1 year anniversary!!

One year ago today, I became a hystersister.

What a year it's been too. I was off work for 6 months. (I'm a contractor, and had to take at least 3 months off from GE anyway, but got 6 months off instead.)

I went back to GE for about 5 months and am off work again.

This last year was something else. In June all of my in-laws and our family went to the Outer Banks for a week. We had a blast! The best part was the freedom to be able to go anywhere and do anything without having to worry about a visit from "Aunt Flo". We went boating, we rented atv's and went on a wild hourse tour for two hours, we went for long walks on the beach, we went to an aquarium on Manteo, we went swimming, my husband and I sat in a very gentle shower of rain (outside in a hottub).

We drove to North Carolina from Cincinnati, Ohio. Had I followed my usual cycle, I would have been on my period at that time, and I would have been miserable.

I've also started back at school to finish a degree I started in 1986, and I've lost close to 30 pounds since last March.

You see, time does go by. You'll have more time and energy to do things that you've always wanted to do. Some people take more time than others to heal. Take your time, the wait will be worth it.

My husband and I are planning to bike a local trail around here. He said that the trail is 60+ miles. I can't wait. I'm so happy with the way things have turned out.

Lots of luck to all of you out there, post-op and pre-op. Take care of yourselves.

Good luck with the cycling! Happy to hear you're feeling fine.

I am an avid cyclist, and 17 weeks post-op. I am happy to report that cycling is still awesome....even swelly belly doesn't interfere. I almost forget I had the surgery when I am out riding.

Happy Anniversary, It was so nice to hear your up beat story. Just to know there is a better life waiting on the other side for us LIW means alot. Enjoy, you deserve it. Hazel

congrats on a yr. thru tah/tummy tuck, gas pains, returning to work fears, up/down depression until right level of hrt was found (ladies do go on to hormone jungle that's where I found right hrt dose-great continuation after this site) The other side is SUNNY! No Aunt Flo, cramps. Just still swelly belly. And I even got up the courage to get my eyes done too. After a tah/tummy tuck anything is a piece of cake. I look younger, feel better, and all my friends and clients (I'm a hairstylist-we do oprah winfrey makeovers), rave about the change in me. I feel I have a chance at being as young as I feel again, and I'll be 52 in april. I''ve been told by young men(30 yrs., they thought I was 38-40) I'll take that. So ladies bear w/ all this junk u have to go thru. Use this site for the best encouragement u'll ever find. Try to be patient, and in due time everything will be SUNNY again.

Congratulations!! It's so encouraging to read such a positive post. I am 9 weeks post-op from a TAH and already feeling so much better than I did before. I love walking, and have a walking holiday in Austria coming up in June. 3 weeks ago, I was wondering if I would be able to cope with it let alone enjoy it, but it's amazing how suddenly, by combining rest and exercise I'm starting to feel much stronger. We are lucky in the UK because often we can take 3 months or more, if necessary, off work, and I really feel that you need this time to recover. I hope I will be able to post a similar message at my one year hysterversary.
Thanks again and good luck!

Kate