surgery

I’m recovering from some pretty major surgery that has made it really uncomfortable to move around. In addition, because of the painkillers and antibiotics, obviously, I’m not allowed to drink or basically do anything I enjoy anymore.

We met Matt a year ago when he showed us his post weight-loss body.

[CN: childbirth, pregnancy] "You're asking for C-section? You?!" [my obstetrician] almost shrieked.

As a kid, I prayed for big boobs. Shallow, I know. But such prayers were never answered. I hardly filled an A cup.

My relationship with body is anything but “typical.” So far, I’ve hated my body at every size — and not just because of my size.

Taking the time to find clothes that I liked, to dye my hair, and get tattooed — for the first time I was building a place of my own.

When I lost that ability for a while, being too weak and swollen to really put the effort in, it felt like I’d lost a part of myself. It felt like I’d regressed, like I’d gotten to the finish line and was forced back into the race.

This is the trap we fall into when we discuss recovery, emotional development, mental health, or body image: believing there’s a destination.

For the moment, the plan is to see how transplants in several pilot programs across the country work, then possibly make the procedure more routine for women who were born without a uterus, or who suffered later damage and needed to have it removed.

"Germs are everywhere. Arm yourself with either a bottle of hand sanitizer or, to be extra safe, just straight bleach."