Choose Your Battles-HRT Alternatives
Choose your battles. That is my health tip. People get surprised
that I still visit doctors. They think due to many years, of my
being in the natural health field and downing lots of herbs and
supplements, that I should be the equivalent to the "Bionic
Woman" by now and never need health care or advice from a
doctor. Wrong, I do seek health advice. We have the best
diagnostic tools and abilities in this country. I take advantage
of them, but I also weigh my options. Here is an example. I had
a hysterectomy last month. Gasp from the crowd. Yes, I allowed
my vulnerable body to be cut open and the offending organs to be
cut out, and I am proud to say I am no longer the carrier of a
stinky, dysfunctional uterus, among other things. I used natural
products successfully for years, to reverse damage from
endometriosis, fibroid tumors and alleviate pain, but when the
challenge rose again...I decided this time I had had enough.
There was too much in my life that depended on me and when I
took inventory of what I could control and what I could not,
this was an area of my life I could control. I won't say it was
easy or that it wasn't emotional. It really was an emotional
decision, for me. After all, it is an irreversible decision, not
like changing your hair color. I remembered and took strength
from how my mother handled her hysterectomy twenty- five years
before. She said "So what? They took out the baby factory, but
left me the play pen." Too much information, Mom, but now I get
it. My uterus served me well. I have four beautiful children
that would not be here, without it's' help, but it also caused
me years of pain, discomfort and really slowed my game down, if
you know what I mean. I put this off for years and argued my
case for keeping my ovaries and cervix. I lost. I think my
doctor wanted to convince me I made the right decision, when she
read me the lab report after surgery. "You should see this
report! Everything inside you was damaged." "Well, I've had four
kids. You try keeping things nice with kids around." Then she
tries to top herself by telling me even my cervix was irritated.
I thought why the heck was my cervix irritated? Was the uterus
getting on its nerves? Okay, so the surgery is done. No turning
back but I am NOT taking HRT. I am handling this naturally. Here
is the part where you have to be really firm in your stance with
the medical community, to honor your right to choose what is
best for you. Conversation with my doctor: DR: So, I put an
estrogen patch on you after surgery (even though I told her not
to). Do you want me to send you home with a patch or pills? ME:
I don't want synthetic hormones. I plan to handle this
naturally. DR: Yeah, but I want you to use something for you
bones. Do you want the patch or pills? ME: I don't want
synthetic hormones. I plan to handle this naturally. DR: Yeah,
alright, but I want you to use something at least for a couple
of years. Okay? Do you want a patch or pills? ME: I don't want
synthetics, I'll handle this naturally. DR: Oh, okay. Do you
want me to prescribe something plant based? ME: Yeah, go ahead.
I am still trying to find my new female "balance". I use a
natural progesterone cream, made from Wild Yam and supplements
of Soy & Black Cohosh. I also take Calcium and other regular
supplements of vitamins & minerals. I am sure the pharmacy will
get tired of holding that prescription. She did do a great job
of helping me shed unwanted organs. Thank God for doctors!
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