What do I tell male colleagues?

Guess I'm going back to work part-time next week (sigh). We're having a meeting at which I will be one of the only women, if not the only one... I know a couple of the guys are aware I had surgery and will likely ask how I'm doing. Hopefully that won't prompt anyone to ask what kind of surgery I had, but if it does I'm wondering how to handle this gracefully. I know some of them would keel over from TMI at the word hysterectomy....

I had my uterus sucked out? No, just kidding. I told folks who were too sensitive that I had my "lady bits" removed )

A gynae op?........

Hi Summer2,
It wouldn't upset me to say to colleagues of any variety that I'd had a hysterectomy. I don't think we should be ashamed of it. I understand that you are thinking of their feelings but they are really only likely to be embarassed through ignorance.
Generally, I think that the more men learn and understand about women's "problems" the better off we will be.
Sorry, didn't mean this to sound like some sort of feminist lecture, hope someone comes up with something you feel comfortable with.
Elaine
x

I work with all men, I am a Chef Instructor at a Community College. After working with most of them for over 20 years they have seen me through plenty and I have seen them through plenty. Most of them are married and have wives so they understand and I have no problem telling them and they are great about it. They have called me reguarly to see how I am doing. My boss however is very squeemish about any female stuff so I love to tell him what is going on so he gets very uncomfortable and flustered and says (stuttering) take as much time off as you need. All in all I think you will find most of them very understanding.

before I had my operation I was telling people I was about to go in and have my girlie bits fiddled with.
Most people got the joke then I'd tell them the truth so just tell them what you want to tell them I"m sure a guy of them will give yu the " guy " look that most men give you when we girls talk about out bits.

If I am uncomfortable talking about my hysterectomy with folks, I just say I had some plumbing repairs. And then move on. Especially in a group setting. They do not want the gory details. Just tell them you are not completely back to 100% yet, but working on it.

All good thoughts, thank you! You're probably right that most of these guys are married (or at least clued in) and a number may have been through this with their wives, so would be ok with it. My favorite verbal sparring partner called when he heard I was going into the hospital to say that he heard I was having my jaw wired shut....what a hoot. Maybe I'll just practice saying "hysterectomy" in front of the mirror till I can do it without batting an eyelash Maybe they will give me the best chair....and bring me coffee and stuff...hmmm, sounding better already. Who's the princess...I'm the princess.....I'm the princess....

I know the feeling--I'm the only woman in my forestry department.

When I was simply saying that I had surgery, they assumed it was something minor and then wondered why I was going to be off for more than 2 days. So now I do say hysterectomy, and they either say: "Oh my wife had one 2 years ago, how are you doing, etc etc" or they say "oh!" and change the subject.

If I said anything cutsie like "girlie bits" or lady parts or plumbing, they would be far more freaked out. Anyway, they all seem to be having heart attacks lately (maybe our administration needs to chill a little)--3 heart attacks in our small building!

I work with 99% men. I told my immediate supervisor (a man) that I was having surgery - he asked what for and I told him a hyster. That was the end of the conversation. Most everyone knows what I had done, and it really isn't a big deal - surprisingly there are a number of men with wives who have been through the same thing, and I actually found that the men were more supportive than the few women (5) I work with.