It was a big day for me yesterday. I had a long awaited hysterectomy at Bath Clinic.
The NHS wait would have been years, even for the urgent op I needed. I’m so grateful I could have it sooner.
This will be life changing for me. I’ve lived with debilitating periods and symptoms on and off for 20 years, the last 5 ramping up.
I had gynaecological issues such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine polyps, fibroids plus ovarian cysts. All separate conditions and not much fun on their own. A colposcopy in my 20s for stage 4 pre cancerous cells too.
Get your smears done regularly!!!!!
I’ve had 5 other surgeries over the years, which have helped greatly to alleviate pain.
20 years ago after having a chocolate cyst the size of a watermelon removed from my right ovary and my bowel / bladder unattached from each other and my womb due to endometrial scarring I was left with 1.5 ovaries. My baby boy was 8 months old.
I was offered meds and to have a hysterectomy a year later. It was suggested it would not be a good idea to have more babies. Something my husband at the time and myself really wanted.
I decided to explore natural health and lifestyle. This is my reason why I do what I do as a job but also as a lifestyle. I discovered EFT, essential oils, lots of other therapy work and healing as well as a healthier way of eating.
Most will know I went on to have two more children - at home in birthing pools.
My first birth had been traumatic, managed and my beautiful boy had a difficult start to life in and out of hospital 22 times before his sister joined us when he was 2.5yrs old. This experience also made me determined to take more control of my lifestyle, pregnancies and births, learning so much along the way. His birth helped me grow and learn in ways I would not have and for that I’m so grateful.
Second time around I loved the experience. I had independent midwives, saw my wonderful chiropractor who cared for me throughout and had a very different experience of pregnancy and birth. A home water birth. It was empowering, freeing and healing. It was simple and I felt I could intuitively birth my baby girl with the right support around me. Just my ex, my dear ex sister in law and my midwives. Bliss.
This changed me. Changed my course from secondary school teacher to owning a birthing pool business, training to be a doula plus running the Bath Homebirth Group with dear friends. It was such an empowering time in my life, to be able to be supportive of other women, to share stories and to hold space for women and their families was an honour. It filled me up to overflowing.
I then had another baby, this time with all the knowledge I had gained from experience and learning. My little boy was born again at home, in a pool with my ex, my friend and just had he arrived our midwives came. It was a cold snowy February morning, so it was hard to get to us. Again a beautiful simple empowering experience which I will hold and cherish forever.
This led me down the path of more entrepreneurship and opening a shop and therapy space for pregnancy, birth and beyond. It was a hive of support, education and empowerment. Ante and post natal classes, baby massage, pregnancy massage, EFT, talks and other therapies upstairs. Downstairs a shop with useful products (natural and sustainable). I even went away and learnt how to fit pregnancy and breast feeding bras. I was very busy offering this service.
Born in Water and Growing Needs were birthed from my empowering births, my creative centre being on fire.
I look back today and reflect on these times with gratitude and love for all the women whom I met and whom I supported. It was an honour. I loved what I did.
I may not have my womb now but I feel the same creative power bubbling within me, really to fire up and birth more ideas and business. I see and feel my business being more present, visible and unapologetically me. I feel myself in a state of strength.
My healing will birth more in my business. I’m so excited to start women’s circles again, to embrace gatherings, to hold retreats and to support other women to feel deep empowerment by embodying their feminine divine.
Talking of divine. This is divine timing. Today is the 8/8 lions portal. The day of new opportunities, new beginnings and positive change. There’s no more of a perfect time for my op and my way forward. I can feel the energy all around me today.