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| Ivestaffer (Ruthie) - Alumni Hostess 2002 |
Date : 04-30-2003 - 09:31 AM - Readers : 547 |
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Welcome to a most wonderful site! My name is Ruthie and I live in northern CA. I grew up in CA and AZ, the oldest of 10 children. I received my BS in nursing from a small Christian college, and worked summers as a camp nurse. That's where my user name comes from--Indian Village East staff member (ivestaffer). It was great fun being a camp nurse, and I met my dh there, also on staff. We've been married 23 years now. Would you believe we still go back to the same camp for family vacations?! I worked for about 5 years as an ER nurse and 5 years as a Labor & Delivery nurse, then "retired" to raise our 3 sons. It's been 15 years since I worked, and I don't think I'd want to go back to hospital shifts again! I've kept busy volunteering at the kids' schools, being a soccer mom, etc. We also have a collection of pets: border collie, tabby cat, cockatiel, hamster, tropical fish!
My uterus problems started 25 years ago with irregular cycles, heavy bleeding and clots, but it was kept under control with BCP and Provera when needed. I also had infertility, but thankfully managed to get pregnant with our 3 sons using Clomid, now ages 17, 14, &10. In 2000 my bleeding was more frequent and I was anemic. I tried Depo Provera in 2001 but had bad headaches from it and kept bleeding. There was mild prolapse, as well as a fibroid causing increasing pain (a fibroid growing on the broad ligament next to my hip joint, causing hip/groin pain and numbness in that leg). I was worried about cancer, too, and decided it was time for a hyst! It turned out that I also had intramural fibroids and polyps inside the uterus. I feel much healthier and happier 9 months after my TAH BSO. I'm lucky in that I've felt great on Estrace for the past 8 months. My ovaries did not look healthy at my surgery (atrophic, with cysts, and probably barely functioning), so my dr removed them. I was at borderline risk for ovarian cancer, so I'm glad they're out now.
HysterSisters helped me accept that a hyst would be a positive action to improve my life. I was so glad to find this site, and it was reassuring to know that many sisters had gone through this before me and they felt wonderful 6-12 months later. The warmth and compassion here helped me to feel calmness about my hyst and recovery. It was truly a comfort, plus a source of wonderful practical advice (things I never learned as a nurse!). And now it is an honor to pass on some of that support to the ladies following us. Thank you to Kathy who keeps HysterSisters running!
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