starting to wonder if this site makes matters worse

Here I am on the tail end of this thread, but had to stick my in here. I read this site one dark lonely night pre-op and pre-cancer diagnosis. It DID scare me and I stayed away til AFTER my surgery. Don't you know w/in days of coming home from the castle I was back to reading ..checking if what I was feeling was normal, wondering about cancer diagnosis and treatments.....I still didn't post, but I quietly lurked and learned. Eventually I did get up the nerve to post something, and I'm glad I did. I feel great knowing that there is a good chance SOMEONE will read my post who has gone thru the same thing I am, and be able to offer some kind of advice! I love hearing other's opinions..it doesn't mean I have to agree with them, or even take their advice. But, again, it's great to know that others out there are going thru the same thing, and very interesting to learn how others have dealth with issues! Great support system, imho, and this site is a GIFT! I'm sure my doctor is appreciative of the fact that because of this site, I've greatly reduced my anxiety and put a restriction on the amount of times I've had to call the office to ask, "is this normal?" Remember, everyone is different. That's what makes us all so INTERESTING!

Now, I have to check this site at least once a day! I've learned so much here. And talk about a great place to vent!

Thank you for all the time that went into creating this site and for maintaining it.



Good luck to you in your recovery!

9 months post and I don't visit everday anymore, I still pop in about once/week.

1st off, I was DESPERATE for info and support when I first found I needed a hyst and this site was a G0d-Send!

2ndly, now that I'm calmer, more rational and post-op, I *hope* that *maybe* some of my experiences and my relating of them may be helpful to others.

You've said you're gonna log off and not return and I wish you all the best! {{huggss}}

I'm here for anyone else that wants to email or PM me, as I have been so fortunate with my interactions with folks on the private side of this site.

Peace,

~Liz

Hi...just had to reply to this one! I can't believe she thinks this is a "negative" site! Is she ok??? I think this is THE most wonderful site I go on! I am 1 year post op and still come on here EVERY day to see how my "Sisters" are doing and maybe help someone. I still learn things about different subjects..different things that come up. I don't know what else to say except I feel bad for her to go through this alone. Oh well....we all still have each other!!

Thank you to all the members who have posted to this thread, sharing their hearts, their support for one another and for this site. You make the difference in the lives of our members. Thank you!

HysterSisters has been online almost 6 years (wow, eh?) and in all that time we have been accused of being:

too positive! ("What are you nuts? Are you recruiting women to have hysterectomies just so you can get more traffic to a silly website with silly princess stuff??")

too negative! ("Are there no normal women who have surgery and are fine and dandy in the two weeks my doctor told me I'd be fine? I paved the driveway yesterday and tiled the bathroom. I'm only 2 weeks post-op....")

I'm not offended by either of these notions although I know they are quite wrong in their assessments.

Hystersisters started almost 6 years ago by me because I couldn't find info on the internet that was balanced....that provided me with some insight, some experience and some hugs.

The only websites 6 years ago seemed to be a highly negative: "Do not have this surgery for any reason!" (too late, I had already had mine and for a very good reason after research for many years)......or positive website that seemed to be recruiting: "Have a Happy Hysterectomy." (Now come on! While we can be happy during a hysterectomy, the issue that brings us to have to have this surgery is rarely happy. We lose a vital organ that provides much to our aging bodies.)

I had found an awesome, sweet group of women on AOL message board whose hugs and words of comfort was exactly what the internet needed...! And so I built it here.



But I digress.

Hyster Sisters was built around the notion that women need a place to ask questions, find others to talk to that have walked the path of hysterectomy decisions and recovery, and gather supportive friends in a kind environment. Our mission statement was developed several years ago, when Hyster Sisters was only about 2 years old (if I recall correctly?) as a way of explaining who we are...and why we are here.

It is the reason I spend umpteen hours online, dragging the files from one server to another to make sure our sites have the best tech support, RAM, bandwidth, and saavy geek guys who nod their heads when they understand how vital it is we are "online". We moved the sites to a new server just a few days ago. Heap-m-big RAM. Heap-m-big machine. All for hystersisters.com.

It is the reason why the team of hostesses and staff get up, log in and watch for posts that need extra hugs, provide extra support as they move posts to the right forums. (Misplaced posts don't get the best support. We move them to keep things organized and help get you the best replies!)

It is the reason why we encourage members to upgrade their membership to help pay for this place. Did you know I pay more for managing hystersisters.com and its server than I do paying for all my household bills, my mortgage AND our car payments combined? Tech needs on this site are quite hefty...and have come a long way from that site I put up on the free space 6 years ago.

It is the reason I comb the marketplace and try to get great items in the hystersisters store that might provide some relief to a swelly belly, might help you in and out of bed, might make you giggle at the princess equipment, and stock the place with the best books on hysterectomy info, fibroid info, hormone books and even fibromyalgia......

Its all about you.

You need extra support? You will find it here. You recover quickly and head back to work, paving that driveway? Awesome!

Hopefully you will remember the almost 50,000 women who have passed through here and called it a "home on the internet" for them while they needed it.

And hopefully you will remember the doctors who suggest it to their patients (and we have hundreds who do!)....and the other medical professionals who applaud the site and enjoy it for what it is: women to women support.

You are awesome women. Thank you for what YOU do to make this site possible: supporting the members with hugs and words of experience. And for those who can, supporting the site financially.

Your words in defense of this site reminded me once again....this is the best place on the internet because our members are so awesome!

(((( Hyster Sisters ))))