KarenL - Alumni Hostess 2002 | Hystersisters Article

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KarenL - Alumni Hostess 2002

KarenL - Alumni Hostess 2002

Date : 04-30-2003 - 09:39 AM - Readers : 624

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Hi everyone…My name is Karen, I'm 45 years old, and I live on Long Island, New York, a suburb of NYC. I am married to Chris and am the proud mother of a beautiful daughter, five weird felines and a Cairn Terrier named Rowdy.

I am a VP at a large commercial insurance agency, doing surety bonds for the construction industry. I've been with the same company for 20 years, and really enjoy my colleagues and clients. I have a Bachelors degree in political philosophy, and my loves include music (everything from Dylan to Handel), film (especially Italian films), food, animals, politics, gardening, hiking, and skiing.

I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids at age 28, and was treated with Danazol, the precursor of Lupron, for months following the usual litany of hysterosalpinogram, hysteroscopy, laps, etc. before undergoing a laser myomectomy with uterine suspension in 1989. This was supposed to eliminate my fibroids long enough to conceive, which we had been unable to do. As they say, "man plans…God laughs..." The fibroids returned with a vengeance, and we did not conceive despite nine exhausting and expensive years of infertility treatments (you name it, we tried it). When we came to the conclusion that we wanted to be parents, not pregnant, we pursued independent adoption, and after 18 months and a roller coaster ride of experiences both heartbreaking and awe-inspiring, we became the parents of our precious little girl. I became very active in support groups for prospective adoptive parents and doing adoption counseling. This was (and remains) a way I can give back some of the blessing I received with the gift of my daughter.

I knew for many years that for me, all roads would lead to hysterectomy. It was merely a matter of how long I could/would put it off. The winter of 2000/01 marked a full year of constant bleeding and terrible pain, raising the bar on my usual history of very bad periods and tolerable pain. The fibroid was measured as the size of a seven month fetus, and was doing a lot of damage to my internal organs. It was time; my daughter was big enough, no more stalling. So I was scheduled for 3/5/01, and my internet search began. I got more and more scared and upset, reading awful stories and horrifying "statistics". Then one day my search turned up Hyster Sisters, and I was finally where I needed to be! I found myself sneaking on during work, spending hours there at night, reading and posting and reading. I made my husband read everything, too, and because of that (and being a wonderful guy) he learned the reality of what was required to take care of me and our family during this time. I'm now fully recovered and I feel better than I have for many years. I look forward to a healthy future, free from the problems I endured for so long.

I was honored when Kathy invited me to act as a hostess on this wonderful site, and I feel it is my pleasure and my joy to be able to reach out a hand to other women as hands were extended to me when I was in need. This is a unique and amazing place, warm and fuzzy and informative and supportive, full of strong, funny, loving women. I'm proud to be here among you!

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