i read several other books before i had my hyst, but this one was so realistic and down to earth it seems to be personally written to me. it answered all the questions i was too afraid too embarrassed or thought was stupid to ask, and gave many helpful hints about what to do to make the process a bit smoother, if that's possible, as well as, calmed my fears on what to expect. the main thing is that its not sugar coated but straight in your face how it is.

The author relates her personal experience through her own hysterectomy in a realistic manner. Within the first two chapters, she states twice that endometriosis is never a good reason for a hysterectomy. Not having suffered serious pain from her tumor before her diagnosis, nor from the debilitating pain of this disease, she has dismissed surgery as the life-reclaiming (albiet,last resort) option that it can be for some women. Although her descriptions of the emotional roller-coaster that a woman can experience in connection with hysterectomy are accurate and written with good humor, it would have been more compassionate not to make definitive statements about endo that equate to the airing of a one-sided opinion. Every woman is different. Work with your doctor to design a treatment plan that addresses your situation. If your doctor will not listen to you, find another who will. The book was enjoyable, in an anecdotal fashion, but does not jibe with others I have read when it comes to the medical facts concerning HRT (hormone replacement therapy). Read this for support, you're not alone in what you are going through! But don't rely on the medical information.

If you have ever faced a life changing operation -- or one you feared could change your life -- you will appreciate the powerful and sensitive approach Nancy Rosenfeld and Dianna Bolen have taken in JUST AS MUCH A WOMAN, a guide for the woman facing or living through a hysterectomy. Armed with her own direct experience, the personal experiences of many other women, and thoughtful input from professionals in the health and psychology fields, Nancy Rosenfeld provides a sympathetic and well-organized presentation of the wide-ranging issues confronting any woman advised to have or consider having a hysterectomy. Each year over 650,000 women are advised to undergo this uniquely female surgery. While a portion of these women have life-threatening conditions requiring immediate surgery, many more are advised to elect surgery for a number of health reasons. The decision to proceed with an elective hysterectomy -- or to decline to proceed -- is indeed a comlex and multifaced decision. For example, the woman considering such a surgery may have a choice between a total and partial hysterectomy, a choice between an abdominal or vaginal removal, and a choice among varrious approaches to hormone management. If you face these decisions, your doctor may or may not explain all your options clearly. Nancy does. Further, she provides the language you will need in order to understand and discuss your options intelligently. She helps you anticipate the decisions you may confront and the thoughts and feelings you may experience. Personal narratives from a dozen women give the reader the sense of sharing a mutual experience with friends, friends who have faced the same concerns and fears. JUST AS MUCH A WOMAN is the book I wish I had had when I was faced with this profound female issue myself.

This book quickly brought me up to speed on the medical/physiological processes involved written in a way that I could understand the information. The information and personal experiences of the author and the other 12 women made me feel more comfortable about my upcoming surgery. Not everything said was encouraging, but I felt comforted by the honesty. It is better to know what to expect than to be in the dark. I especially liked the hindsight information about how to prepare for the surgery and the recovery period, suggestions for freezing meals, losing weight and getting in shape before the surgery were particularly helpful. This book was the real thing, and written in a manner that made me feel like I was having a conversation with the author. The sharing of the emotional experience before , during and after the surgery helped me to feel normal. The author literally walks you through the day of surgery and each of the first five days following in great detail. Thank you Nancy Rosenfeld! I recommend this book as required reading for any woman contemplating or needing a hysterecomy and for their partners!!!.

This book, written by two sensitive and well-intentioned women, is not what it ought to be. It is not well-written or well-organized, so it loses much of its potential to deliver information and reflect on ideas in an effective way. Example: It uses long quotations of doctors and other experts to convey information. It quotes long conversations between doctor and patient. It quotes entire workshops--presenters and participants, with the presenter being quoted literally for pages--causing the reader to wade through a lot of dopey, long-winded comments to find something that might relate to her. It gives somewhat superficial, unhelpful case studies which include annoying extraneous details. It relies heavily on medical input from one person, who does not appear to me to be the world's sharpest or most sensitive doctor. Example: the author asks him, "can't you take the tumor but leave my ovaries alone?" Answer: "You don't need them anymore." More books need to written on hysterectomies, but unfortunately I don't think this one is well done. I recommend Hysterectomy: Woman to Woman by SE Barber and Woman's Guide to Hysterectomy by Adelaide Haas and Susan Puretz(?).