Article: Kathy - Keeper of the Keys

HysterSisters Hysterectomy Support Resources - http://www.hystersisters.com

Article: Kathy - Keeper of the Keys
Hi and welcome to the best website for hysterectomy recovery on the internet. I'm Kathy and I'm the gal that is privileged to have created and founded this website. I had my TAH/BSO in June of 1998 and had this website up and running in August of 1998. It didn't look like what you see here today. It was a small website, full of the questions and answers that you can find on the main page in the pull down menus. It also contained the Bedtime Stories for Hyster Sisters. When I discovered that the search engines were sending many women to the website, I found that the hystersisters were using the guestbook like a message board!

We launched the message boards, created calendars for surgery and birthdays and added hostesses all in a matter of a few months as we all watched in amazement at the traffic surge. USA Today featured the website in two articles and Fox Network and Health Network both featured me and the website. I wrote the book, "Through the Land of Hyster: The Hyster Sisters Guide" as an extension of this website since I knew many women were not online.

Never did I plan to create what you see. While I intended to launch a website for hysterectomy recovery and support, I never imagined that it could be like this. Of course, in 1998 technology was limited and each day we find more and more that we can offer and provide here to make this website even better. This website has truly been a creative work in progress, growing as the needs arose and the technology allowed.

I spent fifteen years as a public school teacher in north Texas, juggling teaching responsibilities with the launch and management of HysterSisters. Currently I spend my energies managing this website along with other online endeavors including website consulting. My husband is also a teacher and I'm a mom to two grown, precious kids.

My son (now out of the Air Force) works for NASA and my daughter is using her marketing degree working for the largest snack food company. I have a funny dappled red dachshund with blue-eyes named Dora Mae who makes me laugh and snuggles with me in my chair and her newly acquired sister: Thelma Lou who isn't quite a dachshund but should be.

My favorite things: antique stores, Mary Engelbreit things...("No Matter Where You Go, There You Are!"), changing the wallpaper in my bathroom and painting the living room on a whim, quilts, books, summer, the color red, wintergreen lifesavers, chocolate, dachshund puppies, fresh cut flowers, flowers in the garden, my front porch swing, laughter, my church, my friends and the hystersisters.

I personally believe that this website is the best on the internet for several important reasons. First, it is the hostesses who take their time to make sure that the posts on the message boards are taken care of and that every woman gets an answer. Because we aren't medical professionals, we aren't practicing medicine, but we feel its important to make sure each woman that is looking for support should be able to find a friend or two (or more!) here.

Second, we make it our policy to abide by decency guidelines that have been adopted across the internet (and personalized for the hystersisters) to make sure that the website is a safe and comfortable place for a woman to come and find friends.

Third, this is the best website for hysterectomy recovery because of YOU. The women who find this website looking for support, stay as they find friendships and help other women. I believe that women instinctively know how to help each other...it is a matter of providing the platform and media needed to connect women to women on the net.

You make the difference in each other's lives....we (the hostesses) just make sure the place runs as smoothly as we can to make sure that happens....woman to woman.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me and I will try to get back with you. If I fail to answer your email, please forgive me. Time doesn't always allow me to personally answer every email I get. Feel free to email the other hostesses as well...in fact there is usually a speciality hostess for each forum and area on the website and they are the quickest way to get your answers usually.

Blessings galore from the Land of Hyster,

Kathy (TAH/BSO June 17, 1998)