A thank-you to contributors

Body: 

I would like to thank the contributors to this forum. We are all just prolapsed women with full-time lives who are spending quite a lot of time responding to the often devastated women who come here.

There is a wealth of information on this site. There is WAY more than enough information on this site for anyone who comes here to decide whether or not this approach is for them. That is exactly what happened to me 4+ years ago. I was panicked, found this site during my search, looked around, read some stuff, watch a video clip or two, and said, this is for me. I ordered the book and the rest is history, as they say. My forum posting did not even begin until after I had started doing the work, when I came on here to talk of my success and connect with others.

But many women are so upset they can’t even look at the content here; all they can do is tell their story and wait for someone to come on and tell them what to do. That means that the small but hardworking band of regular and semi-regular contributors must once again describe Christine’s teachings, paraphrasing over and over what Christine herself tells best! It’s gratifying work, but it’s hard. We sometimes get yelled at when someone doesn’t like our answers or when we get impatient with the telling and re-telling (mainly I’m talking about myself).

Just understand…..we work hard to get this message out. We are the only ones who can help ourselves. This starts with availing ourselves of the vast body of information already here, including and especially the materials available in the store. This is how the work gets done….by each of us individually, immersing ourselves in the effort.

The site is well laid out for all levels of inquiry. If you want the Reader’s Digest version, you can get it. From that point on, you can drill down into the details as far as you want to go. We get exhausted re-writing it out for each newbie. We will keep doing it, if that’s what it takes.

I just wanted those who help out with this effort to know how much they are appreciated. You know who you are. - Surviving

Thank "you" surviving for always being here helping everyone the way you do. Your belief in this work is unfailing, and you really inspire me to keep at it.
I agree that when a newby comes to the site and just goes right to the forum, they miss out on sooo much. It is so important to read, study, and apply the information available. Like you, I shied away from the forum until I got more comfortable with the work. It was nice to then be able to ask questions with a little understanding behind me. It is definetly to the benefit of everyone who comes here to get a clear understanding of what this work is all about.
Thanks again!!

SH - we really do want to hear your questions and continue to move things in the right direction for you. It truly can be overwhelming and we know it. But you have done a great job of analyzing the information all along, asking the right questions even when they were hard for us and sometimes beyond our level of expertise.....we welcome the tough questions anyway and do our best to answer them.

I agree with you about the book and I've found that the first reading merely scratches the surface. The more technical parts will actually make more sense to you later. I've re-read it many times. I took on the dvds one at a time, and each one opened more doors in my mind and body.

Anyway, please do come back on with your questions. We are fortunate to have a variety of knowledge and experience in our group and there is usually someone who can relate to just about anything you can come up with! Thank you for your own contributions. - Surviving

Some of the most helpful posts on this forum are from new members. Their early observations, ups and downs, questions that arise early on in the work, and successes small and large, can be so encouraging to those truly struggling to function. We are grateful to everyone who shares! - Surviving

I echo AG in our thanks to you and for all you do for the women who find their way to this community of women helping women. You, AG, and Louise welcomed me when I braved my first post and continued to encourage me when I was unsure of myself. I told you once, when I thought I could not grasp this, that a little voice would tell me to try again. I credited you as that little voice...though you declined that honor, but it is yours. As for Aging Gracefully, well...we just channel each other ;-) There were other women who gave me encouragement along the way, including Christine, for whom I will be eternally grateful...where would any of us be without her passion.

So to the new women who have stepped into this circle of women, please keep at it. It takes time to learn new habits and shed old ones. Be patient with yourself. Trust that you can do this, the tools are here.
Hugs to all!
~AZ

Always, Arizona!!

To safelyheld: so glad you stuck it out with us and whole woman. This is a great community to be in of sharing and learning. I find myself learning new things all the time on here, and please do share your experiences with us. We would love to hear how it is going with you.

I am very grateful for this site and all the women who contribute, even the new ones who just want to be told what to do. I understand how this condition can leave you feeling frozen and helpless when first diagnosed. It's been 3 months since I came across Whole Woman and I can say that I am only now starting to understand this prolapse of mine. It is still uncomfortable and there are times when I don't think I can manage it but compared to the absolute panic ,fear, sadness and depression I felt at the beginning, I can honestly say that I am calmer now and hopeful that I can live with this. I give credit to the women on this site who have replied to my questions and made me feel less lonely. So thank you in particular to Surviving 60 , Aussie Soul Sister and Aging Gracefully. I would like to add something I've observed. Over the years I've come to realise that perception is everything in the mind's reality. If someone truly believes that there are killer sharks in the swimming pool, no amount of convincing otherwise, critisizing or pointing out how ridiculous the idea is will change that perception. In fact it only serves to add to the confusion and pessimism causing more conflict. The panic and depression that often accompanies the realisation that your vagina is falling out is real and is probably necessary for it leads to a period of true personal reflection. As modern women and mothers we are often alone trying to sort out these complex emotions. So I really feel that we have to be patient and kind to all the women who confide these feelings. After all this is the only site of it's kind and is no doubt breaking new ground. So thank-you again
Adele

I want to add a huge Thank-you to Christine Ann Kent for Saving the whole women of htis world.

Adele

Hey dear friend, I haven't forgotten that on my first post that I told you I considered you one of the Wise Women and you laughed it off and told me to keep reading. Well here we are, just a little over a year or so from that post, and my how you have settled into that role. You and Surviving are a wonderful mix...along with Aussie Soul Sister. There are so many awesome women who have brought so much to this forum and a big "thank you" to them all, but I got to say that you three are an amazing team: Thanks for leading us when we feel lost, catching us when we falter, and celebrating our triumps!
~AZ

Hi Dear all,
Thankyou so much for your kind words,
and many thanks to all who contribute to this wonderful community.
Christine's WWP is so holistic that the longer I do this the more benefits I gain.
I wish that for all here,
Aussie Soul Sister

I completely understand your point, Surviving. And I TRULY appreciate the answers to my post the other day. But now, I feel a little shamed for having participated on the forums "too soon". Women who just find out about this problem (or even who think they MIGHT have it, even though no doctors believe them), NEED some reassurance and help! I must say that I find this website a bit difficult to navigate, not very user-friendly. I cannot find the answers to the 3 questions that I asked in my introductory post. And, I cannot get the book or any DVDs right now, because it is currently not in the budget. I am completely depressed, scared, hurt, anxious, mad, confused. I WISH I could drop EVERYTHING and devour every bit of information I can about my life-altering problem, but that is not possible right now. So, I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to speak to real people who are suffering from the same issues, and had felt such hope from it.

I did not intend for anyone to feel that way rainbowmom, merely trying to explain things from the standpoint of those who monitor this forum - so you all understand we do the best we can. We do get many long first posts from women who obviously haven't checked out our content at all. Others obviously have. It's harder for us to start from a point where the writer hasn't even looked at the site before pouring out their story, because then we have to start from square one each time.

Many of us can't afford any books or dvds right off the bat. I was one of them.....built my collection one item at a time over the years. The forum isn't a consulting service ...it's just women, sharing their experiences. We're just like you except that we've been doing it longer. New members can't expect to get all their direction and knowledge of how to do this work, by asking questions and waiting for answers. But I think we do a decent job of getting them pointed in the right direction. - Surviving

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to add my sincere thanks to everyone who contributes to the forum. I felt devastated when I first found the forum - and found the specific responses to my queries and situation, as well as the forum in general, extremely helpful. I bought the book and a dvd - and found this approach was a life saver! In turn, having benefitted so much from this approach, I contribute when I can. It's both a pleasure and a commitment.

I encourage everyone who is experiencing problems to really browse this wonderful website. There's a treasure trove of information, support and guidance here.

There's also a wealth of wonderful resources that Lanny, Christine and Nikelle have developed over the years, including books (re prolapsed and hip joint support), dvd's, on-line course and resources, kindle and WW teachers world-wide. Things have never been better - and things are going to get better as this story gets told all over the world.

With love and thanks, wholewomanuk

I do know what you mean SH and I have seen this on other sites. I'm not sure if this forum platform supports that. But the bigger problem is that there are about 12 years of posts on here, and countless hundreds of threads that are awesome as you describe. Especially all those ones from back in the early years when Christine and a core group of early users such as Louise, Alemama, and Granolamom were living the development of these teachings in real time every single day! An enormous goldmine....where to even start? Some of us try to bookmark these for future reference. It can be hard to search, I know. - Surviving

Wow, twelve years...I hope I have some time this weekend to go check out the vintage WW!

Snap

Well, it might be more like 9 years (or close to it) for the forum posts themselves. Buried treasure! - Surviving

This is a really great idea, SafelyHeld. Or if the platform doesn't support it, how about a "read this first" page that could come up before someone made their first post? This could contain all of the common information that is often contained in the first reply.

I would like to thank Surviving, Aging, and Aussie Soul Sister for all the time, effort and care they put into these forums. Thank you with all my heart! Also all the other women who come here to either post or read. So many women exclaim to me how important this work is and how much it needs to get "out there" in the world. We are doing our very best here to move things forward and the help of all of you is essential and beyond appreciated. Hugs, hugs, and more hugs, Christine

Dear Christine,
If I could have hugged you when I read your book, I would have.
Thankyou from the bottom of my heart for the gift of all your research
and determination to share with women across the world.
Whole Woman Posture and exercise continue to transform my body and soul
with amazing results.
I have added the Third Wheel to my repertoire - I absolutely love my Whole Woman journey,
and what a privilege to be part of this community.
Sending hugs and much love from Down Under,
Aussie Soul Sister

The previous posts are a reflection of what has been going on with this wonderful forum... I too have been reading every day and wondering how to express my gratitude and appreciation for all the women who post their questions and fears and the amazing replies from the same ladies each and every time... tirelessly giving of their time... and keeping the information in its integrity ... there is always exactly there what I need to know... so 'thankyou' (also from Down Under) ...

The suggestions made above with regard to the format of our forum have merit, and we have all seen this type of thing elsewhere. However I'd just like to issue another reminder that on WW, the forum is secondary to all of the information available on the main website, blog, resources, and in the WW store. The forum is a goldmine of information but it is not meant to be the primary source through which we will learn to do this work. It is for open discussion amongst members who are actively engaged in the work and have questions or observations to share, and for those who are new and are seeking some personal interaction and direction from their peers. - Surviving

I am fairly new here and am also unbelievably thankful to find this site and all that it has to offer. Talking to such knowledgeable , kind and patient people is so supportive and enlightening. I devoured the dvd and book and was over the moon to meet Lindy in the UK who restored my faith in humanity and also myself . The one thing that worries me now is all the people who cannot find this brilliant site. I searched for days and because the word Prolapse is not in the title,understandably so as Whole Woman says it all , the search engines did not find it. I found this site through reading many ,many Prolapse sites until someone on a thread recommended this site for further reading. I am not sure what can be done about this problem but I am sure many people are not as lucky as I am to have found this site which has given me ,and my husband, our active,healthy,independent and happy life back. Thanks again all!

Hi everhopeful and thanks for checking in. I met Lindy 2 years ago at the first graduation of WW practitioners and she is absolutely wonderful....lucky you to live her neck of the woods! Lucky is definitely how all of us feel who have found our way here. The complicated world of internet search is something that probably only Lanny can really speak of with any understanding, and I know he does what he can against great odds. But we all found the site one way or another, as hopefully anyone will who has the patience and inner wisdom to wade through the oceans of bad information out there. Unfortunately there is just too much of that. A huge medical establishment certainly has correspondingly huge resources with which to keep their message in the foreground. So we have to accept that we can only change the world one woman at a time. We truly are the lucky ones. - Surviving

Thank you SSixty for taking the trouble to reply to my post. That is what is so good about this site, the feed back proves that someone is out there listening and actually cares. When I first started on this journey ,Lucky was the last word I expected to use ! I know I am really lucky to find this site and all the caring and amazing people who set it up and keep it going.

I`m a little baffled as to why the Whole Woman site and approach is not more widely known. Seeing as it is the only alternative to surgery for POP I`m sure that all women would appreciate the knowledge before making any decisions re: surgery. I noticed that Whole Woman does not appear on Wikipedia. Whenever I do a search, Wikipedia often comes up as a site for information. It took me several days of surfing the net before I decided to check Dr. Christiane Northrup`s site and she recommended Christine`s book. I think I would have found it sooner had it been on Wikipedia.

Adele

Thanks for your comments, Adele. In her most recent e-mail newsletter, Christine addressed the fact that she gets this question a lot, and she explains her “relationship” with the medical establishment for the benefit of anyone who is not already fully aware of just how much Whole Woman goes against the grain. Welcome to the politics of prolapse! It’s women who are the losers when this information is suppressed, but it happens. It is a David and Goliath kind of situation. I don’ t know if any attempts have been made to inform Wiki readers of this (Lanny might know) but you can bet someone else will be right there knocking it down.

Please keep in mind that WW is not the only alternative to surgery. If a woman does not find us, or for whatever reason cannot do this work, she would still be better off doing useless or only slightly harmful things like kegeling her brains out, or getting a pessary, or simply not doing anything at all, than to go under the knife where the real tragedy begins. - Surviving

I live in Canada, near Montreal Quebec. All medical care is free here. It is not a for profit business so doctors are not allowed to promote medicine for money or perks. I've seen 4 doctors re: my prolapse. Three of them told me that there was no viable long term alternative offered to women for this condition. They all said that Kegels, physiotherapy and pessary offer temporary relief. I told them about The Whole Woman philosophy and they had never heard about it however when I told them that my backache was much relieved and that I didn't have to splint any more on the toilet that was all they needed to hear. They urged me to continue with the exercises and posture and come back in a year to show my progress. So I am not pessimistic when it comes to the medical establishment. They will change their thinking when they SEE women managing prolapse without surgery. We women have to make the doctors sit up and take notice. As for Wikipedia it is an online encyclopedia of information offered in many languages. It is not a forum for promoters or detractors. Just facts. I notice that Whole Woman is a registered trademark. It would definitely merit an entry in Wikipedia explaining the work. I suggest this because I think it would be easier for women to find Whole Woman when they enter pelvic organ prolapse in their search engines.
Cheers
Adele

Thanks Adele for the info. I don't want to burst your bubble, but anyone can edit Wikipedia articles if they have registered for an account, and there is quite a lot of information on Wikipedia that would not qualify as "just facts". But again as I've said, Lanny would know more about this aspect of things than any of us here.

Yes there is a big difference between Canadian and American medical establishments. I'm not so sure that has translated (yet) into better care of prolapse in Canada, but one can only hope, and keep trying to get the word out as you are doing. Thanks - Surviving

It takes a lot more than you to burst my bubble, Surviving. I still stand by the assertion that Whole Women would show up more easily if it were on Wikipedia. That's all. I don't think there's better care here but perhaps a different attitude and unfortunately I haven't come across any long term treatment for prolapse other than hysterectomy anywhere. I will keep trying to get the word out.

Adele

I think we both feel the same about helping others to find this amazing site. I can see that it could be a political football as so much money is involved in Gyno surgery. It is interesting that your Drs in Canada seem more open to other ideas,very good. I agree with Christine that it is difficult and as she said in an earlier post even natropaths reject this site,as happened with my natropath. I could not believe it as I know she does not believe in unnecessary surgery and she considers her work to be cutting edge. In UK there are some great doctors ofcourse but even they admit they have no training in Nutrition which I find so sad . It seems they really struggle with Natural! I am over 60 and my contemporaries ask me how I am so active and fit, whatdo I Take! When I say I am on no medication at all they do not believe me!! We are lucky to have Christines Book and all the help here. One day it will be recognised as the truth.

Hi Everhopeful.
I am just turned 60. I wonder why there is so much rejection of this site. I guess we just have to keep demonstrating our successes. Thanks for the positive reply.

Adele

I agree with Adele that having something on Wikipedia would increase the visibility of the Whole Woman approach. That said, given how politicized the issue is, an entry on Wikipedia would have to be monitored vigilantly because as Surviving pointed out, anyone with an account can edit the entry and I can imagine what those who are threatened by the approach might do.

I don't have the bandwidth (or a Wikipedia account for that matter) to monitor a Wikipedia entry, but I do wish that there was some way to make this work more easily accessible to more woman.

In the meantime, let our successes continue to shine bright and persuade others to give it a shot!

Snap

The main reason I feel it is so important to expose Christine's findings and teachings is so that as women we can make the best informed decisions when it comes to our health. Perhaps Whole Woman is not for everyone however I feel all women should know about it so when the time comes they will make intelligent, measured decisions that are right for them without external pressures. Whether or not whole Woman is accepted by the medical establishment is not important. What is important is that women know about it and have the choice. Adele

That rings so true to me Adele! There had been so many signs over the years that indicated that my prolapse was worsening, but I had the mentality that I just had to wait it out, exercise my pelvic floor or undergo surgery. Had I known about Whole Woman when I left my midwife's office so many years ago...well...I can't exactly know how my body would be different today, but I do know that I would have experienced some empowerment in learning that there were measures I could take all day, every day to help my situation. After the kegels didn't work my mindset was, I guess I'll put off the surgery as long as I can and put up with the symptoms. Finding Whole Woman I'm now in a space of maybe I won't need surgery and instead of putting up with symptoms, I'm working with them and connecting with my body instead of being afraid of it. It's an amazing turnaround really :-)

Hi SCAndP ! I feel just as you do and wish I had found Christine's book ten years ago. I went to the Dr. hoping for advice to prevent further problems and did not even get to hear the word Prolapse. I was so ignorant but otherwise a well informed person. In UK it was never talked about . I think women said they had a bad back or women probs as if it was their fault and shaming. I too try to spread the word but people are very stuck in their ideas and easily embarrassed. My dr. sent me to a consultant years ago and I now see why he was beaten down looking and finding my questions difficult to answer. He offered me an op but was pleased when I said no......he knew it would not be a long term solution I am guessing. I understand now I am educated by Christine and feel sorry for the consultant who was doing his best and probably getting more problems from the same patients. I am SO glad I said no to an op and eventually found this site instead! My friends seem to think that I am different from them and say , trust you to come up with some original thinking, but they do not trust enough to jump onboard! Only one friend read the book and was really interested. She told me she had had no ops like that so I mentioned this site. It turned out that she had had a mesh fitted which was to stop her having to rush to the loo. She is happy so far with her op. but amazed to learn of this site.Good luck and thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I feel bad for your friend, everhopeful, because in the years to come there is probably about a zero chance that she is still going to be happy with that mesh inside of her body. If she has had this done to her in the last few years, then one really has to wonder if she did any research at all into the widely-publicized problems with anything mesh. How there could still be so many women blindly pursuing these operations is totally beyond me. Enough already! The damage done can never be undone. - Surviving

Totally agree SSixty but I had asked her first and she said she had not had any ops like a hyst.!!! Her partner had told her to think twice and read it up but she could not go out for more than half an hour without finding a loo . She could find no other answer to her probs and here in UK people r very inhibited about more personal medical matters I find. She read my copy of Christine's book two years after her op and was really interested as she is into all things natural! That is how difficult it is here in UK. I only see this friend occasionally. I think another reason for people not doing more research is that they feel that the NHS. is free and therefore the easiest answer. If the hospitals here were educated to use natural posture remedies where they could for gyn. probs they would save a fortune especially re recurring problems with the same patients. They could then spend more on improving child birth !! I must relax as I know the world cannot change in a day!

It is not the doctors that we need to educate, they already know their scalpels are not doing any service to women, but that is their only tool and they will continue to use it. It is the women who need to take advantage of the knowledge that is out there, and stop going to surgeons. It is simple supply and demand. Women have to stop wanting these surgeries. They have to stop asking for them. A surgeon is the last person who will tell a woman that her body needs to remain whole and intact to function as it was meant to. Surgeons can perform miracles when the situation warrants a surgeon's hand. This is not one of those situations! - Surviving

It is so disheartening, especially when it's happening in your own family and they won't listen or even consider looking into noninvasive alternatives. Awhile back I had told my mom about the alternatives to using the estrogen cream, red clover and the honey Christine uses for vaginal dryness. I was talking to her recently and she said she just thought the red clover was too strange to try, and besides that insurance pays for most of the medications you get from doctors. Her triglycerides are still high which was a side affect she found from using the Premarin. Now she is using metamucile to try to lower her tryglicerides. I told her that the estrogen just wasn't good for her at her age and she said, but her doctor "won't let her" go off it. I just feel like throwing my hands up in the air! When did we give doctors so much power over us; we should have that power, because the information is out there.
My mom also told me awhile ago that my sister had the mesh surgery for bladder incomtinence. She also had a boob job. I am not saying anything against ladies that do that, but the doctor told her that they only last ten years and have to be taken out. She said well at least she will have had boobs for ten years!
When are we women as a whole going to accept ourselves for what we are, all our wrinkles intact, and love our whole woman bodies? That is something that would make me happy to see in my lifetime.

I can see that you have a point SSixty. In the UK if a woman has a gyn. prob she must first see her own family Dr. He( or she) will then refer her to a consultant gyn for advice. Most people do not see any other way to cope . If you are not given the word Prolapse (as I was not) it is even harder to research the problem.No one I know ever mentioned this to me in my whole life ,it was a worse shock than Father Christmas ! It also explained a lot about older people I knew who suddenly became inactive. Luckily I love researching things and do not give up easily. I also love books and have learnt so much from them. Thanks for your opinion and help , it is all very interesting.

I so agree Aging Gracefully. You want to help people and they think it is too risky to rely on natural solutions! I love your phrase ' women as a whole' it is a great play on words. I do hope those members of your family are ok and that they do not regret their choices.
On a more positive note my daughter is really interested in this site and she has just had her second baby. We have a great relationship and at least she has read Christine' s book with a real sense of belief. There is hope for the future I believe. My daughter's generation can talk about any subject with relative ease and they are very good at sharing info and experiences very quickly.

Yes, that is so true. Our daughters are our future. I gave my daughter my copy of saving the whole woman and she read it. She was very open minded about it. I never taught her to suck and tuck, and when I told her to try to keep a relaxed belly and the principles of posture, she said she was pretty much all ready doing that. The slouching thing becomes an issue on occasion. She was telling me recently that her hips don't hurt anymore. She had a baby 2 years ago. Natural healing and not listening to the current ideas of tight abs I think really helped her in that.

When I told my mother about my uterine prolapse, the first thing she said was that I needed a hysterectomy. Luckily, I had all ready found whole woman before I told her. It really scared me at the time. She is entrenched in the medical viewpoint. She had a hysterectomy for fibroids at my age, she was a nurse for a long time. I tried to tell her about whole woman and how it helped me. She just thinks I am odd, so I don't really discuss it with her anymore. Recently, she told me that I was looking so slender. I had to laugh to myself as I was standing in whole woman posture!

Yes Aging Gracefully the medical profession are pretty well brain washed but very well meaning! Even nurses do not seem able to talk easily about prolapse. Perhaps they have seen too many disasters in the hospital?
I have a couple of ideas to get this web site out in the open in the UK but wonder if that is what Christine would like or if it might be too much too soon ? I feel that as I have nothing to gain personally from promoting this site then that should carry a lot of weight and help the public to believe it is worth a try before going down the surgery route which is all that is offered at present.

I often used to wonder why the young girls in the Masai Tribe did not stand up 'properly' as we do in the west! Now I know that they instinctively stand as nature intended. When I used to have a personal trainer he said that every woman who came to his gym wanted to know how to get a flat tummy. I was just the same!
Aging Gracefully I am glad your Mum liked your posture and said you looked slim . My Mum was difficult to help too and wondered how she came to have such an inquisitive daughter but my father encouraged me to question things ,luckily.

I was born to two professional athletes, became an athlete at the world level, was taken care of by the male dominated culture of sport and medicine. I have worked with horses for my adult life, lifting ...lifting...lifting. I have had three babies. Two weeks ago I found what felt like my forth baby between my legs! I am 58 and am so grateful to find all of the stories and advice and true feminine that has eluded me my entire life. I have a box full of tapes and new world of exercise and posture to learn. Thank you.

Welcome Lightness - We are so very glad you found us! Your post just neatly summarized exactly what's amiss when it comes to women caring for themselves. Please keep us up to date on your progress. May this knowledge and this wonderful and joyful work bring great peace and happiness to you. - Surviving

i wanna thank u for the graet effort u r diong in this blog to help others

Hi emy and welcome - let us know how we can help you! This is a great community, very caring and experienced. - Surviving