Post #6
I was 25 the first time I went to a gynecologist, although, in hindsight I know I should have gone sooner. Then again, it took 19 years as it was. If I'd gone sooner, it just might have meant more years of frustration. Anyway, the doctor put me on The Pill. It was supposed to regulate my periods and ease the cramps. It worked for a while but, then everything got back to what was normal for me. The last time I saw that doctor was in 1987. I didn't go to another gynecologist until 1999. I figured, if I'm not going to be taken seriously, why should bother?
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Post #5
Through four years of college, the only thing I learned about women and their periods is that women who spend a lot of time together get “synchronized.” Because all my friends and I had our periods at about the same time, I began to think I was being a crybaby because none of them seemed to be experiencing anything close to what I was.
Through four years of college, the only thing I learned about women and their periods is that women who spend a lot of time together get “synchronized.” Because all my friends and I had our periods at about the same time, I began to think I was being a crybaby because none of them seemed to be experiencing anything close to what I was.
Post #4
As if high school wasn't bad enough, I had to deal with increasingly worse periods. I'm pretty sure that any of my classmates who were paying attention knew exactly when I had my period. Several times, I spent at least one class period in the nurse's office with a period-related migraine. While, during the rest of the month, I only used the restroom once or twice a day, during that time of the month, I needed to go every couple of hours. Many times, I even begged my mother to let me stay home from school because the cramps and other symptoms were unbearable. One day when she wouldn't let me stay home, I almost fainted during an English class. Instead, I put my head down on my desk and forced myself not to cry. A nun, trying to be helpful, gave me a couple of vitamin pills. I appreciated the thought but, it didn't help. It also didn't help that my classmates now thought Sister So-and-So was dealing drugs. ;)
During this time, I asked my mother if I could take Midol or Pamprin. She couldn't believe or understand that aspirin, Tylenol or Bufferin just weren't working, so she wouldn't buy it for me. I used my allowance and babysitting money to buy it because I needed some relief. Although it helped slightly more than other pain relievers, I was really never pain-free. I think my mother truly believed that I was a hypochondriac or that I was looking for attention. I know she didn't believe everything was as bad as I said it was.
As I got ready to go away to college, I hoped that I would find someone else who was experiencing the same things I was.
As if high school wasn't bad enough, I had to deal with increasingly worse periods. I'm pretty sure that any of my classmates who were paying attention knew exactly when I had my period. Several times, I spent at least one class period in the nurse's office with a period-related migraine. While, during the rest of the month, I only used the restroom once or twice a day, during that time of the month, I needed to go every couple of hours. Many times, I even begged my mother to let me stay home from school because the cramps and other symptoms were unbearable. One day when she wouldn't let me stay home, I almost fainted during an English class. Instead, I put my head down on my desk and forced myself not to cry. A nun, trying to be helpful, gave me a couple of vitamin pills. I appreciated the thought but, it didn't help. It also didn't help that my classmates now thought Sister So-and-So was dealing drugs. ;)
During this time, I asked my mother if I could take Midol or Pamprin. She couldn't believe or understand that aspirin, Tylenol or Bufferin just weren't working, so she wouldn't buy it for me. I used my allowance and babysitting money to buy it because I needed some relief. Although it helped slightly more than other pain relievers, I was really never pain-free. I think my mother truly believed that I was a hypochondriac or that I was looking for attention. I know she didn't believe everything was as bad as I said it was.
As I got ready to go away to college, I hoped that I would find someone else who was experiencing the same things I was.
Post #3
Let's start at the beginning. From the very first day of my very first period I had problems. Remember the movies they showed in school letting the girls know what to expect as they “blossomed into womanhood?” So, of course I had heard about cramps and was expecting them. But no one ever told me just how painful they would be. I was also told they only last for the first few hours of the first day. I can probably count on my fingers, and not use all of them, how many times in 33 years I had cramps only for a few hours and, for that matter, only on the first day. No one ever told me the pain would be so bad I'd be nauseated and, many times, have to vomit for hours because of it. No one told me about the migraines and the weakness in my legs so bad that I had trouble going up and down stairs.
I had complained ... OK. Let's be honest. I whined to my mother about how bad I felt. Her reply was always something along the lines of “You have to give your body time to adjust and regulate.”
It never did. I think 33 years was long enough to wait, don't you?
Let's start at the beginning. From the very first day of my very first period I had problems. Remember the movies they showed in school letting the girls know what to expect as they “blossomed into womanhood?” So, of course I had heard about cramps and was expecting them. But no one ever told me just how painful they would be. I was also told they only last for the first few hours of the first day. I can probably count on my fingers, and not use all of them, how many times in 33 years I had cramps only for a few hours and, for that matter, only on the first day. No one ever told me the pain would be so bad I'd be nauseated and, many times, have to vomit for hours because of it. No one told me about the migraines and the weakness in my legs so bad that I had trouble going up and down stairs.
I had complained ... OK. Let's be honest. I whined to my mother about how bad I felt. Her reply was always something along the lines of “You have to give your body time to adjust and regulate.”
It never did. I think 33 years was long enough to wait, don't you?
Post #2
I've heard that some people think women who have hysterectomies for reasons other than cancer are making a “lifestyle choice.” I think these people are confused. There is a difference between “lifestyle” and “quality of life.” A lifestyle choice, in my opinion, would be botox injections or liposuction. Quality of life means you don't want to live with pain, exhaustion and heavy bleeding anymore.
Forty-six posts from now (if my brain is still working by then), I hope you'll understand what I mean.
I've heard that some people think women who have hysterectomies for reasons other than cancer are making a “lifestyle choice.” I think these people are confused. There is a difference between “lifestyle” and “quality of life.” A lifestyle choice, in my opinion, would be botox injections or liposuction. Quality of life means you don't want to live with pain, exhaustion and heavy bleeding anymore.
Forty-six posts from now (if my brain is still working by then), I hope you'll understand what I mean.
Let the 'thon begin!
During the next 24 hours I'll be writing about my hysterectomy, the experiences leading up to it and my continuing recovery. In a way, I'm lucky that the reason for my hysterectomy was fibroid tumors, not cancer. However, the reason for the surgery doesn't make the experience any less traumatic. Granted, there's one less concern leading up to the procedure and fewer concerns afterward but, it's still major surgery and a life-altering event. Please don't think the next 24 hours here will be a downer. I will attempt to add some humor into as many posts as possible because, believe me, there is some funny stuff that happened.
For the record, although I had a total abdominal hysterectomy on May 12, 2005, and I'm very happy that I did, I am neither pro- nor anti-hysterectomy. I'm in favor of women getting as much information as they can before making an informed choice. I hope, in some small way, this will help someone do that. I'm not anti-doctor either. I liked all my doctors through the years. The point of writing about my experiences with them is that I should have taken control and forced them to treat me for a problem that was obviously bigger than they believed it was.
The reason I'm doing the Blogathon, despite that fact that I'm still early enough in recovery that I should be taking it easy, is that I believe it's not only women with problems who need to learn more about the surgery, the recovery process and the reasons for it. I'm writing this for
Men. I'm hoping that men who read this may get a better understanding of how their wives, daughters, mothers, sisters, aunts, teachers, girlfriends, co-workers, classmates are feeling and what they're going through. It may be easier to “hear” coming from a stranger than from someone you're in contact with regularly. I'm sure many of you have brushed off the problems of the women in your lives as “that time of the month” or “a female thing.” While it is a female thing, that doesn't make it irrelevant and, therefore, something to not take seriously. If one man learns something from this and gives one woman in his life the compassion and understanding she needs, it'll be worth it.
Women With No 'Female Problems' First of all, consider yourselves lucky. I hope that doesn't sound snippy. It's not meant to be. It's written with all sincerity because, from what I've learned over the past several months, women with no problems are the lucky ones and don't realize how good they have it. I believe that's why they tend to minimize the problems the rest of us have been dealing with for years, decades in some cases. If you don't have to carry a box of tampons with you everywhere you go everyday; if you don't have to worry about when you're going to have an 'accident'; if you've never had cramps so bad that you're bedridden you need to read this. There are women out there who are in agony more days than not every single month. It affects every aspect of their lives. They're not whiners or big babies. They have real, physical ailments that won't just “go away.” If even one woman treats another woman with respect and compassion instead of writing her off as a complainer, it'll be worth it.
Women Who Are Suffering from 'Female Problems'. They need to know they're not alone and what they're feeling is real. I suffered from the day I got my first period when I was 12 years old. It took 33 years to find someone who took me seriously. Thank God he was a doctor who found and treated the problem and didn't just try to mask the symptoms. If one woman who is suffering finds the courage to empower herself and make someone to listen to her, it'll be worth it.
Doctors and Other Healthcare Workers. From what I've learned in the past few months (and from my own experience), I know that it takes many doctors several years to take a patient seriously when she says she's experiencing pain, irregular periods, migraines, exhaustion and many other symptoms. I know it's especially common for women who are in their 40s to be told everything is just part of “getting older.” This, despite the fact the problems have been plaguing them for years. I also realize doctors and health care workers have to deal with hypochondriacs and complainers every day and it can be difficult to determine which problems are real and which aren't'. If even one doctor takes one woman seriously and gives her the benefit of the doubt, it'll be worth it.
During the next 24 hours I'll be writing about my hysterectomy, the experiences leading up to it and my continuing recovery. In a way, I'm lucky that the reason for my hysterectomy was fibroid tumors, not cancer. However, the reason for the surgery doesn't make the experience any less traumatic. Granted, there's one less concern leading up to the procedure and fewer concerns afterward but, it's still major surgery and a life-altering event. Please don't think the next 24 hours here will be a downer. I will attempt to add some humor into as many posts as possible because, believe me, there is some funny stuff that happened.
For the record, although I had a total abdominal hysterectomy on May 12, 2005, and I'm very happy that I did, I am neither pro- nor anti-hysterectomy. I'm in favor of women getting as much information as they can before making an informed choice. I hope, in some small way, this will help someone do that. I'm not anti-doctor either. I liked all my doctors through the years. The point of writing about my experiences with them is that I should have taken control and forced them to treat me for a problem that was obviously bigger than they believed it was.
The reason I'm doing the Blogathon, despite that fact that I'm still early enough in recovery that I should be taking it easy, is that I believe it's not only women with problems who need to learn more about the surgery, the recovery process and the reasons for it. I'm writing this for
Men. I'm hoping that men who read this may get a better understanding of how their wives, daughters, mothers, sisters, aunts, teachers, girlfriends, co-workers, classmates are feeling and what they're going through. It may be easier to “hear” coming from a stranger than from someone you're in contact with regularly. I'm sure many of you have brushed off the problems of the women in your lives as “that time of the month” or “a female thing.” While it is a female thing, that doesn't make it irrelevant and, therefore, something to not take seriously. If one man learns something from this and gives one woman in his life the compassion and understanding she needs, it'll be worth it.
Women With No 'Female Problems' First of all, consider yourselves lucky. I hope that doesn't sound snippy. It's not meant to be. It's written with all sincerity because, from what I've learned over the past several months, women with no problems are the lucky ones and don't realize how good they have it. I believe that's why they tend to minimize the problems the rest of us have been dealing with for years, decades in some cases. If you don't have to carry a box of tampons with you everywhere you go everyday; if you don't have to worry about when you're going to have an 'accident'; if you've never had cramps so bad that you're bedridden you need to read this. There are women out there who are in agony more days than not every single month. It affects every aspect of their lives. They're not whiners or big babies. They have real, physical ailments that won't just “go away.” If even one woman treats another woman with respect and compassion instead of writing her off as a complainer, it'll be worth it.
Women Who Are Suffering from 'Female Problems'. They need to know they're not alone and what they're feeling is real. I suffered from the day I got my first period when I was 12 years old. It took 33 years to find someone who took me seriously. Thank God he was a doctor who found and treated the problem and didn't just try to mask the symptoms. If one woman who is suffering finds the courage to empower herself and make someone to listen to her, it'll be worth it.
Doctors and Other Healthcare Workers. From what I've learned in the past few months (and from my own experience), I know that it takes many doctors several years to take a patient seriously when she says she's experiencing pain, irregular periods, migraines, exhaustion and many other symptoms. I know it's especially common for women who are in their 40s to be told everything is just part of “getting older.” This, despite the fact the problems have been plaguing them for years. I also realize doctors and health care workers have to deal with hypochondriacs and complainers every day and it can be difficult to determine which problems are real and which aren't'. If even one doctor takes one woman seriously and gives her the benefit of the doubt, it'll be worth it.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Vote ... or Sponsor Me ... or Both
Even if you've never, ever watched an episode of "Big Brother," could you please go here and vote for Kaysar? Please? The game just won't be the same without him, and I'd love to see him get back into the house. Besides, a vote for Kaysar is a vote against "The Dark Side."
But if you can't bring yourself to do that, how 'bout sponsoring me for Blogathon? After you register, go here to do it. You'll feel so good if you do. I promise.
And big, big thanks to the people who've already made pledges. I really appreciate your support!
Even if you've never, ever watched an episode of "Big Brother," could you please go here and vote for Kaysar? Please? The game just won't be the same without him, and I'd love to see him get back into the house. Besides, a vote for Kaysar is a vote against "The Dark Side."
But if you can't bring yourself to do that, how 'bout sponsoring me for Blogathon? After you register, go here to do it. You'll feel so good if you do. I promise.
And big, big thanks to the people who've already made pledges. I really appreciate your support!
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Perfect
For weeks, months actually, I've been trying to put some of my thoughts about blogging into words but I've been having trouble getting them just right. After hearing this song again on the radio I realized why I couldn't say exactly what I wanted to say the way I wanted to say it: Anna Nalick already did it to perfection.
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
For weeks, months actually, I've been trying to put some of my thoughts about blogging into words but I've been having trouble getting them just right. After hearing this song again on the radio I realized why I couldn't say exactly what I wanted to say the way I wanted to say it: Anna Nalick already did it to perfection.
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to
Teachers
I'm sure everyone knows that teachers can have a huge impact ... both negative and postive ... on their students. From kindergarten through grade 12 I can remember only 5 who had a negative impact on me. Three(two in grade school, one in high school) taught me that, no matter what I did, someone else would always be better. Another, in high school, taught me that girls would never be as good as boys when it comes to math. I still have an aversion to numbers. The fifth, in grade school, was just plain mean and I still feel the affect she had on me. The reason I'm writing this is that I just had a flashback of her, and an incident in her classroom.
A little while ago, I was talking to someone in a different room. I had to repeat myself twice. Then, he said in a sing-songy voice "I can't hear you." I repeated what I said at the same time I had the flashback.
When I was a kid, I was painfully shy, even more than I am now. Because of my shyness, and my long-standing self-esteem issues, I spoke very quiety, almost in a whisper sometimes. One day in school I was trying to get the attention of my friend, which of course I shouldn't have been doing. My friend didn't hear me, so I whispered louder. She still didn't hear me, so I whispered louder still. Then the teacher said "Ann (it was before I added the "e."), we can't hear you when you're called on to answer a question but, we sure can hear you when you want to talk to Sue when you're not supposed to." Kids being kids, everyone (except my 3 best friends) cracked up at this. I was devastated. The only thing that kept me from crying was the fact that I knew crying about it would make everyone laugh more. I understand that I needed to be reprimanded but, was embarrassing a painfully shy third-grader in front of the entire class in the best interests of the child?
That incident did nothing for my shyness, believe me. In fact, it made me even more reluctant to participate in class for years to come. Standing in front of the class to speak? Forget it! I was a basket case. I was a junior in high school before I even started to get over that. Even then, it wasn't easy. If it wasn't for The Best Friend having confidence in me and pushing me to reach my potential, I'd probably still be a basket case when I had to talk in front of people. I'm not all that confident now but, at least I can do it.
It amazes me that nearly 40 years later I can still picture that incident as if it happened yesterday. There are good and bad people in every profession and, for the most part, I think teachers are good people. But I do think it's sad that the bad ones can leave such a long-standing impression.
I'm sure everyone knows that teachers can have a huge impact ... both negative and postive ... on their students. From kindergarten through grade 12 I can remember only 5 who had a negative impact on me. Three(two in grade school, one in high school) taught me that, no matter what I did, someone else would always be better. Another, in high school, taught me that girls would never be as good as boys when it comes to math. I still have an aversion to numbers. The fifth, in grade school, was just plain mean and I still feel the affect she had on me. The reason I'm writing this is that I just had a flashback of her, and an incident in her classroom.
A little while ago, I was talking to someone in a different room. I had to repeat myself twice. Then, he said in a sing-songy voice "I can't hear you." I repeated what I said at the same time I had the flashback.
When I was a kid, I was painfully shy, even more than I am now. Because of my shyness, and my long-standing self-esteem issues, I spoke very quiety, almost in a whisper sometimes. One day in school I was trying to get the attention of my friend, which of course I shouldn't have been doing. My friend didn't hear me, so I whispered louder. She still didn't hear me, so I whispered louder still. Then the teacher said "Ann (it was before I added the "e."), we can't hear you when you're called on to answer a question but, we sure can hear you when you want to talk to Sue when you're not supposed to." Kids being kids, everyone (except my 3 best friends) cracked up at this. I was devastated. The only thing that kept me from crying was the fact that I knew crying about it would make everyone laugh more. I understand that I needed to be reprimanded but, was embarrassing a painfully shy third-grader in front of the entire class in the best interests of the child?
That incident did nothing for my shyness, believe me. In fact, it made me even more reluctant to participate in class for years to come. Standing in front of the class to speak? Forget it! I was a basket case. I was a junior in high school before I even started to get over that. Even then, it wasn't easy. If it wasn't for The Best Friend having confidence in me and pushing me to reach my potential, I'd probably still be a basket case when I had to talk in front of people. I'm not all that confident now but, at least I can do it.
It amazes me that nearly 40 years later I can still picture that incident as if it happened yesterday. There are good and bad people in every profession and, for the most part, I think teachers are good people. But I do think it's sad that the bad ones can leave such a long-standing impression.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
TV-related
Sometimes I forget how much I like Seinfeld. I think that's because at the times it's on here I'm usually either doing something else or watching something else. But last night I caught one of my favorite episodes and found myself literally laughing out loud. It was the one where the valet contaminates Jerry's car with his BO and Jerry can't get the smell out. The smell permeates into Jerry's clothes, Elaine's hair. It's so bad that Jerry believes the smell has taken on a life of its own. If I had a pen handy at the time I would have written down some of the best lines. Then again, pretty much the entire show was hilarious.
Now that I've grossed you out by making you think of gaggingly bad BO, let's move onto something food-related. I just learned that there are groups of people who hate ... despise, actually ... Rachael Ray of "30 Minute Meals" and other Food Network shows. I mean, these people really, really hate her. And not just the way she cooks or what she cooks. They hate the way she looks, talks, laughs, walks, dresses, tastes her food, shops, chops. Everything, I'm tellin' ya. There are blogs dedicated to hating Rachael. There are "I Hate Rachael Ray" Web sites comparing her to Hitler. C'mon people. Get a freakin' grip here! One of the oddest things about this whole "I hate Rachael Ray" phenomenon is that many of these people watch her every day! And they don't just watch the cooking show. They watch "$40 a Day" and her specials, too.
I'm not an Emeril fan. I don't watch him. Simple.
Sometimes I forget how much I like Seinfeld. I think that's because at the times it's on here I'm usually either doing something else or watching something else. But last night I caught one of my favorite episodes and found myself literally laughing out loud. It was the one where the valet contaminates Jerry's car with his BO and Jerry can't get the smell out. The smell permeates into Jerry's clothes, Elaine's hair. It's so bad that Jerry believes the smell has taken on a life of its own. If I had a pen handy at the time I would have written down some of the best lines. Then again, pretty much the entire show was hilarious.
Now that I've grossed you out by making you think of gaggingly bad BO, let's move onto something food-related. I just learned that there are groups of people who hate ... despise, actually ... Rachael Ray of "30 Minute Meals" and other Food Network shows. I mean, these people really, really hate her. And not just the way she cooks or what she cooks. They hate the way she looks, talks, laughs, walks, dresses, tastes her food, shops, chops. Everything, I'm tellin' ya. There are blogs dedicated to hating Rachael. There are "I Hate Rachael Ray" Web sites comparing her to Hitler. C'mon people. Get a freakin' grip here! One of the oddest things about this whole "I hate Rachael Ray" phenomenon is that many of these people watch her every day! And they don't just watch the cooking show. They watch "$40 a Day" and her specials, too.
I'm not an Emeril fan. I don't watch him. Simple.