Litsy

so-so

The annoying thing about this book is I liked the author‘s writing style, and think I would have enjoyed it more if it didn‘t have the sexist and problematic elements. The internalized misogyny grated on me.

I really empathized with Kristen, and 🙌🏽 for a book that talks about periods and chronic illness. As an #endowarrior, I really related to that aspect. But the cool girl trope was 🙄🙄.

CaliforniaCay Ooooh I'm not big on romances but having recently had the big surgery myself I would actually like to read a book that features a character going through that! Stacked! 4y

alisiakae @CaliforniaCay that‘s one of the reasons why I picked it up! I have endometriosis, and had a hysterectomy almost 2 years ago. #hystersister 💞 I would add a TW for fertility issues, ans if it wasn‘t for the afterword, I probably would have hated one of the twists. 4y

CaliforniaCay I'm honestly considering writing a book about my experience with fibroids because I didnt realize how common that and endometriosis were until I went through it. Wish it was discussed more. Any other books you can think of that handle hysterectomy experiences, feel free to tag me! 4y

BayouGirl85 I preferred The Happily Ever After Playlist from this author. 4y

72 likes1 stack add4 comments

alisiakae

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky | Kwame Mbalia

Reading vicariously through Maya. She‘s keeping me company on the couch while I work. Aaron also went in to the hospital today to check in on some patients. Yay vacation. It certainly isn‘t Yosemite and San Fran, but we‘re making do.

One year ago this week I spent spring break vacation having a hysterectomy and endometriosis excision from my bladder and other areas. This was supposed to be the year we made up for that one. 😢 ⬇️⬇️

alisiakae But on a positive note, I have been symptom free for a whole year! #endowarrior I will never forget how supportive everyone was during that time while I was dealing with post-surgery complications. 💞 5y

jmtrivera Your next vacation better be an absolute paradise! You have earned it! 💜 5y

TrishB Aww ❤️ next year now 🤞🏻🤞🏻 5y

See All 14 Comments

Cathythoughts Better days are ahead 👍🏻❤️❤️✨ 5y

Lindy 🌷 🌱Glad to hear you've been symptom-free. 🌷 5y

Velvetfur Sorry to hear of how bad things were (I did a lot of endo research when the docs thought I had it, turned out I didn't), but glad to hear you've been free of symptoms since then! Good for you 👍 Next Summer will be an even bigger celebration 😊 💜 5y

alisiakae @jmtrivera I will make it so! Probably not till 2021 though the way things are going. I don‘t think we‘ll be taking a summer vacation this year either. 5y

alisiakae @Velvetfur I hope so! Next summer will hopefully be a huge Israel/Jordan/Egypt/Greece trip, unless Covid forces is to postpone Maya‘s Nov bat mitzvah. 🤞🤞 5y

CaliforniaCay Thank you for sharing this part of your life. I literally just had my hysterectomy 3 days ago! (Fibroids for me) and am already feeling better, looking forward to being fully healed though 🤗 5y

CaliforniaCay I find a huge comfort in hearing from others who have been there 💚 5y

alisiakae @CaliforniaCay best wishes for a speedy recovery! It took my a good 6-8 weeks to feel completely back to normal, but I had a complication (the surgeon nicked my bladder, so I went home with a catheter for 2 wks). Has FL not put a restriction on non-emergent surgical procedures? I‘m amazed you were able to have surgery during this time! Have you found the forum HysterSisters? 5y

CaliforniaCay Sounds scary, but glad you got the problem resolved eventually. Luckily I didn't have to go home with a catheter. I'm in Ca and luckily my Dr. recommended me getting the surgery when she did before they end up putting a stop to them. I was supposed to get it in December. But I got the depot shot recently and it was starting to take affect. For 2 straight weeks I was in intense pain, my Dr. was worried I'd end up in the ER which would be worse 5y

CaliforniaCay And yes I have heard of hystersisters, lots of good info there, makes me feel normal reading some of those stories 💜 5y

jmtrivera @4thhouseontheleft No matter when you get there, hope every moment is magic for you! 5y

85 likes14 comments

alisiakae

Conversations with Friends: A Novel | Sally Rooney

In my 40 years of life, this is the first time I have EVER read a novel that features a character with endometriosis. Endo in fiction! 🙌🏽

Wow, do I wish that my 21 year old self could have read this book. It might have sped up my awareness of what was really going on by 10 years or so. 😢 Frances‘s symptoms so closely mirror what mine were at that age.

That alone gives this book 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
#EndoWarrior

MoonWitch94 It is so very common & yet not represented often. You would think it would be. ♥️ 5y

alisiakae @MoonWitch94 So very common! And yet, I wasn‘t given a name for what I was experiencing until I was in my late 20‘s. 😠 And then when I did have a name for it, the first treatment presented was “well, do you want another child? Because pregnancy often helps relieve symptoms”. 🙄 And I was only taken seriously when I told my doctor that my period is as bad as natural childbirth and having a kidney stone. Combined. Both of which I have also had. 5y

MoonWitch94 @4thhouseontheleft 😱😭😱😭Sometimes Drs just are horrible. 5y

See All 16 Comments

alisiakae @MoonWitch94 some of them just don‘t have the training they need. And yes, some of them are horrible! I eventually self-diagnosed with hubby‘s surgical residency textbooks (and hubby‘s help), and had it confirmed in more recent years with surgery and biopsy. 5y

Texreader So sorry you went through that. Every woman in my family has had it (grandmom, mom, sister), including me between pregnancies. Everyone else had to have hysterectomies but me. I had surgery and controlled with hormones since. (edited) 5y

Owlizabeth If you like contemporary romance, the MC in this one has endometriosis! It wasn‘t the best romance I‘ve ever read, but #representationmatters

The Friend Zone

alisiakae @Texreader I had my first surgery 4 yrs ago, but my hysterectomy last April was a game changer! It‘s not a cure, but I have been symptom free ever since. Hormones worked for a while, but not always. When Endo lesions appeared on my bladder last year was the worst. 🤞🤞 that never comes back. 5y

alisiakae @Owlizabeth Thanks! I‘ll check it out 5y

Megabooks I‘m so sorry!! 💞💞 I wasn‘t happy for her having it but it was good when Lena Dunham stepped forward and talked about how difficult it was for her work and have endo. Then took self care time at the height of her fame. One of my vet school classmates had it. It‘s terrible when people don‘t understand that it‘s not a typical period day(s). 5y

Scochrane26 My mom thinks I may have endo. I‘ve always had horrible periods-irregular, horrible cramps, vomiting. I don‘t have the in-between pain though. I‘ve been on the pill for many years, & my dr told me that it‘s not worth going through the test for it unless I‘m trying to get pregnant. (edited) 5y

Texreader @4thhouseontheleft Yes those lesions really messed up my mom and my sister. It‘s so so horrible. And painful. I was so fortunate my case was so mild. But I remember going to work, closing the door, and doubling over in pain. And that was the “mild” case. You really went through hell. 5y

Butterfinger I hate that it is an illness that still can't be discussed in the open. I also had my dealings with it and I have suffered with menopause symptoms for the last 3 years and my obgyn will not take me seriously. I'm 44. I'm severely anemic because of it. Definitely stacking. 5y

alisiakae @Scochrane26 It‘s really up to each person. The pill helped for many years, until, suddenly it didn‘t. And then, after my first surgery, I was good for about 2 years on the pill until break through pain started back up. 💞 (edited) 5y

alisiakae @Butterfinger 💞💞 It is becoming less taboo, but we still have a ways to go. 5y

BookwormM My cousin suffers horrendously with this she is only 25 and they have told her she needs a hysterectomy sooner rather than later 5y

alisiakae @BookwormM I'm sorry to hear that. A hysterectomy is not a cure for endometriosis, not everyone ends up symptom free afterwards. It did help me though, hopefully long-term (it will be 1 yr in April). I hope she has an endo specialist in her area! 5y

106 likes16 comments

alisiakae

Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women | Kate Moore

#TIL: Even in a heavily researched book involving both law and medicine, the author still can‘t use anatomically correct terms for female reproductive parts, relying on the euphemism “down below” instead?

FFS, that‘s ridiculous. In a book about courageous women who were empowered to fight back against corruption and corporate greed, and the author can‘t say vagina? Come on, break the stigma, stop the shaming.

Okay. Rant over. #NFNov

Clwojick, rsteve388

alisiakae Soapbox moment continued, because as an #endowarrior this really pisses me off to read this in a recently published nonfiction book dealing with an industrial health crisis that affected mostly women. Dealing with endometriosis for years, do you know how much easier my life would have been in my 20‘s if female gynecological problems were taken more seriously? #breakthestigma 5y

marleed Oh geez, to my chagrin, I didn‘t notice that. Very good point! 5y

alisiakae @marleed My battle with endometriosis has made my ears finely tuned to this. And if you can‘t tell 😂, it‘s an issue I am particularly passionate about. ☺️ 5y

See All 11 Comments

marleed @4thhouseontheleft I understand. When I was raising my 2 kids, I read advice on using anatomically correct terms - penis, vagina... The logic was that using cutesy terms is babyish and as kids mature those terms embarrass them. And then you are left with no teenage and grown terms in which to communicate. I believed that so never assigned cutesy or vulgar names. 5y

alisiakae @marleed I see that in my parents. While they both are always extremely interested and concerned when I have endo flare-ups, and during my two surgeries, but both my parents (they are 70) are incapable of saying vagina or uterus, and still visibly flinch when I use those words (along with tampon, period, etc etc that my dad likes to call “women‘s problems”.) 🙄 5y

Eyelit Omg. This is so disappointing- especially since it‘s a female author. 5y

wanderinglynn So disappointing. You should totally write the author about this because I think you have a great & compelling story that would resonate and stigmatizing genitals, especially the female reproductive system, is an important social issue. 5y

LauraJ FFS indeed! 5y

alisiakae @wanderinglynn That's what I said to my husband! I probably will email the author after I finish the book. 5y

LaraS I second everything everyone has said here. Language matters, and how we use it can both give power or take it away. (edited) 5y

rsteve388 4 pts 5y

83 likes11 comments

alisiakae

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake | Amy E. Reichert

#currentread is something light and fluffy!

Day 5 of recovery is not off to a good start. I would not be surprised if I go back to bed soon after I finish my morning tea. (which I‘m hoping will help get my digestive system back on track). #booksandtea

Thankful for no visitors today! A close friend popped by yesterday with a bunch of homemade healthy lunches. I‘m so grateful for her help, and she brought exactly what I needed! 💛💛 #endowarrior

Lynnsoprano Hope you can get some rest and the remainder of the day goes better 😘 6y

alisiakae @Lynnsoprano Thank you! 💞💞 6y

AmyG Get the rest you need. Feel better. 6y

See All 8 Comments

JSW Recovery has ups and downs. Ride the wave. ❤️❤️ 6y

alisiakae @AmyG 💕😘 Thanks! @JSW Yes, I had a day like this with my last surgery, so I know the routine. 😊 Netflix and cuddly blankets comes in handy. And cats. They‘re all over me today. 😽 6y

cobwebmoth Hope you're feeling better soon.❤ 6y

ravenlee Good luck today. You know best what you need. 6y

squirrelbrain Cats know when you need looking after.... 😻 6y

110 likes8 comments

alisiakae

Saga Vol. 9 | Brian K. Vaughan

1. Catching up on Saga!
2. Rest and recovery! Watching The Crown and Unicorn Store with Maya, reading a bit, and if I feel up to it may start a jigsaw puzzle. Plus I brushed my hair this morning! #progress #postop #endowarrior #hystersister
3. Yes! But only when they are still warm.
4. No clue
5. 👍👍

#friyayintro

howjessicareads

Leftcoastzen Saga!👍👏 6y

Clwojick Saga!!!! ♥️♥️ 6y

ChasingOm It‘s amazing how washing/brushing your hair can make you feel ready to conquer the world. 🙌🏻 6y

See All 12 Comments

alisiakae @Leftcoastzen @Clwojick I finally convinced hubby to give Saga a chance, he‘s quickly catching up! @ChasingOm I‘m not up for washing it yet, but dry shampoo and a brush felt so good this morning! 6y

Nessavamusic ❤️Saga! 6y

jb72 You‘re ahead of me. I haven‘t brushed my hair yet. 6y

TrishB Take care and plenty of r and r 😘 6y

alisiakae @jb72 it can be a major achievement some days! 😂 @TrishB Thank you! 💞 6y

CouronneDhiver You got me... rushed over to Netflix thinking the next season had been released 👑😂 Can‘t wait 6y

alisiakae @CouronneDhiver Of the Crown? Sorry! It‘s my first time watching. Maya is becoming a bit of an Anglophile, so we‘re watching together (except for one episode in Season 2 which I‘ve heard is NOT kid-friendly)! 6y

CouronneDhiver Yes... definitely avoid that episode... unless you‘re prepared to have a candid birds and bees (and threesomes) conversation. Lol 6y

alisiakae @CouronneDhiver We‘ve already had that convo (not the threesome bit), but that doesn‘t mean I‘m ready for her to watch it play out on TV! 😂 6y

82 likes12 comments

alisiakae

Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women�s Pain | Abby Norman

🎉🎉🎉 I‘m 🏡 from the 🏥 , and it‘s done! Tagged Abby Norman‘s book for those who want to learn more about endometriosis.

This is my 2nd surgery, and I‘m not gonna lie ,it was a bitch. My pelvic region was COVERED with endo lesions, as well as my bladder, which they accidentally nicked while removing lesions. Apparently my uterus was “boggy” too with possible adenomyosis, which they will biopsy. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

#endowarrior
#hystersister

alisiakae But I got to keep my ovaries! In all it was a 3 hr surgery and I went home with a catheter for 2 wks because of the bladder repairs. 😫 Thank you to everyone who offered encouraging words lately, it meant so much! 💛💛💛 6y

MaleficentBookDragon I'm glad you're on the mend. I feel you. I had endometriosis. It was a bitch. 6y

AmyG So happy to read you are home. Wishing you a good, quick recovery. 6y

See All 48 Comments

Meee96 Hoping all goes well for you! 💛Thank you for sharing. My surgery for endo is coming Tuesday. 6y

MoonWitch94 💙❤️💙❤️💙❤️ Sending peace & healing vibes your way. 6y

crazyspine #endosucks 6y

Bookwormjillk I hope your recovery goes well, and you have some good books to read. 6y

jpmcwisemorgan I‘m glad you‘re home and I hope your recovery goes well. 6y

wanderinglynn Sending you healing vibes for a quick recovery. 💚 6y

Smangela You‘re amazing! Wishing you safe and speedy recovery! 6y

guinsgirlreads Best wishes! 6y

AsYouWish So glad you are home!! Sending positive vibes for a safe and speedy recovery!! 6y

MicheleinPhilly ❤️❤️ 6y

CarolynM Hope that you recover quickly and you can get on with life without the pain 💐 Hope your surgery goes well @Meee96 6y

hermyknee ♥️♥️♥️ best wishes for a speedy recovery, friend 6y

merelybookish Here's to a safe recovery 🙏 and lots of books to read while you heal! 6y

MicrobeMom Wow! I am sorry! I hope you recover soon! Speedy healing and happy reading! 6y

alisiakae @Meee96 Good luck! If you need someone to talk to that‘s been through it before, feel free to email me at abergsman@gmail.com. Are you having an diagnostic laparoscopy and excision surgery? I made the mistake of doing ablation with a regular Gyn the first time. I learned my listen and found a specialist this time. 6y

Meee96 @CarolynM Thank you soo much! 6y

Meee96 @4thhouseontheleft Thank you sooo much! I will do!💛😊 6y

Kaye Glad it‘s done and you are home recovering. Take it easy ! 6y

BookwormAHN I'm glad you're done. Good luck with healing and hugs 🍀 6y

kspenmoll Take care and pamper yourself- wishing you a speedy recovery & freedom from pain.💕💕 6y

RvnclawWhovian Glad you‘re home and recovering well! 6y

Johanna414 Hope you recover quickly! While I don‘t have endometriosis, I did have a basketball sized cyst and a cancerous ovary removed a couple years ago and have the 8 inch scar to show for it... I have all the sympathy in the world for you! 6y

alisiakae @MaleficentBookDragon I‘m sorry you also have dealt with endo. 😞 6y

erzascarletbookgasm Wish you a speed recovery 💗 6y

Jas16 Wishing you a speedy recovery 💐 6y

CouronneDhiver 🤘🏽 like a warrior. speedy recovery! 6y

JoScho Feel better soon ❤️ 6y

Redwritinghood I hope you recover quickly. 6y

Eyelit 💚💚💚 6y

cobwebmoth Hope you heal quickly! 6y

JacqMac Good healing vibes to you. 💕 6y

ChasingOm Keeping you in my thoughts! 6y

JSW Sending you all the healing vibes. I had a hysterectomy in 2014 thanks to fibroids both on the outside of my uterus and in the uterine wall. Good times. 😑 Rest rest rest and more rest. ❤️❤️❤️ love to all who suffer and peace to those anticipating procedures. 6y

Leftcoastzen Hope you have a speedy recovery, at the same time , treat yourself gently, healing vibes headed your way.❤️ 6y

JessClark78 ❤️❤️❤️ 6y

JennyM Take good care of yourself and rest! 😘♥️😘 6y

batsy Wishing you a speedy recovery 💐 Take care. 6y

BarbaraBB Take care 💕 6y

LeahBergen Sending you ❤️❤️❤️!! 6y

mrp27 Wishing you a speedy recovery! 6y

julesG Speedy recovery! Rest and read! 6y

Kalalalatja Take care 💕💕 6y

Tanisha_A Get well soon! 🌺 6y

kezzlou85 Wishing you a quick recovery. 6y

tracey38 Glad you are home and recovering. 💛💛💛 6y

95 likes1 stack add48 comments

alisiakae

Femtruth - Endometriosis Edition: A Collection of Stories from Courageous Women | Silvia Sidney Young

🎗March is Endometriosis Awareness Month.🎗

It‘s fitting that I just scheduled my 2nd excision surgery.

The path to diagnosis was so frustrating, which is why I share my Endo journey. In April I will be having excision surgery as well as a total hysterectomy (keeping my ovaries), b/c of a secondary problem. But I need to be clear that this is not a cure!

There is no cure for endometriosis.

(Quote above is from tagged book).

#EndoWarrior

readingjedi Hope everything goes well for you. 6y

Kaye Wishing your surgery to go well and a speedy recovery. 6y

Jerdencon Good luck ❤️ 6y

See All 19 Comments

alisiakae @readingjedi @kaye Thank you! 💛💛 I‘m hoping for lots of reading time during the 4 week recovery period. 6y

JamieArc Best wishes to you! I was diagnosed two years ago during a surgery to remove a cyst, and am now dealing with the stress of the decision to (try to) have children while having endo, as well as the anger that endo was never even mentioned as an option from doctors all these years! 6y

alisiakae @jerdencon Thanks! 💛💛 6y

alisiakae @JamieArc it took me years to find an endo specialist, there aren‘t too many of them around. It‘s never easy, let me know if you ever need to talk or want to know my experience (and things I have learned along the way). 💛💛 (edited) 6y

Bookwormjillk Good luck 🍀 6y

hermyknee 💖💖💖 sending positive thoughts your way 6y

alisiakae @Bookwormjillk @hermyknee Thank you! I‘m already compiling the post-surgery reading stack. 💛😂 6y

JacqMac Good luck and healing vibes for your recovery. 💕 6y

tammysue Best wishes - Sending positive thoughts to you! 💕😊 6y

Jas16 I hope your surgery goes well and your recovery is smooth. 6y

M.V Good luck with your surgery, hope you have some nice recovery reads ready 🥰 -from a fellow endowarrior 6y

BlameJennyJane 🤗💗🤗💗🤗 6y

youneverarrived Best wishes ♥️♥️♥️ 6y

AnneCecilie Good luck with the surgery and I wish you a speedy recovery. I was diagnosed some years ago when removing a cyst. Suddenly all the pain made sense. 6y

BookwormAHN Best wishes 🌹 6y

tracey38 Good luck with the surgery and recovery. I have some issues that may eventually lead to an endo diagnosis. I also have PCOS. It is all difficult to deal with. 💜💜 6y

87 likes19 comments

alisiakae

Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women�s Pain | Abby Norman

👆👆👆 THIS. My diagnosis finally came about after hubby and I changed strategy, and did exactly this. I still get soo angry when I think back to when I was diagnosed, and how I was only taken seriously (after years of different doctors), when suddenly we brought a man‘s sex life into the equation. Who cares about excruciating chronic pelvic pain? 🤬🤬

Thankfully I‘m in a better place now. But it took a lot of advocating to get here. #endowarrior

jpmcwisemorgan I‘m sorry! There are so many things that are backwards. 6y

alisiakae @jpmcwisemorgan I‘m thankful I have an incredibly supportive spouse who has always stood by my side. 😊 Maybe I‘m feeling especially mushy, we‘re leaving on a little wedding anniversary get away later today. 😃 6y

quietlycuriouskate Oh this makes me so cross: sorry you had to go through that! On a happier note, I wish you a lovely anniversary. 💐 6y

See All 10 Comments

That-Bookish-Hiker That‘s so frustrating. For years I had a male gynecologist who wouldn‘t listen to what I was telling him and his answer to everything was “oh your body just hasn‘t found it‘s rhythm.” Finally changed to a woman doctor and she diagnosed me with PCOS. She is a godsend and has made my life so much better because she listens to me. 6y

Clare-Dragonfly That‘s infuriating. I‘m so sorry your doctors wouldn‘t take you seriously on your own. 😡 6y

AmyG All we ever want is to be listened to and validated...especially by doctors. Glad you are doing better. Have a wonderful anniversary! 6y

Amandajoy 😠 That‘s frustrating. And ridiculous. 6y

Reggie A little off subject. One time, I roomed with my friend who happened to be a girl in my early 20‘s. We went furniture shopping because she wanted a table. At one store even though she introduced herself and said what she was looking for the salesman only addressed me and asked me what I was interested in. I had never seen it so blatant. We just left. 6y

alisiakae @Reggie that has happened to me many times. I‘m usually the one that handles the finances and major purchases in our house. I think that has happened every time I go with my husband to buy a car. Or major appliance. They finally get clued in when they direct the conversation at him, and he remains silent until I am included equally. Even though I had been the one asking all the questions. (edited) 6y

Texreader I‘m so sorry and I went through a similar if not same situation but didn‘t think of that as a solution. 6y

80 likes1 stack add10 comments

alisiakae

Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women�s Pain | Abby Norman

This was me in my 20s. No more. #endowarrior

79 likes

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