Barbara's Reflections

A Tribute to our Medical Professionals:
Happy 1st Birthday Women's Health Forum!

 

Hi OBGYN.netters,

Can you believe it!!! One year old today... Here's that Infamous First Post that I wrote from Roberta's kitchen on Feb. 25th after Bruce called us to say, "It's A Go"!

The Forum Is One Day Old

From: Barbara Nesbitt (barbara.nesbitt@OBGYN.net)
Tue, 25 Feb 1997 21:15:34 -0600 (CST)

Hello to all women around the world,

This is the first day of our own forum on OBGYN.net so I would like to welcome all of you to join in and make this the place to be for all your questions about our health, nutrition, (GEE, I couldn't spell then either!).. bringing up children, empty-nesters, sexual awareness etc. You name it, you bring up the subject, you post it to the list and if we can't get you the answer from fellow list members we'll go to the professionals.

(And Did We Ever!)

OBGYN.net has a group of physicians, and qualified health-care workers waiting to answer your questions, on-line, right HERE.

(True we had a devoted group of doctors that had promised sis and me that If anyone wrote in they would answer.)

A little bit about me, retired nurse, mother of four grown children, grand-mother of two, breast cancer survivor, widow and a very young sixty. That about covers it! Oh by the way I'm interested in just about everything so just about anything you women come up with will be important to me.

(Wasn't I Sweet?)

Lets get this going and get ready to cover a lot of great topics. I'm so excited about our new list and can hardly wait to hear from each of you.

Who 's going to send the first response?

Barbara
Women's Health List Moderator
http://www.obgyn.net
barbara.nesbitt@obgyn.net

Now for the Big Moment; that First Post...

Hysterectomy

From: Sandy Smith (scsmith@mindspring.com)
Tue, 25 Feb 1997 23:16:46 -0600 (CST)

Well, I was a little worried when I searched "hysterectomy" and didn't find a thing... But now I know you're only one day old, so here's my story.

I have been diagnosed with a prolapsed uterus, and three different doctors have recommended a hysterectomy, to allow me to be more active. I have two small kids, and we don't plan to have any more. I am 39 and in great health otherwise.

I am concerned about two things: should I have the ovaries taken out at the same time? What will the recovery be like?

Any advice from anyone?

Thanks.
Sandy Smith

Now the Big Wait...Isn't this Next post from Me Again?

Re: Hysterectomy

From: Barbara Nesbitt (barbara.nesbitt@OBGYN.net)
Wed, 26 Feb 1997 00:43:32 -0600 (CST)
Hi Sandy,

I want to welcome you to the forum and let you know I have sent your question on to one of our OBGYN's and will have an answer for you soon.

How does it feel to be first on-line?
Barbara

Guess what I did now? Remember it's 1AM!.. I emailed a trusty group of Wonderful docs and told them we really had a woman on the forum with a real question and would they answer.

Who was the First? Does anyone remember? It was, "Our Dan The Man", R. Daniel Braun, MD, 6:09am!

Re: Hysterectomy

From: R. Daniel Braun, MD (rbraun@iupui.edu)
Wed, 26 Feb 1997 06:09:16 -0600 (CST)

In general most OB/Gyn's offer removal of the ovaries to anyone age 40 or above. There are many exceptions to this some only offer removal if there is something wrong with the ovaries, others offer removal at age 35. The reason for removal is to prevent ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer will afflict 1 of every 100 women in the U.S. It is either the leading or second leading cause of cancer death among women. Although less common than breast cancer, it has a much lower cure rate because it is seldom diagnosed in an early stage. The reason for retention is to preserve hormone production. If the ovaries are removed, one needs to take hormone replacement therapy. This usually consists of a pill a day. It prevents osteoporosis, heart disease and atrophy of the vagina as well as many other menopause related symptoms. I hope this short reply helps. Before you make a decision, discuss this at length with your Ob/Gyn. If he is unwilling to take the time to discuss it, get a new Ob/Gyn who is.

Good for you Dr. Dan...The standard for the WHF has been set! Give excellent medical advice and don't hold back on telling you when you may need to see someone else!

Day 2 went like this and we were up and running!

February 26, 1997 (Wednesday)

We had 516 posts that month and I couldn't believe it...Drs. Ashley Hill, Kelly Shanahan, Harvey Marchbein, Don Shuwarger, M.D., Joel Kompanietz and Dr Bernard Cristalli , France, Douglas Krell, MD., Pat Sonnenstuhl, CNM, ARNP, Garry E. Siegel, M.D., Geffrey H. Klein, MD., Laurie Lovely MD., Richard M. Chudacoff, MD,. Terry J. DuBose, The Ultrasound Man, Robert Radnich, MD, FACOG, Aniruddha Malpani MD. India, Darcy Johnson,

And now to today:

From Sun 01 Feb 1998 - 05:47:32 CST
Ending: Wed 25 Feb 1998 - 12:46:48 CST
Messages: 1539


***1539**** and almost a week to go.... I just can't believe it! Here is the last post from this morning and see who is Still Here..

February 25, 1998 (Wednesday)
Re: Post Pill Amenorrhea, PCO D. Ashley Hill, M.D.

Dr Harvey, aka, Harvel the Marvel, is still there every day but Sabbath and Drs. Kelly, Laurie, and most of the others from that first month still here.... Still answering our questions, still guiding us in our quest for knowledge about our bodies and what we need to do to stay healthy or get healthy. They Never Gave Up On the Women's Health Forum they are still here after one whole year... All I can say is, "I have never seen anything like this in my entire life"... It is truly more then even I could have dreamed of. None of them have ever received a dime for all the hours they have spent sharing their knowledge with us. I am so very proud of "Our Medical Professionals", Our Physicians", our loyal women that know that they can come to this forum and be listened to, and be answered...

Happy Birthday To All Of Us....We Deserve It!!!

Love to all of you and thank you,

Barbara
Editor, Women's Health at OBGYN.net
Barbara.Nesbitt@obgyn.net

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