3 Years Ago Today

Apparently I started this blog three years ago. WordPress reminded me it was my anniversary. I’m glad I’m not in a relationship with someone real to be responsible to remember this date because I really blew it.

Hey! Let’s recap the three years … briefly. Really. I have to get back to my useless internet search of stupid stuff.

Glad I had my hysterectomy. No regrets.
Today … kind of got teary-eyed today when I saw a baby that “could” have been mine — in other words, she could have passed for my offspring. It was short-lived as I have not forgotten how much fun life is without a little being or beings in tow to constantly be responsible for. However, I do have my cats and husband so there is some responsibility there. Oh, and my job — please don’t let me go there. It’s been a bundle of stress lately to the point I’ve had chest pain. Again, let me NOT go there.
I have subscribed to a whole bunch of blogs over these three years. Reading on WordPress IS my new hobby. Most of the blogs I read are cat blogs … OK, I really just look at the photos.
I’m still having intermittent hot flashes. I blame my diet for this: wine, coffee and some sweets. I suppose I want the coffee, wine and chocolate MORE than not having hot flashes. Maybe one day I will get over these minor vices, but until I will suffer through my intermittent flushing, flashes and sweating. Oi vey. Poor me.
I’m moving soon and will have to put off my eventual cat (or other subject, but probably not) blog. I’m stockpiling photos of my little furbears!
My dad turns 80 this year. I have nothing more to say about that. He is healthy and happy and that’s all I could really ask for.
I have an anxiety feeling that started with spring. I wonder if it will go away with summer? The recent stress of my job has not helped this arena one bit. I am being silent-bullied at work. I didn’t know ignoring someone was a form of bullying. Apparently, it is. Check out being ignored as a bullying tactic (Bully Free at Work). I feel embarrassed to admit that I am being ignored by a couple people at work. Anyway, I’m trying to deal with this the best I can. Ugh.
Today is the first day I honestly considered getting a tattoo and possibly had some insight as to at least one reason someone might get inked — to put personal words and/or a symbol to remind themselves of something that means quite a bit to them … like a permanent post-it note reminder! I thought about three tattoos I’d like: 1. the “evil eye” … sometimes I feel some people are jealous of me and I’d like to have a particular tattoo to distract them, 2. some sort of symbol of Karma symbol or a phrase about Karma — something to remind me what comes around goes around, like that of what’s happening to me and to remind myself that my actions, positive and negative, come around back to me as well, and, 3. the word “reciprocity” — I often give to people who do not give back and I need to stop this; I need to pause giving to those beings who reciprocate kindness and actions that I do, to stop giving little gifts to people who are unable to say thank you or give in kind and to simply be friendly but not overextending myself. But honestly, I’m too chicken to get something permanent placed on my body. I doubt I’ll ever get a tattoo.

Did you know? A belief in the evil eye is widespread on every continent.

The Evil Eye (ayin ha-ra) is often defined as the ability to bring about evil results by a malicious gaze. In most cultures the belief is prevalent that some human beings have the power of sending destructive rays, so to speak, in order to cause harm to those of whom they are envious or otherwise dislike.

Evil Eye in Judaism

NOT a photo of me … or one of my cats either! I so own some Hamsa earrings & necklace and an evil eye bracelet — my very first item purchased from Etsy.

I’m not really superstitious. Really. I don’t believe in ghosts or angels or spells or speaking in tongues or seances or heaven or hell or reincarnation or astral projection … part of me feels silly even thinking about things like Karma and the evil eye.

Did you know? The relationship of karma to causality is a central motif in all schools of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist thought.

The theory of karma as causality holds that (1) executed actions of an individual affects the individual and the life he or she lives, and (2) the intentions of an individual affects the individual and the life he or she lives. Disinterested actions, or unintentional actions do not have the same positive or negative karmic effect, as interested and intentional actions.

Wikipedia on Karma

Hmmm … I better behave better!

Did you know? To really take inventory of the quality of your friendships with the goal of eliminating any non-reciprocal or toxic friends, it means we value ourselves enough to believe we deserve better, we deserve to be treated the way we treat others. The importance of reciprocal relationships.

It’s important to take an inventory of our relationships and determine if there is an overall reciprocity. Healthy relationships deserve it. Those that don’t have it, might need to be re-evaluated.

TheOpenedBox.com

I got a lot of account closing to do!

My take away from from the bullying article referenced above is be friendly, firm, but not familiar, and in the meantime, look to serve, be helpful, and trusted with all you come into contact with – this will help to secure your connection with … [all relationships].

Wow. I didn’t mean to write so much. Have a great day! And of course, see below for the cat photo you’ve been waiting for!

Happy Easter! You can tell this was an old photo because this photo was taken before the days of safety helmets.

Disenfranchised Grief … and HYSTERECTOMY

❤ Revisiting DISENFRANCHISED GRIEF

da Vinci Total Hysterectomy

Disenfranchised grief … I remember first finding this term during a time of loss … a loss that I couldn’t express to most everyone and definitely not publicly. It was unacceptable. It still is. I found a niche where I could fully express the pain and grief of this loss … it has made all the difference in the world. However, there is still an occasional urge to open up and talk about this period of disenfranchised grief … this heartbreaking loss.

But I don’t.

I hold back.

I keep it in.

Locked away.

Only a few people have access to this part of my ❤

Disenfranchised grief …

Disenfranchised grief occurs when an individual’s grief experience is not recognized or acknowledged by others. Disenfranchised grievers are frequently overlooked or ignored, lack opportunities to express their emotions, receive diminished social support and sympathy from others, and may be deprived of opportunities…

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The Emotional Hysterectomy

I write this post as kind of a lay person, even if I am a professional nurse with over twenty years experience, who has had a hysterectomy without having had any children. I went through my own grieving process in regard to never having my own biological children. Albeit a short process of grief, I still grieved somewhat, well before my surgery — at least two years.

From fearing surgery complications to grieving the impending loss of fertility, deciding to have a hysterectomy can trigger emotions that other kinds of surgeries probably wouldn’t.

Every Day Health: The Emotional Impact of a Hysterectomy

Before my hysterectomy, my surgeon’s office asked me if it was OK if I was on the postpartum floor after surgery — the floor with the mommies who have recently given birth (or are about to do so). Being a nurse for so many years, and more importantly having accepted my childlessness, I said yes, of course.

I wanted the expertise of the nurses who deal with women, and specifically those who have taken care of women who’ve had hysterectomies.

The Postpartum/Gyn floors are generally newly-remodeled with up-to-date appearances to lure prospective mothers so they can be the boon for future word-of-mouth for the hospitals’ clean and new look. Not all of the floors in a hospital are remodeled and decorated as nicely as the postpartum floor.

All remodeling and new furniture aside, I wanted the nurse who is accustomed and experienced in caring for GYN patients. There is less room for error and the nurse would possess a sense of ease with a woman who has had her baby house excavated — she’s taken care of these patients before. Although I may have been a refreshing type of patient for the med-surg floor nurse … a healthy recovery is primarily about me. My physical needs and safety became tantamount in regard to my post-op care. I didn’t want any ol’ nurse to take care of me, but one experienced in women’s health.

Some women cannot fathom being on a floor where a baby might appear or a pregnant woman may be seen … it can drive some women into a psychosis because the grief of a past lost child’s memory is still with them and/or they have not come to terms with their inability to reproduce. In these cases, the woman may want to hold off on surgery until the emotional aspect has been more clearly dealt with through counseling and more time. However, holding off on the hysterectomy may be impractical for whatever reason. In these cases, then the woman should probably go to the med-surg floor if there isn’t a wing in the hospital specializing in only GYN patients.

While it’s normal to experience some anxiety before the procedure, it’s important to calm those fears before you have a hysterectomy. Not only has stress been linked to slower healing of wounds after surgery, but how you feel about a hysterectomy before you have it may also determine your emotions afterward.

From Every Day Health: The Emotional Impact of a Hysterectomy

The show-stopper in all of this is can be a woman’s level of readiness for a hysterectomy with the realization she can’t give birth to any more children, if she had any to begin with. Sure, there’s adoption and that’s a can of a whole lotta worms of a different color. And simply because a woman has already had children or is too old to have children doesn’t mean she can’t grieve this loss. Being emotionally ready to have a hysterectomy doesn’t effect only the childless.

In case you’d like to explore the experience of the adoption process, here’s an excellent blog to read written by a woman with a huge heart, a tender soul and a longing to be a mother: My Perfect Breakdown: Surviving. Living. Hoping. Recurrent Pregnancy Loss & Adoption. (This is an aside, as the above blog writer is not interested in hysterectomy, not being the intent of her blog.)

anxiety no-mommy

Women who are depressed before having a hysterectomy tend to stay depressed afterward, says Kristen H. Kjerulff, MA, PhD, a psychologist, researcher, and professor in the departments of public health sciences and obstetrics and gynecology at the College of Medicine at Penn State University in Hershey.

My surgery was scheduled well after I accepted my infertility. I didn’t know if there would be crying babies or not, if I would see dozens of pregnant women walking the halls getting ready to give birth while seeing every door decorated with congratulatory baby stuff.

My experience on the postpartum/GYN floor was a great one. After my surgery and during my brief overnight stay, I didn’t hear one baby cry. The only woman I saw walking the hallway was hooked up to an IV with the smallest of discernible baby bumps, so I know she must have been there for some prenatal problems. I saw a few doors with the baby decor, not thinking much of it either way. I actually walked up to the nursery for viewing and was disappointed by the lack of babies present. Then there was a man who saw me walking the hall and asked if I’d had a boy or girl. I replied, “Neither. I had a hysterectomy.” He seemed shook up and apologized for asking the question. I wasn’t offended or hurt. He was simply a man who saw the world as every woman there having a baby. I simply gave birth to a uterus! (I also adopted that uterus out just so you know I didn’t bring it home with me.)

There are some cases where a woman cannot ready herself for a hysterectomy because there isn’t ample time to think about the decision. Cases like emergent hysterectomy after c-section or birth, usually from a ruptured uterus and/or uncontrollable postpartum hemorrhage doesn’t give the woman any time to think about hysterectomy; the choice of hysterectomy is made for her to save her life. Even in advanced uterine and/or ovarian cancer, sometimes bowel, there isn’t time to mull over having a hysterectomy or not; it’s a surgery that needs to be performed sooner than later to risk having metastasis or impending death if the surgery isn’t done.

Ninety percent of hysterectomies are elective, meaning there is time to think of alternative procedures, medications and therapies. In this time a woman can, and should prepare herself for the hysterectomy. Some women may never come to terms with the permanence of not being able to give birth — even if they have already given birth ten or more times!

Probably one of greatest determining factors of emotional readiness for hysterectomy is how much a woman wants to have children. If a woman doesn’t want children and never has, then the decision for hysterectomy is much easier. If a woman has ambivalence about having children, the decision to have a hysterectomy can also be one of ambivalence.

I can relate to this:

The parallel between my life some 45 odd years ago and my life now both fascinates and surprises me. At times, it makes me sad. And I wonder if I was predisposed to end up with a feline family rather than a human one. Or if the instinctual choices I made as a child, influenced my trajectory as an adult. Or if I missed the clear warning that I needed a better plan. … [O]n a day like this … with my glorious kitties, I think, not a bad life.

Jane Ratcliffe – My Feline Family

In no way am I implying that a woman should not have a hysterectomy if she hasn’t come to terms with her own childlessness or inability to bear more children. However, simply being aware of this emotional sensitivity is key in recovery. Like I stated previously, some women may never come to terms with their inability to bear children, but having the hysterectomy will offer a more pain-free and/or higher quality of life.

Certain strategies can help counteract the negative emotions that may come before having a hysterectomy. Here’s a list with some suggestions from Every Day Health in regard to a smoother overall recovery from hysterectomy:

Remember why you are having a hysterectomy.
Know the facts on hysterectomy.
Have a support system.
Learn relaxation techniques.
Anticipate symptoms during recovery.
Talk openly with your doctor about your fears.
Join an online support group like HysterSisters ONLINE GROUP.
Order the FREE HysterSisters BOOKLET.
Talk with other real life women who have had a hysterectomy.
Let the nurses who care for you know about your concerns.

As for me … I remembered EVERY month why I wanted a hysterectomy Every painful month. The facts about hysterectomy, yep, I read up on all that asking my doc a plethora of questions, talking openly about all my concerns and fears. My support system was my husband, myself and my cats — it may have been a small support system, but it was a quality one! The healing of cat purrs … see below. Relaxation techniques — well, that’s called sleeping, taking it easy and napping … oh, and taking my pain medication routinely … all of those helped to relax me. AND being on medical leave from work for four weeks — that relaxed me quite a bit!

* By the way, I’m not affiliated with HysterSisters in any way. I simply found their free booklet very useful in my post-op experience.