidants. Yay!
• Limit it to no more than 1 treat per day. More than once a day is a problem...

Cutting back sugar won't single-handedly get rid of fibroids, but it can sure help slow their growth and make things like cramps less intense over time... Plus, you'll feel better overall!

Video of a Robotic Hysterectomy

 Hi all, 

Before I get into it, I'd like to point out that this is not my video.  It was published by UnityPoint Health in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  

Anyway, this is a very cool video, featuring a robotic hysterectomy with vaginal assist, which is minimally invasive (though still considered major surgery).  These days, it's more & more rare that your surgeon would need to make a large abdominal incision, unless you have an extreme health issue (such as your uterine lining ending up on all your surrounding tissues).  I'm really hoping that when I get mine done, that it will be simple like this.  The video duration is about an hour:

The main surgeons, Drs. Rozeboom and McCarron, are very chill and great at describing each step you see on the screen. 

Though I'm sharing this for your benefit, to help ease your mind if you have a surgery upcoming (that is why I look up this kind of stuff, to calm my nerves), I'd like to warn you that it is a bit graphic and if you feel queasy about blood & guts, it's best not to watch. (it's okay, I cannot watch "Dr. Pimple Popper" for that reason, hahaha). 

Saying goodbye to my "normal" pants

Okay so, this might be kind of a strange video. As I may have already shared, I recently bought myself 3 new pairs of maternity pants (in addition to the one I already have) - giving me 4. Yay! 

This is a sort of sad "goodbye" video for my former pants and leggings, as I acknowledge that I'm no longer able to wear any of them due to painful bloating (and increased risk of heavy bleeding from pressure on the fibroids, from pants). 

At some point, I'd like to take photos of myself in all the new maternity pants and show you how super cute and cozy they are. Now I could not imagine wearing pants that don't hug my "swelly belly" LOL.

In the meantime, here is a personal photo, where I staged stuff I actually use. Of course, that's my only non-blue denim maternity pants there, along with the Super-Overnight pads I need to use, since anything lighter tends to fail. And one of the Super-absorbency tampons of course, along with my Aleve - the only thing that (safely) works for my worst cramps! And last but not least, the iron supplements I take during my period to help lessen my anemia. 

Pictures of Belly Bloat

 Hello all!

As you know, fibroids can be the size of a pea, or they can eventually become the size of a grapefruit! Mostly, they remain somewhere in between... in many cases, their size can make a woman appear several weeks pregnant as they fill the womb...

For example, all of these are pictures of me from over the years (many are before I even knew about having fibroids). I currently look approx. 2 months pregnant, and have for quite a long time... tune in to a future post to hear all about my new collection of super-comfy maternity pants!

Some of the above photos date back to about 2010... so something was already beginning and would just worsen over time. Along with a slowly growing belly, I also experienced worsening cramps and heavier flow! It just doesn't get better... 

Anyway, I'm getting hesitant to wear the white sweater-dress pictured above (on my 26th birthday), because it's really begun to emphasize "the bloat".  My response to "Oooh, what are you expecting?" will be, "a hysterectomy."

Strange Bleeding and Another Follow Up

Hello lovely ladies (and others here), 

It's now July 8 and I haven't been keeping up regularly with this blog as much as I'd like to.  It's been quite busy at work (customer service desk at a hardware store during the Summer).  Anyway, in late May I made a follow up post for you.

I had all-but bragged that my last period was relatively short and pain-free, but now I'm back to a point of on again/off again spotting, as well as near-constant lower abdominal cramps.  As noted, these tend to get worse when I'm under emotional stress, so I try to relax and take it easy as much as possible, and turn to journaling when I simply have waaaay too much on my mind! 

📓🖉

So now I'm having another issue... and I don't know what to make of it.  For the past about 5 days I've been spotting (which I've gotten used to), but now there appears to be a bit of blood that leaks out from my urethra.... it scares me to death to have to go to a doctor and have them examine me, since I don't want anything being put in there (the thin tube above the vaginal opening, where urine and female ejaculate come out of).  I imagine it would be quite painful and lead to a nasty infection... and I finally confessed - very embarrassed - last night to my husband about it, and he said we should see a doctor since I have today off work. 

However, my period this month was due in only 3 days, and seems to have gone ahead & started... so maybe this is a blessing in disguise? I can pray and hope that the urethral bleeding will clear up on it's own, or better yet - that I just imagined it or was mistaken.  

Either way, I know I will eventually need to go back to a doctor, now that the Covid-19 situation is lifting and hospitals and doctor's offices are letting in limited amounts of people with masks and appointments... 

😷

In the meantime, I am looking forward to buying more maternity jeans like these ones here

**This blog is intended to share a personal journey with an intimate issue, and readers are strongly encouraged to open up and share personal issues too. This is intended to be a safe space for you. A place to relate and realize you're not alone.

Menopause and Irony

Prior to the diagnosis of having several fibroids, the symptoms I'd been experiencing made me believe I may be going through an early menopause.

I actually believed this to the point that I began researching the likelihood, and what the symptoms would be like - I'd been experiencing very irregular & heavier periods, as well as a lot of stress, abdominal pain, vaginal pain/discomfort with intimacy, troubled sleep, bloating, feverish hot flashes both in bed and at work, and mood swings.

Well, I'm 32 years old as I write this and will likely get a hysterectomy done prior to 40, and if they take my ovaries (won't know until the surgery) then I will be catapulted into an early menopause, which may include symptoms such as:

Limited libido/vaginal dryness, mood swings, hot flashes, brain fog, and the others I'd been experiencing, listed in the second paragraph above. 

😭🌡🛌😠🎂🍟😕

The irony of this is that I thought, before my diagnosis, that I might've been in for an unnaturally early menopause - but the fibroids will likely require a hysterectomy which has the potential to put me into menopause anyway!

🤣