Mountains and molehills (or Gynaecologists and prolapses)

I am 48yrs old and I now know that I have had a stage 2 uterine prolapse for 13 years since the very traumatic birth of my first son. Shortly after the birth I was aware that things 'down there' didn't feel quite right but no one seemed concerned so I just accepted it as one of the costs of natural childbirth.
I was aware that menstruation, lifting heavy loads and exhaustion made the 'lump' and the 'pulling down' feeling worse, so I avoided those situations as far as was practical, otherwise I completely and blissfully ignored it in the belief that every mother experienced such 'changes' to their body following such births.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago.

I experienced some itching and thought I had Thrush, I bought some over the counter meds which didn't work so off I went to the GP for something stronger.
After an examination the GP referred me to a Gynaecologist saying that there were some very small white patches down there that need investigation.

Fast forward to yesterday

I attended my out patients appointment, the doctor reassured me that the white patches were nothing 'ominous' however she noticed my prolapse during the examination and went on to horrify me. Apparently my prolpase is terrible (even though it is contained well within my vagina!!) and I need a general anaesthetic, under which I will be given a hysterectomy, a repair of my pelvic floor and my bowels and bladder walls will be examined!!!!
WHAT!!! I only came in because of some itching!

Despite my assertion that I have had this prolapse for 13 years and it does not interfere with my life at all, that I have a seperate health issue that makes surgery very risky and that the prolapse is apparently unchanging, the doctor insisted that surgery was the only sensible course of treatment.....Hmmmm surprisingly I didn't agree with her....and we took leave of each other under rather 'strained' circumstances.

I apologise for the length of this post, but I just wanted to suggest that ignorance can be bliss....I had no idea that my prolapse was actually abnormal and it is my belief that 'going with the flow' in the direction that my body took me (listening to general aches etc and responding to them) is actually quite a good thing. I also wonder how much our belief, mental and emotional state impacts on our health...I didn't know I was supposed to be worried, so I wasn't and I wonder just how much that worry and fear would have impacted on my life and health had I known differently!