can u help me if I had uterine cancer/hyst

Hello Katrina, and Welcome,

Thanks much for writing and for the opportunity to shed more light on this issue.

Regardless of how "simple" and "minimally invasive" hysterectomy is being sold to us (they are now grinding the uterus up and sucking it out through the belly button), the truth is hysterectomy is radical surgery that (1) removes a major organ integral to sexuality (2) removes the keystone of the internal support structure of the pelvis (3) permanently changes the biochemical nature of WHO WE ARE (4) permanently alters the musculoskeletal system, resulting in conditions of pain and limitation such as you are experiencing.

There is always hope for us and we really can work with anything. True and lasting happiness and peace are born from the inside out. My 25-year-old daughter made an observation a few months ago that I found startling. A violinist since the age of 5, she said very matter-of-factly that life for her would still be worth living even if she were deaf, dumb, blind and totally paralyzed. This is because she has lived so intensely in another dimension that the musical plane would now be enough. All the world's wisdom traditions teach a similar concept.

Back to the physical plane...I believe all of the same "rules" still apply. Remember, we are all working with what we have. It is nothing less than the highest spiritual work to give the body all that we can toward health and stability.

How can I say otherwise than you are now at risk for additional untoward effects of having lost a major support structure of the pelvic girdle? Does this mean anything other than you can have a long, full, and meaningful life? No!

We must look at the truth, however, and understand that your body has been compromised just as if you had lost part of your colon, stomach, breast, or lung to cancer. The appropriate response is to encourage and nurture you back to the highest state of health possible.

What is NOT appropriate, nor just, nor even sane is to apply radical pelvic surgery to anything other than life-saving situations, unless women really have been given the full story and cannot see any other way. Women have NOT BEEN TOLD how vital an organ the uterus is, nor given, in Dr. Christiane Northrup's words, "The information they need to reclaim, honor, and protect the areas of our bodies that have too often been disowned and sacrificed." This is the core message at WholeWoman and one I hope we can all benefit from.

Wishing you well,

Christine

p.s. One of the most astonishing omissions I've found (or not found!) in researching this issue are studies looking at post-hysterectomy de-stabilization of the hip joints, which would most certainly have to be the case. We know over 90% of elderly patients occupying hospital beds with broken hips are women. I'm interested to know how many are missing their uterus. Contrary to popular belief, osteoporosis is a disease of men and women and one that has its roots in childhood.

It's just an idea, but if I were in your position, I would settle into a style of clothing that included a fairly wide belt worn low on the hips to give additional support to your hip joints. This may also relieve your lower back pain. ck

Dear Katrina,

I apologize for my tone. There are so few of us working to balance a situation that has caused tremendous grief and pain to untold numbers of women. It is within that framework that I responded to you.

I tried to be explicit in the intro to this forum that the work is really for women who have not had surgery. This is because I don't know how trying to work with the posture will effect the body post-hysterectomy. I don't mean to sound hopeless.

The problem is, although hysterectomy has been performed for over a century, we are only now bringing forth effects that either have never even been considered or else dismissed and omitted from research and literature. Women still don't know what they are signing up for when offered surgery for benign conditions.

You are blessed that surgery was able to save you from a terminal disease. This is a true and appropriate justification for removing a very vital organ from the body. I believe there are many alternative therapies that will help you and I hope you will contact the HERS Foundation for further guidance.

Again, my humble and heartfelt apologies,

Christine