TAH Am I the only one? Reinventing myself

I am 29 years old, the mother of 4 children and recently had a TAH due to Stage2B uterine cancer. I am 4 weeks post op (tomorrow) and have had my fair share of problems with recovery. I am still dealing with extreme exhaustion and pain but I am overcoming and getting better daily.

Recently I have felt a huge urge to totally reinvent myself, what I mean is new hair, new style, new personality... Just an entirely new me, and I was wondering am I the only one going through this? I feel like I may be slightly loosing my mind, because I have had the same style and such my entire life, but all of the sudden I find myself leaning towards and liking far more feminine things (been sort of a Tom boy all my life) and wanting to be more girly.

The reason I feel sort of crazy is because I feel like I just lost a huge part of my feminity and what makes me a woman yet I suddenly feel more feminine then I ever have. Is it just me? Am I loosing my mind, or are other women facing similar things?

Hi lilbit83,

I commend you on wanting to reinvent yourself! That's just wonderful. Continue on the path of recovery with your new found positive attitude. If this is your motivation I say "Kudos" to you. Good luck towards the new you and a speedy recovery.

Totally did the same. I went from size 10 to size 4 in the last year since TAH and crave exercise. Appetite is smaller and no cravings like with pms. I feel more girly too lol

I think it is that we are trying to reconnect with ourselfs after this major life change. I went with my DD and had my hair cut short ( which I never before wanted too do) and had purple ,yes purple highlights put in it lol. I needed a change since my body with threw this surgery. My DH thought I was going threw a mid life crises when he saw my hair lol. I say if it makes you feel good about yourself then Go For It!!!!

I think its a loss for all of us if we are 25 or 57. I have never been able to have children because of an IUD I had when I was young and I have two beautiful adopted children. But I must admit i too feel a certain loss of being a woman, which I know is silly. I feel robbed again from the company that allowed defective IUDs to be placed in a woman who was 20 and no children at the time. This last year I grew my hair long and had a blonde streak put in bangs and the ends bleached blonde in front, I say go fot it, do what it takes, you are due for a make over!!! hugs!!

Hi sis, I am 12 days post op and I swear once I woke up in recovery I have had this persistant nagging in my ear that I need to run. I hate running. I am now so excited to get my clean bill of health so I can get running shos/clothes and RUN!!! I have been thinking about getting in shape, looking cute, getting my hair done, buy new makep up and cant wait to buy new clothes!!! I have always been "girly", so I dont know where this is coming from. I guess mentally I am feeling like I am not "woman enough" now, I dont know why, but I am excited. Good luck to you and your new happy pain free life!! hugs

I have always been a tomboy type, even as an adult. Rarely wear make-up or dresses and never heels. I don't have a really strong sense of femininity per se, though I'm definitely a heterosexual woman. I'm not defined by my uterus or ovaries.

That said, after two prior cyst surgeries and chronic pelvic pain, I'm really glad I don't have to worry about them anymore. Am a little annoyed that I wasn't cleared for sex at 6 weeks, but am having my 8 week check tomorrow and, hopefully, will be fully sexually active again beginning tomorrow night. ;->

I started to walk more this year, trying to lose weight a little more rapidly (I had lost 45 pounds over the previous 15 years). I've lost 20 pounds this year (granted, some of that was due to illness and surgery), and have now walked from 1-3 miles every day for the last 6 weeks. I hope to start going over 3 miles a day soon.

I guess you're never too old to get healthy!