I grew up in a house full of boys. My dad, my brother and I were outdoors every chance we got. My mom went along with us most of the time. Sometimes she didn’t. I didn’t know why, but as a kid it was not something I asked about. Now that I am older, married and have a daughter, all of the things that my mom did when I was young make sense. Now don’t get me wrong, I understood the reproductive cycle, menstruation, what was happening and why. What I did not understand was how it can affect your life.
My wife always had terrible menstrual pain which occurred on a three week cycle. I remember very early on in our relationship the worry and anguish I suffered, watching her in pain. There is nothing worse than seeing a loved one in agony and there is nothing you can do about it. When you can only give small comforts, holding their hand and being with them to let them know they are not alone. It is frustrating from the male perspective. There should be answers and solutions that are acceptable.
It took us years to find out why the pain was so bad, however, the solution came with a choice. To relieve the pain would mean removal of her uterus. We knew we wanted children and she was not going to give up children for any reason. We were fortunate that after having children the pain moderated for many years. However, all things must come to an end. The pain returned worse than it ever was and after many trips to the hospital, we decided that it was indeed time for her to have a hysterectomy.
My daughter is now of the age where she suffers from her monthly cycle. It is bad but not as bad as my wife’s was when we first met. As her father I hope and pray that she is not faced with the same choices her parents had to make. There should be more options than endure the pain or hysterectomy.
