Friday, March 09, 2007

Warning: Major Rant & Graphic Descriptions Here

OK, I'm not exactly in my right mind at the moment. First of all, we just learned yesterday that the repairs to the Honda will run to about $2,000. That's new tires, struts and, as of late yesterday afternoon, a new front axle.

Second, I'm not having "a little spotting" as a result of the vaginal ultrasound. I'm having a freakin' full-blown period!!!! You know the kind: It wakes you up after 4 hours of sleep because you're wet through with menstrual goo and you have to clean up yourself, the bed, and all of the drips on the way to the toilet!!!!!!!

Third, I received a gift of two books yesterday in the mail. (I'd been waiting on the latest Dalziel & Pascoe installment, but that book isn't here yet. !@#$@@#%%%#!@$!) One of those books is some female-glorification-of-the-uterus claptrap (honestly, one of the chapters is entitled, "Pelvic Health and Power") that was sent to me by a very kind person who I know meant all the best, but I'll get more use out of the book as a doorstop than anything else. Honestly, the author goes on and on about personal empowerment ("Do you feel you need to get your spouse's approval when you purchase clothing for yourself?") and some sort of quasi-sacred-yet-conspiracy-theory about OB/GYNs who are not "in tune with your desire to keep your uterus."

News Flash: I DO NOT WANT TO KEEP MY UTERUS!!!!!!!!!!!

News Flash: Every woman I've talk to who has had a hysterectomy has NOT regretted it. She hasn't missed her uterus in the least.

That's all for the moment -- not because I'm done with the rant, but because I have to run to the bathroom AGAIN!

5 comments:

rita said...

I have begged for a hysterectomy for years, to no avail. My mom had one at the age of 47, and since we're alike in so many ways health-wise, I just assumed that I'd also end up with fibroid tumors and get to have a hysterectomy before I ever started menopause, just like Mom.

Wrong.

At age 38, I started having extremely heavy and prolonged periods. Great. I was divorced after 17 years of marriage and had a real boyfriend.

This continued (not the guy, though) for 12 years. Twelve years. I was on the pill for at least 10 years; that at least made things more bearable. After I went off it, the irregularity started and went on for another 2 years. Finally, finally, at age 52 my doctor told me that I'd officially reached menopause. For some reason, that didn't stop the hot flashes and insomnia.

After two years without periods (and refusing to use HRT because it caused periods), I had another two-week-long period. I was pissed. My gyno did a d&c, not even an endometrial ablation, which would have ended any possibility of bleeding ever again. No hysterectomy because there was no reason for one.

Riiiiggggggghhhht.

P.S. I hope you feel better soon. And I love your writing!

Anonymous said...

I'm turning 51 this year, and have been in perimenopause for 9 years (that I KNOW of) and have two daughters (12 and 15). I know I've got at least 6 more years with one in the house and will probably not hit menopause until she goes off to college.

I totally relate to the heavy periods - Progest helps (over-the-counter in Whole Foods) - and hot flashes on and off, and spontaneous nosebleeds, occasional heart/chest pressure, and the whole aging thing.

I hope I won't require a hysterectomy, I'd just like my ovaries to shrivel up in the natural course of my aging. Fortunately, we all have options that work for each of us - I hope your doctor can work with you to get to the place YOU need to be with your body. This is about YOU, not about what THEY think.

Anonymous said...

I also have known several women who have had hysterectomies for multiple reasons. and guess what? NO ONE MISSES THEIR UTERUS!!!

Anonymous said...

Had my hysterectomy, including ovaries, 11 years ago - never regretted it - it was a god send! Find another OB-GYN and insist on it - you have suffered enough!

Anonymous said...

i kept my uterus and lost an ovary, the heavy periods were horrible. would a change it when i had the ovary removed? yes take the uterus, i must have been nuts.
Mary K