The Health and Hysterectomy Support Group (HHSG) is a group of voluntary, self-supporting and self-funding women who came together twelve years ago for a common need. That need was to share, in a caring atmosphere, the questions not always thought of, voiced or easily discussed with busy professionals. We found there were very few support groups that encouraged women to talk about their needs in the area of Hysterectomy. For a large number of women, we found this time seemed to be fraught with emotions, high distress and unknowing for them, their partners and the family as a whole. From this, the need for the group developed.

During our time together we have encouraged women towards self-empowerment through talking, listening, asking questions and understanding more about themselves and their bodies. To this end one of the avenues we encouraged was for the Social Work Department of the Christchurch Women's Hospital (CWH) to start up Information Evenings. The purpose was to let women hear from the professional teams at the Hospital what they were likely to expect before, during, and after surgery and what was entailed in the recovery process. These evenings continue on and have provided many women insights into their individual procedure and has given them much needed reassurance in a variety of areas. We also organise evening where speakers (usually doctors and community specialists) focus on a specific area of personal passion that women would like to hear about. The evenings are usually intimate, frank, and very educational. After such an evening there tends to be a lot of great feedback.

Part of our ongoing commitment to those women-in-need has been the development of a booklet outlining the surgical procedures. We assisted with the original lay out and it is now into its fourth edition. The booklet is well organised and simple to read. After reading this booklet the individual has an opportunity to ask personlized questions at her next visit to her doctor or specialist. For those who have internet connections they can check out the web-site on www.chl.govt.nz/cwh/hysto. Since the CWH site was set up we have had women worldwide contact us because they have found little information out there. It seems to be important for women to make contact. We have been impressed with the women's factual responses and the ability to work with like-minded people.

Another avenue we have is, we give talks in the community. These talks are designed to encourage women to think about their health, happiness, celebrating being a woman and their right of passage. Often there are many shrieks of laughter as women are challenged to talk about parts of the bodies and complete questions in a factual and pragmatic way. We do enjoy having some serious fun!

With the self-empowerment and knowledge comes the personal responsibility to find out about one's body, mind, emotions, spirit and cultural connections (and all the aspects that make up who we are and our part to play in the world). Our role with CWH and the community is to remind women about their ability to enjoy a full and complete recovery, and that includes the ability to continue a satisfying sex life. Women and their partners are often worried about this often very private and unspoken aspect of their lives. This is beacuse the topic of sexual satisfaction is often a taboo subject, plus the added baggage of why the hysterectomy has to be performed. Understandably this can bring up fear, guilt and other issues. The question that most people want to know is: will their sex life return to normal? In our talks we suggest the use of gels, lubricants, sexual aids, spending more time getting close, comfortable and heaps of time communicating. These aspects of being loved and feeling cared for will assist in the return to normal pleasuring for this very normal physical urge. We also recommend to women and their partners that they try new, different varied ways to put excitement into their lives once again. Again, anything that empowers the women to being more than what they believed themselves to be, we find has sensational impact.

So in conclusion, we have had over the past twelve years lots of learning, growth, development and fun. What ever we have learned has been shared as the process has been reciprocated. We teach, facilitate and learn. We continue to do our voluntary work, and get rewarded by the women who call us to let us know how they are doing.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. All the best for the future.

Yours in enthusiasm

Elizabeth Crystal
OMBA (Netherlands), Dip Tchg. (with Distinction)
M.Ed., with Cert.Counselling, Dip Tchg. (with Commendation)

PS Dislaimer: The opinions that Elizabeth and I share may not be voicing the collective opinions of the other women in the HHSG or CWH.