I’ve talked about “liveblogging” your health: writing openly and publicly about your health issues as they happen (or as close to “live” as possible). A writer friend of mine blogs his experiences with cancer — the good, the bad, and the ugly, no holds barred. Former Pets Blogger Courtney Mroch wrote very openly about her experiences with her cancerous “hitchhiker”.
One advantage of liveblogging a health issue — or other important goings on in your life — is that lots of people can get the news quickly and easily. They can stay up to day with your progress without you having to make a lot of phone calls or individual letters/emails. But that’s only part of why I’m writing about what’s going on with my uterus.
For as much as I share about my journey from discovery to surgery and beyond, I’m gaining so much more. Family, friends, and friends-of-friends have been reaching out to talk about their experiences with fibroids and/or hysterectomy. Some people went through a lot of trial and error looking for relief: hormone therapy, repeated surgical procedures, and more. Some people found relief with the first thing their doctor tried.
Lots of people have been offering me tips for my hospital stay and beyond. Some of my favorites include:
* Make sure that I don’t bring something with an elastic waistband to the hospital. Pick out a pair of huge, ugly, drawstring pants — I’ll be living in them for a few days — and then burn them when I’m done with them.
* Cover my stomach with a pillow if I need to cough or sneeze. It will give me some added support for the muscles in my stomach area.
* Eat yogurt when I get home from the hospital. A lot of the “good bacteria” in my digestive system might need the boost.
* Walk as much as possible, as soon as possible. The doctor told me that walking can help prevent the formation of scar tissue — but it can also help in other ways.
It’s been really touching to have so many friends and strangers reach out to support me through all this. I’ve had offers of food, dog-sitting, Aimee-sitting, and more. I’ve had lots of sympathetic ears to chatter in, and lots of people willing to answer questions about their experiences.
If I kept my health issues a secret, I’d never have made the connections I’m making.