What Uterus! A Post-hysterectomy Blog and Facebook Group

Charlene Barber has created a blog and Facebook group for women who have undergone hysterectomies. Here’s the scoop about Charlene and this great resource:

So, they say as one door closes, another one opens. This has never been so true for me as when I evicted my uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries!

Now for a bit of background. I have recently had a total hysterectomy that included removing the left ovary and fallopian tube (a total hysterectomy with left bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy if you want the more medical jargon). I had the right ovary and fallopian tube removed approximately 14 years ago thanks to an ovarian cyst and abnormal cervical cells.

Throughout the years, I have had various ovarian cysts on my remaining left ovary, constant pain, polyps, and menorrhagia pretty much constantly, which  was getting worse and worse. I then entered early menopause, which was most likely due to the removal of the right ovary all those years ago. The left one kept having problems, including blood-filled cysts. Because of this and the threat of abnormal cells appearing again, my doctor and I decided to do a total hysterectomy including removal of the left ovary. As a result of the surgery, the medical professionals realized I had endometriosis and adenomyosis. That answered why I was bleeding and in constant pain.

My most recent surgery has now thrown me into what they call ‘surgical menopause.’ Oh the joy!

Since having my operation, I have woken up most mornings with questions. I wanted to hear about the cold, hard truth of what it was like coping day by day recovering from this surgery. I also wanted information about dealing with the lack of hormones I was now experiencing. I needed an online resource that would help me with this.

I decided to create a blog, in humorous form, to share my recovery process on a regular basis. I wanted to tell what it is like for a ‘youngish’ middle aged woman going through this ordeal.  So…. ‘What Uterus!’ was born!

I initially shared my blog with family and friends to keep them up to date on my progress. I was encouraged to go further afield so my blog could help other women in a similar situation. What Uterus helps them feel ‘normal’ and to understand that it’s okay to feel the way we do.

So ladies, please feel free to read/share my blog at www.whatuterus.com. I update approximately every two weeks or when I hit a milestone, and please join our Facebook group page ‘What Uterus.’ This is a page where women can share their experiences after having a hysterectomy or going through natural/surgical menopause. We’ve been sharing top tips on the different symptoms of menopause along with books and some humorous posts about menopausal women. The page allows us to laugh and cry together and create a team of strong, beautiful, and slightly hormonal women!

Website:  www.whatuterus.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/UterusWhat

Facebook Page:  https://m.facebook.com/whatuterus/

Facebook Community Page:  https://facebook.com/groups/400977870848597