PraireLakeLady - Alumni Hostess 2006

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PraireLakeLady - Alumni Hostess 2006

PraireLakeLady - Alumni Hostess 2006

Date : 10-13-2004 - 06:41 AM - Readers : 2546

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Hi and Welcome to this great site! I'm PraireLakeLady currently living in a very small town on one of Minnesota's 10,000 lakes.

I am in my mid-50's, married (to the same guy!) for 34 years, have a grown daughter and son (both single, independent and very unique). I grew up in Indiana and Ohio (on a lake-where else?). But I grew up very fast, as my Mom got breast cancer in her 30's. When she died I was left with my 2 year old and 4 yearold siblings to raise (You think that'd make me more mature, eh?)

Moved west with my DH 1st job out of college-lived on Indian reservations for 20 years with hubbie's job and mine. While on one reservation I drove 100 miles each way for 6 years through blizzards, sub-zero weather, ice storms, DH hospitalizations-all to complete my degree and Master's. Finally got my career and have worked as a Speech/Language Pathologist-now in the schools. I have worked with patients in nursing homes, in hospitals and love
it all.

I am crazy about anything outdoors-I love the Minnesota winters-cross country skiing esp. I love the summer too-tenting, hiking, biking, swimming, camping, golfing.

My gyn problems probably started when I started menstruating at age 12. Periods were never regular-sometimes monthly, sometimes once a year. Took birth control pills in high school, then stopped. Got pregnant (doc's said I never would-said I had PCOS-but I am old enough it was called Stein-Levinthal then). No problems after that until my early 50's when I began to have painful periods and pelvic pain. Dr.'s did an ultrasound, dx fibroids. Was referred to a gyn and did lupron shots for 6 months to shrink the fibroids and hope for menopause. No menopause in sight-now my periods were very regular-every 29 days! Finally did 3 consults and all said the same thing-wait for menopause and probably still need a hysterectomy-now uterus was prolapsed, fibroids were pressing on my bladder causing much pain and discomfort. I was walking like someone that had been -as my DH commented "Shot in the hip". All the docs said it would have to be a TAH-decided to ask about abdominoplasty too since I had lost 50 pounds and still had a large sagging belly.

All the help I got before surgery was from this site. The Hystersisters were supportive, kind, didn't think I was stupid or crazed because I was scared, wanted more information and didn't know anything at the beginning. They helped me ask the doc the right questions, and my surgery went fine.

I hope that I can be as helpful and understanding as everyone was to me through this journey that I never thought I would make. I am very grateful I had this site to help me get through it.

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