When I read a story like yours, with such an upbeat attitude (even when you are scared), it makes me understand how people deal with and beat cancer every single day. You have faced so much already, and yet you seem very good at balancing your wants and needs with what your doctors want and need you to do. I think that's hard for many people to do, especially if they find out that they're dealing with cancerous cells.
I also had a good friend with a complete hysterectomy who went into immediate menopause. It took her a little while to get hot flashes but when she did, she said it felt like someone turned the heater on but that no one else in the room noticed. It's very common to be warm enough to sweat. I went through natural menopause and it seemed like I had night sweats occasionally for about two years before they went away entirely. Like Susan, I would wake up with wet jammies and wet sheets. Not fun!
Be kind to yourself and realize that as your hormones sort themselves out, you may have a lot of mood swings in the upcoming months. Your libido may indeed decrease a little -- mine did -- but it didn't go away entirely, it just settled into a different level.
Over time you may notice changes in your skin or hair -- hormones have a lot to do with these things as well. Skin gets a little less elastic, and hair can thin some. If moisturizer and lotion are not your best friends already, they will be!
I am very inspired that you listened to your body and your intuition. It's what we are all counseled to do so often, and you did it, and because you did, you helped track something down that might not have been found otherwise, at least for quite some time. Well done!!
All the best to you -- looking forward to your next update. And congrats on that grandbaby!!
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Dawn, thank you so much for posting your update.
When I read a story like yours, with such an upbeat attitude (even when you are scared), it makes me understand how people deal with and beat cancer every single day. You have faced so much already, and yet you seem very good at balancing your wants and needs with what your doctors want and need you to do. I think that's hard for many people to do, especially if they find out that they're dealing with cancerous cells.
I also had a good friend with a complete hysterectomy who went into immediate menopause. It took her a little while to get hot flashes but when she did, she said it felt like someone turned the heater on but that no one else in the room noticed. It's very common to be warm enough to sweat. I went through natural menopause and it seemed like I had night sweats occasionally for about two years before they went away entirely. Like Susan, I would wake up with wet jammies and wet sheets. Not fun!
Be kind to yourself and realize that as your hormones sort themselves out, you may have a lot of mood swings in the upcoming months. Your libido may indeed decrease a little -- mine did -- but it didn't go away entirely, it just settled into a different level.
Over time you may notice changes in your skin or hair -- hormones have a lot to do with these things as well. Skin gets a little less elastic, and hair can thin some. If moisturizer and lotion are not your best friends already, they will be!
I am very inspired that you listened to your body and your intuition. It's what we are all counseled to do so often, and you did it, and because you did, you helped track something down that might not have been found otherwise, at least for quite some time. Well done!!
All the best to you -- looking forward to your next update. And congrats on that grandbaby!!
December 25, 2008 - 6:55pmThis Comment
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