That's Hysterical! Now, Get Out! | My Adenomyosis, Hysterectomy and Recovery Journey

Join Webby-nominated podcaster Emily Prokop as she candidly shares her personal journey with Adenomyosis, a uterine disorder known for causing pain and discomfort. From the initial OK to get the hysterectomy to the path of post-op and recovery, this podcast invites you into the raw, honest, and sometimes humorous moments that shape her story. ThatsHystericalPodcast.com @ThatsHystericalPodcast on IG/Threads LANGUAGE WARNING: EXPLICIT (DISCLAIMER) Please note that "That’s Hysterical! Now, Get Out!" is a personal account and not intended as medical advice. While Emily shares her experiences with Adenomyosis, hysterectomy, and recovery, each individual's medical journey is unique. Always consult with healthcare professionals for personalized guidance and support.

8 Things That Made Today Lovely - Recovery Day 2 05/03/2025

Scaring Myself by Reading Too Much About Prolapse - Day 2 05/03/2025

Yay! I Pooped! - Recovery Day 2 05/03/2025

Yay! I Pooped! - Recovery Day 2 “I hear too many stories about people going too hard, feeling better than they have in a long time, and pushing too hard and having to go back for more surgery, or they might rip something or pull something. I'm trying to take it easy, but it's hard because I have this really good feeling,” — Emily, 2 Days Since Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< In This Episode: It’s Day 2 after the surgery and I feel like I did the most intense ab workout ever. I’m also feeling the gas bubbles and what I think might be my organs shifting? Every time I feel the gas pains, especially in my shoulder post-surgery (so weird!), I take a little 10 minute walk around and it seems to help. I pooped! This is a big deal for after surgery. I’m so glad I was able to without much trouble :) I’m glad I started taking the stool softeners before the surgery, too. I’m so glad I read all the success stories going into this! Those helped with my nerves the most and gave me hope for less pain from now on, fingers crossed! (See Note from Future-Emily below) It wasn’t until a few months earlier that I started to piece together that my uterus may have been the cause of my ongoing hip soreness and pain. And that has immediately decreased since the surgery, too! The first shower after surgery went well! I looked down and saw the difference in my body and a noticeable almost-dip in my abs where my uterus used to be. My lower abdomen isn’t swollen and protruding all the time anymore. Weird! Especially for this fluffy lady who has never seen any kind of “flat” look to her stomach, lol. The incision marks are so tiny! I could barely see the one in my belly button when I checked! There’s some bruising, but it’s not so bad. I’m glad I prepared for clothing options because some days baggy sweats felt good and some days, they pulled at the surgery areas, it felt like, so I wore my dresses and nightgowns. I didn’t expect my childhood ballet training to come in handy for post-surgery movement, but since I can’t bend at the waist like I normally would, I’m doing Demi-pliés whenever I need to get low or band down. Also, toe dexterity comes in pretty handy when bending over is hard! Who knew? Coughing and Laughing HURTS! OOF! Some advice: Get yourself a pillow to hold to your stomach to do either of these, if you can. It’s Day 2 and my scale of pain already has to be recalibrated because I can’t put a number on the pain level post-surgery. There’s soreness, sure, but more relief! Weirdest post-op TV choice: Botched. LOL I called my mom and let her know everything went well. I hope doing that puts her mind at ease. My weird stomach could also be anxiety-related, perhaps. So many emotions that went into this surgery and beyond! Note from Future-Emily: Oh yes! I’m writing and editing this more than a year later and the pain and discomfort is NOTHING now, compared to before! An odd twinge here and there, and I can still tell when I’m ovulating sometimes, but a HUGE improvement since the hysterectomy! And, like all those success stories, I really do feel like I’ve gotten my life back. Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/36001395

Yay! I'm Not Pregnant! - Recovery Day 1 05/01/2025

How the Hysterectomy Went - Recovery Day 1 05/01/2025

How the Hysterectomy Went - Recovery Day 1 “It's sad I don't remember what Planet Disco was like, but they say if you remember Planet Disco, you weren't really there.” — Emily, 1 Day Since Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< In This Episode: I got out! Let’s talk about the procedure! I start off the episode talking about the day of the hysterectomy and how I prepared to go to the hospital the morning of. I’m so glad I bought big roomy sweats for recovery. They’ve been great! There was a lot of waiting, a lot of annoying prep stuff, a lot of medical professionals, including a med student from Yale, who I hope still remembers the sparkly-haired lady with Adenomyosis. The Adenomyosis book I refer to is Maria Yeager’s Growing up, going to a Christian school, the information about menstruation and reproduction was mixed, at best. That experience created a lot of needless shame, guilt, and embarrassment for years, which contributed to ongoing discomfort around doctors and medical staff. Luckily, pregnancy helped me overcome a lot of that and actually fosters my interest in the biological aspects. It’s so nice seeing medical professionals typing notes during exams when I’m talking about my condition and symptoms, rather than nodding along, brushing it off, or ignoring everything I saw. It wasn’t until I saw a medical professional who really listened that I felt seen, heard, and taken care of. Chronic People-Pleasers, I’m talking to you – I know how hard it can be to advocate for yourself, especially to dismissive professionals who act like they know everything. I truly hope you can find the strength to keep going, keep pushing, let you voice be heard <3 After the procedure, I’m in pain, but it’s a different kind of pain! I may even feel lighter, but I’m definitely taking it slow and easy. When I went under, I blasted off to Planet Disco! Warning: Coughing after a hysterectomy will feel like coughing after one of the most intense ab workouts! Holding a pillow against my abs helped. Guess what they found while I was under! “A little endo!” Actually, there was endometriosis in 3 spots that my doctor and another doctor were able to get out as much as they could. After the surgery, I was quickly escorted to the bathroom and was told to urinate, but not to strain or force it, which made me question if others usually do this and have to be told not to? Hmm. I don’t know why I expected my post-hysterectomy bleeding to be more like post-childbirth. I can’t emphasize enough !! how important it is to keep on top of your pain meds schedule. I know it really helped my pain to stick to my every 4 hours/ibuprofen/tylenol cycle. That said, I had to get off the oxycodone ASAP because it made me extra ornery, especially around touchy subjects. I know I’ll miss driving, but I can already tell this healing period will be worth it. One thing the pains meds don’t help with is the gas pain after. They fill you with air during the surgery, but it’s painful when it’s still inside your body afterwards. Especially around the shoulders, for some weird reason! I’m so glad I didn’t throw away my breastfeeding pillow because I ended up using it for support and for sleeping. Do your breathing :) I’m glad I did it! I’m glad my doctor listened to me and I got to go Planet Disco! Note from Future-Emily: I have a GP now! Don’t @ me :) Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/32559047

How I'm Feeling - Recovery Day 1 05/01/2025

How I'm Feeling - Recovery Day 1 “I'm glad I read that advice of having a pillow to hug to my body, and especially if you have to cough or laugh or anything that involves your stomach muscles, it's really good to have that pressure there when you're doing it. ” — Emily, 1 Day Since Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< In This Episode: I’m back! The surgery is over and I’m back to recording. And I’m ready to talk about it! So far I’ve had some trouble sleeping and spent the night processing the surgery and recovery pain and discomfort. I’m managing pain with a combination of ibuprofen and Tylenol every three hours. I also have Oxycodone, but both Mark and I discovered it causes mood changes like making me angry and snappy. I’m experiencing some trouble sleeping, but then again is that related to whatever “sleep” occurs during surgery? My focus is also all over the place. “All I have to do now is focus on recovery.” YES! I have a sore throat from the breathing tube used during surgery. But what surprised me (and what I’m glad I was warned about beforehand) was the discomfort due to the gas used during the procedure. It gets trapped in the weirdest locations, like in the shoulders! Movement and gas relief medicine (simethicone) seem to help. I’m also using deep breathing to help move the gas through my body. The abdominal pain is very similar to an intense ab workout like after using the ab roller wheel of the ‘90s. I’m glad my doctor warned me of this so I knew what to expect. I’ve found holding a pillow to my stomach while coughing or laughing helps relieve some of the pain and pressure. Mark this as the day I, a world-class podcast editor, intentionally left a burp in a show I worked on. Simply because in this particular episode, that burp is pure relief. If my breathing gets a little heavy, it’s because I’m currently taking one of my four daily 10-minute walks as advised by my doctor. Currently there’s some gas pain and hip discomfort, especially when sleeping. But I’ve found found using pillows to support me helps, as well as some heat. But I definitely don’t need to put the healing pad as high as I used to! Surprisingly, the incisions don’t really hurt! I’m actually surprised at what hurts and what doesn’t hurt so much. I’m trying hard not to overdo it on the physical activity, even though I feel like I could increase my walking pretty quickly. It’s also difficult to stay in bed all day so I’m glad I have the excuse for the frequent walks. It’s also nice that I already had my heating pads set up in locations around the house I frequently tend to hang out. My cats are adjusting to the changes in our routine. They know something’s up, especially the larger one who likes to jump up onto the sink with my help most days. But since he’s beyond the weight limit I’m supposed to lift, I haven’t been able to help him or even explain to him why I can’t. Poor Little Man! Comparing the post-surgery pain to “regular” Adenomyosis/Period pain, I would say it’s a few notches up but in a different way. Don’t worry. I’ll discuss plenty of my post-surgery reactions in the coming episodes! Take care :) Note from Future-Emily: No notes :) Just kidding! I’m so happy to be back editing Season 3, especially since this is the start of a fantastic recovery and when I started to feel like I was getting my life back after years of dealing with the pain and discomfort caused by Adenomyosis. Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/32559012

BONUS EPISODE: Season 3 is Finally Here! 04/30/2025

BONUS EPISODE: Season 3 is Finally Here! >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: I’m back! And Season 3 is coming your way :) Sorry for the LONG break between Season 2 and Season 3! Between travel and a death in the family, THNGO had to go on the back burner for a while. But not to worry, because I’m back and ready to roll out a new season where I take you with me during the first 2 weeks following my hysterectomy. Can’t wait to find out how it went? Check other bonus episodes from Seasons 1 and 2, since those were also recorded post-hysterectomy! Thank you to everyone who reached out during the break and who went to to get the Season 3 previews! YOU’RE the ones who make the podcast happen, I can’t emphasize that enough. I give some ways to contact the show because I know some of you have been leaving comments on my YouTube videos, but I don’t check YouTube very often. So I’d love if you’d email the show! And speaking of reaching out, if you’re living in America and paying attention to the attack on reproductive healthcare, now is the time to get involved and make your voice heard to your representatives :) What I went through would not have been possible without all the advancements made in the field as we know it. Advancements that weren’t even dreamed about decades ago. It would be a shame to go back now. Be sure to subscribe and follow to get Season 3 episodes every week! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Cleveland Clinic — NHS.uk — Hysterectomy Support & Stories — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/36377855

EVICTION DAY IS HERE! 08/03/2024

EVICTION DAY IS HERE! *NEW: Season 3, Episode 1 Preview Available (Pay What You Can!)* “I think I'm more worried about this not being the end of my pain and discomfort. That is something that I have to acknowledge, and that is there. But you know what? Most people, most professionals, me personally, the person in charge of this body, we all think this is a good idea, and we're going to go with that.” — Emily, UTERUS EVICTION DAY!!! >>> PREVIEW SEASON 3 & SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: Eeeeeeeeek! Today’s the day!!! I’m finding so many fun ways to distract myself from thinking about it, while simultaneously talking about how Adenomyosis has made my cats and I closer via our shared love of the heating pad. All the anxiety and overwhelm of everything has actually come together in a cacophony of white noise in my brain, which is eerily peaceful in this moment. One of the best things to wake up the day of surgery is the outpouring of support from friends. I woke up to a wonderful bunch of messages from friends. There’s always that fear that someone will need something while I’m in surgery or within the next few weeks, and I won’t be available. But, as far as I can tell, I’ve covered all my bases! Some people have an “Eviction Party” for the uterus, but I think my introverted and fed-up self just wanted to get it over and done with, sans pomp and circumstance. Still more fear of “what if this doesn’t work?” (Future-Emily here to let you know that fear didn’t leave me until the very last second, but I also just had to let go and hope for the best. I did everything I could.) LOL – Prepare to hear the voice of Mr. THNGO (new name pending, lol)! This is the first time he finds out I’m making a podcast about this whole experience! What a way to end the season! Note from Future-Emily: Seasons 3 & 4 (not-so) spoiler alert! Everything went great! Of course, I’m going to spoil that because I want you to get excited for Season 3 – and because this is real life, not some medical drama that needs to leave you with a cliffhanger at the end of the season. But I will be taking a break for a bit – I’ll be honest, editing this season was rough! I’m taking a few weeks off, but will be back soon! Make sure you’re following and subscribed to “That’s Hysterical! Now, Get Out!” wherever you’re listening to this so you’ll get updated when to expect new episodes! Take care! See you in Season 3! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 Link to from — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/32301482

The Night Before 07/27/2024

The Night Before “They're going to think I'm faking it. I have this feeling that I'm going to wake up and my uterus is going to be perfectly fine. It'll be like, This is a huge mistake. Huge mistake. What are you doing? I'm perfectly fine. It was maybe just a really bad gas bubble for five, six, seven years.” — Emily, 1(!) Day Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: It’s the night before the hysterectomy and I’m extra energetic, probably because of the stool softener. There’s so much I just don’t know with surgery. There’s no official book made specific to me called, “What to Expect When You’re Getting a Hysterectomy for Adenomyosis.” It’s funny to hear me talk about this as “time off” because it was major surgery that required plenty of rest for recovery. But it was also one of the first times in a long time I took off a significant amount of time from work for anything, really. Oh my goodness, the amount of gaslighting we do to ourselves with this condition! Yes, Emily, your uterus hurts a lot and often. It DOES require surgery! (Speaking as Future-Emily who’s so glad she/we did this, it’s not in your head!) No Tea Update: I had to hide the tea so I wouldn’t mindlessly start making it! I didn’t realize how much of a routine I got into of making tea every morning in the colder months. So for the last week, I’ve just been drinking hot water in a mug (I only like a few teas, and most of them are green tea-based). It’s funny to think that in 24 hours, I may be in pain, but it’ll be different pain and it definitely won’t be from my uterus. Eighty percent of me is paying attention to the present and the other 20 percent is worrying about worst-case scenarios — but in a Radical Acceptance kind of way, at least! Future-Emily here: I love listening to all the things I’m sad I couldn’t do for a few weeks, when just a few hours ago, I was bending over and twisting myself into a pretzel to paint my toe nails without thinking anything about surgery or recovery or pain and discomfort from my uterus. And all of a sudden, that little moment feels like a huge win for Future-Emily that I wish I could tell Past-Emily (the one recording this episode) that she’ll be doing sooner than she thinks! Note from Future-Emily: It’s SO funny I mentioned this being like the night before a vacation because, as I’m writing this, we’re currently in the last stages of vacation planning, and all these rushed, last-minute feelings are eerily familiar! I was JUST telling my husband last night that I haven’t been this chaotically productive since prepping for my Hysterectomy, and then I go to edit this episode and I practically say the exact same thing! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook Link to from — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/32301417

BONUS EPISODE: Weight Gain After Hysterectomy, Wrapping Up S2, Plus S3 Coming Soon! 07/20/2024

Intentionally Focusing on Happiness 07/20/2024

Intentionally Focusing on Happiness “I am the Emily. I speak for the uteruses. I have to cut out my uterus, but it's only to get rid of the adenomyosis that is attacking it. Sometimes these things hit all at once. I realize I'm really happy to be recording a podcast and talking to others who understand this, who probably have these same frustrations and perhaps for the first time is hearing somebody say them out loud.” — Emily, 1(!) Day Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: I’m recording this after watching virtual church. I identify as “Agnostic AF” and found the Unitarian Universalist church after Googling “church for agnostics.” It’s become almost like a weekly philosophy and music club for me, and it’s nice to have a supportive community like that. I definitely needed this morning of self-care and watching a positive service reminding me to look for happiness. If you’re prepping for your hysterectomy, I hope you’re able to take some time for yourself, as well. Mentally collecting things that make “a lovely day” is one of my ways of creating that happiness on a regular basis. I’m not able to take my daily allergy pill and, considering the ebbs and flows of viruses, I’m constantly worrying I’m getting sick right before surgery. Book mentioned: about Intermittent Fasting Despite the business, I’m also trying to appreciate the gifts I’ve enjoyed, like my husband looking forward to cooking more while I’m recovering. I’d like to give an extra shout-out to “The Bear” for inspiring his latest joy of cooking phase. No spoilers, but I talk a bit about the Season 2 episode “Forks” and it’s probably one of my favorite episodes of television now. Note from Future-Emily: It’s 7 months since the hysterectomy and I’m still trying to find ways to practice gratitude on a daily basis, lately, it’s been journaling by hand again and making gratitude notes one of the first things I write about every day. Also, check out this week’s Bonus Episode to hear more about my experience with my hysterectomy and weight gain. Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/32223787

The Airing of Fears and Anxieties 07/13/2024

The Airing of Fears and Anxieties “I was in bed, just writing my list, and I was just listing all the things that I loved about that moment. And it was all simple things that didn't cost anything. And it made my morning really nice, and it really did set me up for a good day.” — Emily, 2 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< In This Episode: I recorded this episode on my way to bed, which you can tell by the sleepy voice. The room was dark and it was just me, my phone, and my fears. I thought it was important to make an episode when my anxiety was at its worst: late at night. This is when the world’s quiet and dark and it’s easier to go inward and focus on those fears and anxieties. This may have been the last day wearing “hard pants” for a while! In the next few weeks, my wardrobe will most likely consist of sweatpants, nightgowns, and maybe leggings. I’m hoping going into surgery will be the mental reset I’ve been craving. To be able to shut off my brain for a while. It’s been weird being off my usual vitamins and supplements, including my allergy pill, which I’m only now finding out I rely on frequently. This may be the ONLY sniffle this podcast editor has intentionally left in! As a general rule for podcast editing, I remove mouth noises, coughs, sneezes, etc. BUT because I mentioned I wasn’t allowed to take my usual allergy meds before surgery, I felt leaving in the sniffle and the explanation that follows. I am allowed (and prescribed) stool softeners, which I got the tip to start taking a few days before the surgery so it can start to work its magic well before it’s needed. There are a lot of doubts and fears about surgery and the outcome swirling in my head at the moment, so thanks for coming along for the ride aboard the Hot Mess Express. (Choo Choo!) I’m also worried about the long-term effects of Adenomyosis and letting it get as bad as it did for as long as I did. But there are a lot of things I’m grateful for and ways to look at this condition and how it’s affected me. It’s a heartbreaking condition and there are worse stories than the one you’re currently hearing, for sure. There are also great success stories I’m still clinging to :) As much as I’m doubtful and scared, there’s another part of me that’s excited and hopeful that I’d also like to acknowledge. Podcast Mentioned: I’m looking forward to the next few days when I’ll be taking a break from work-work-work and doing a chocolate-making class with some friends. Note from Future-Emily: There’s a spot where I mention “I haven’t seen a general practitioner in a while,” and I wanted to let you all know I made that appointment this week, actually :) Yeah, yeah, it’s months (years!) overdue, and yes, you’d think I would have learned from ::gestures broadly:: this entire podcast how important it is to make doctor’s appointments when I need to make them, but hey, those phone calls are tough! But I did it :) If you’re reading this and like me, please take this as your sign to make that call (or at least take one tiny step toward making that call, like visiting the website for info or even planning when to call and putting it on your calendar. Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/32119377

6 Things That Made Today a Lovely Day 07/06/2024

6 Things That Made Today a Lovely Day “If I can finish everything up, tie up all the loose ends, and in a few days, I can check off the final thing on my to-do list and go into that operation content with how I spent my time feeling good and refreshed because I didn't burn myself out and fulfilled in a way where no matter what happens in the operation, I will feel like I did the best I could.” — Emily, 3 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< In This Episode: I’ve noticed the last few episodes have been pretty dreary, depressing, and full of venting. Though it’s nice to have this creative space to do that, I realized it would be a good idea to try to balance that out. After all, for as much as I have to complain about, I have a lot to be grateful for. I recorded this episode on a whim and it ended up being one of my favorites of the season :) If you’re reading this, I invite you to pick a random number you see and come up with that many things you’re grateful for or that made today even a smidge bit more lovely for you. Getting your hysterectomy soon? I recommend having little moments of “what am I grateful for? What am I looking forward to?” I mentioned finding out about the cost of the operation and you can check out that episode here: Anyone else grow up watching the movie “Jungle 2 Jungle” and have a complicated relationship with the word “obligation”? Just me? Okie dokie! Another episode, another realization, another chance to say, “And Also This” in an attempt at Radical Acceptance. Note from Future-Emily: There’s a part toward the end of this podcast where I think about what my Future Self would say while listening to Past Emily freaking out as much as I seem to do while recording these episodes, but as I write this (seven months post-op), I’ve grown to have so much compassion and sympathy for Pre-Op Emily. The anxiety is nothing to downplay or call “over-reacting” because this surgery is/was a pretty big deal. Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/32025277

Once Again Out of Sh-ts to Give 06/29/2024

Once Again Out of Sh-ts to Give “I wish I could just put a big sign on me that says, ‘I'm three days away from a hysterectomy. I don't give a shi-t. I really f-king don't.’ Or ‘I'm three days away from surgery. My default answer is no parentheses, how f-king dare you?’” — Emily, 3 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< In This Episode: Hooooo-boy. This episode is seriously showcasing me at my wit’s end, as far as anxiety goes. As the episode title implies, my capacity for people trying to push my boundaries a few days before my surgery is at its limit. The struggle of wanting to be in Mom Mode as much as possible before surgery, but also wanting to make sure I get all my work done so I can maybe pay off some of the medical bills that I now know are coming my way. The stress level must is astronomical because despite all the anxiety over surgery, there’s a part of me that’s looking forward to a nice 5+ hour nap where no one will be asking me things, lol. By the way, this pre-surgery anxiety was expected and by MamaO2D4 I referred to in this episode. This really helped me and described exactly what I was going through in this episode. If this podcast were a Starbuck’s order, it would be a VENT-Y because this episode is kind of an anxiety rant and venting session. Believe it or not, a lot was edited out. Shout-out to Tom from MySpace and the songs of Plain White T’s that aren’t “Hey There, Delilah.” My relationship advice is to find someone who looks at you and knows when you need to go for a drive or the store, just to dilly dally. Isn’t it funny how one of my favorite places to go to unwind is the casino, even though I don’t care about gambling or drinking or partying? I just love people watching and the lights and buzzes and super mall feel to it. I’m also getting in one of the last drives before I won’t be able to drive for a few weeks following surgery in this episode. Note from Future-Emily: Only a few more episodes of the season to go and this might be the worst of it. As I’m writing this, I’m about 7 months out of surgery and can rightly classify this episode as Peak Anxiety. The more I have to re-listen to these episodes as I edit them and write the show notes, the more I want to go back and tell that Anxious Emily to breathe and take it easy (which is easier said than done, and, honestly, I doubt I would have listened). Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/31925187

Walkie-Walk Around the Blockie-Block to Get Over the Shocky-Shock of the Cost of the Oppy-Op 06/22/2024

Walkie-Walk Around the Blockie-Block to Get Over the Shocky-Shock of the Cost of the Oppy-Op “It's not like I wasn't expecting the bill. … We were expecting some extra debt. The number didn't throw us off completely, but it is quite a big number.” — Emily, 4 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW (and the some of the cost of the Oppy-Op, lol) <<< In This Episode: I got the estimated bill for the hysterectomy today and, hoooooo! That’s quite a number! Learn what an HSA (Health Savings Account) is and how it works: Check out , a personal finance podcast I’ve learned so much from over the years! Apologies for some of the heavy breathing during this episode. As I said, this was recorded while walking. Somehow the shock of the bill kind of sends me into a bit of a spiral over the past few years. Just a short one. Luckily, I pull myself out of it. Even though I don’t give the exact number in this episode, it was estimated to be a little more than $4,000 not covered by insurance. And that was JUST for the surgery. That didn’t include scans or any aftercare. Note from Future-Emily: To be honest, the bills didn’t stop after that one. But that was one of the biggest. There were some extra bills for scans and tests. Much (but certainly not all) of it ended up being covered by insurance. We ended up going on a payment plan for the surgery. As much as the debt sucks, I don’t regret the hysterectomy one bit. My husband and I both agreed not having the pain and frustration from Adenomyosis and my painful uterus is priceless (even if it’s still an expensive version of priceless). Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW (and the some of the cost of the Oppy-Op, lol) <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/31833327

Embracing Finals — or Hell-Week 06/15/2024

My Next Word of the Year: Gifts 06/08/2024

My Next Word of the Year: Gifts “When I'm singing, that is when I feel the most free. Not even when I'm on stage, just when I'm singing. I could be singing in the car and I could be belting at the top of my lungs something that I know. Or if I'm in choir and I'm singing something that we've practiced over and over again and I know the parts where we get loud and the parts where the choir director is going to quiet us down. I get to hit all my notes and I nail it. I love it. It's one of those things that takes me out of my body so that the adenomyosis doesn't still affect me.” — Emily, 5 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< In This Episode: I just finished my last choir rehearsal before surgery and I’m slightly optimistic I’ll recover enough to sing in the holiday concert in about a month and a half. Adding more to the Lovely Day List: Hearing my kids’ voices and any day I get to sing. One of the main reasons I got into podcasting almost 9(!) years ago was to fill the time when my oldest kid was with their other parent. It’s funny how that little hobby became a hyperfocus and now my job. Add having a hyperfocus to my Lovely Day List! I’ve also been playing with the word “gifts” in my head lately and thinking about gifts that are natural to us, like talents we’ve been lucky enough to have. For me it’s music, singing, writing, creating, ideation, problem-solving, and so many more that sometimes I forget about when I’m only focusing on what’s missing or wrong with my life. Making the connection between singing and using my diaphragm vs. the TENS machine and how that stimulation to that area seems to help with the pain of Adenomyosis. By the way, for those looking to ease the pain of Adenomyosis, I liked the TENS machine until the wires and sticky pads just became so much of a hassle, I only used it when I knew I’d be stationary for a while. Sometimes it was a bit shocking to use it and that turned me off. Even though I don’t need an official “T-Break” (see previous episodes), I’ve been cutting back on my THC/CBD use before surgery and trying to practice more “Radical Acceptance.” Currently feeling ovulation pain for hopefully one of the last times! It’s instances like this when thepain is so apparent that makes it difficult to picture a time when that won’t be the case anymore. Is it ovulation pain or is it gas? Or both? (Most likely both, uuuuuuugh!) Going to take this moment to shout out my favorite queer-owned, plus-size-friendly thrift shop where I got my purple sparkly star shirt called in New Haven, Connecticut, USA! Want a podcast that reminds you to put yourself on your own list? Check out with Coach Carolyn. ( | ) OH! And she has an episode all about the health benefits of singing, if you want to . What gifts do you naturally possess? If this episode leaves you with one thing to think about until next time, I hope it’s asking yourself that question and looking for those answers as you go about your days. Is it weird we have no idea how much this hysterectomy will cost and how much our insurance with cover? Or is it just a USA thing? By the way, reframing things and gamifying things to make them more interesting is one of my favorite ADHD traits. It’s one of our survival skills (and another gift!). Sorry for the quick ending! Pretty sure a kid or adult in my house walked in on me “talking to myself” on my podcast, haha! Note from Future-Emily: LOL, as I’m editing and writing the show notes for this episode and listening to myself talk about how I always have a song in my head, I’m actually listening to a song on repeat that’s been in my head the last few days. If you need an ‘80s banger to get you going, might I suggest “Something About You” by Level 42? If you listen to adult contemporary radio, you know it. It’s probably playing in your local grocery store right now, because we all know they play the best forgotten hits. (Translation: I love ‘80s music.) Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. CLICK HERE FOR THE TRANSCRIPT ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/31674442

Ovulation Woes 06/01/2024

Ovulation Woes “I've had to explain [Adenomyosis] so often and in an “elevator pitch” way so that people don't just discount it as, “Oh, mystery illness.” It's like, No, this is a uterine condition. It causes these things. This we know. And if you've never heard of it before, now you did. So we can stop saying, “Well, we're not going to research it because no one's ever heard of it.” Well, guess what? That's what I'm doing. I'm talking about it.” ” — Emily, 5 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< In This Episode: It’s the last ovulation before Uterus Eviction Day! There will still be ovulation afterwards, if my ovaries are kept, but hopefully not as much pain as I’m currently feeling! Official (not at all) term for my procedure: Hysterectomy, hold the eggs? There’s a possibility of Endometriosis being found (spoiler below!) Once again I am asking, How did I get used to ALL THIS PAIN, ALL THE TIME?! Is it weird I get sympathy fatigue? Like, I just want to exist and be in pain without others feeling uncomfortable for me. Yes, I know I’m wincing. It’s fine. Just keep talking, I’m listening. There’s some real and honest sex talk in this episode: How orgasms (or Vitamin O) sometimes help my cramps, and how I’m not looking forward to going without (penetrative) sex for 8 weeks during recovery (but I get it) (how many parentheses can I fit into these show notes and episode?). I had a friend tell me that once you turn 40, you stop giving a F*ck. I turned 40 this year and I can say for certainty “The Change” has begun, in that sense. I may look stressed when brainstorming, but I love it. Give me a yellow notepad and I am stoked! To prioritize my tasks, I like using the — categorizing what’s Urgent/Important; Urgent/Not Important; Not Urgent/Important; and Not Urgent/Not Important. I’ve had to push the deadline of my book back multiple times because of my Adenomyosis, and the guilt and frustration are apparent. I used to use writing and researching as a distraction from the pain and something I could do in bed with the heating pad, but I’ve found it harder and harder to concentrate as the pain’s gotten worse. (There are other factors at play, but the Adeno definitely doesn’t help.) Thinking of Adenomyosis and my daily “budget” of time, energy, motivation, and spoons, and making a connection between the “Snowball” debt-paydown method and what the hysterectomy means for me in terms of that budget! Two podcasts I reference in this podcast: and . Check ‘em out! I’m holding on to the idea that our bodies are designed to heal. That’s helping me when it comes to thinking about recovery soon. My future in the podcasting space comes up a bit in this episode, and it’s something I’m actually struggling with during the series. At one point, I considered this to be the last podcast I wanted to ever work on. We shall see. Note from Future-Emily: Yup, Endo was found. And even though most of my pain is gone, there’s still some remaining, either leftover from surgery (I’m about 9 weeks out as I write this) or it’s the Endometriosis they were unable to see or extract. But! The vast majority of the pain and discomfort is GONE! :-) Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/31559757

Morning Has Broken Me 05/25/2024

Morning Has Broken Me “If I stay up late, there's a good chance my adenomyosis is going to flare up. It does not like staying up late. And it will let me know it's time to go to bed. It will cramp up to the point of nausea. Either that or I sleep through it every night and it's just something that happens. But I don't know. I don't know. I can't explain my body or Adenomyosis.” — Emily, 5 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: I’m currently dealing with some pain flares from Adenomyosis, which is exacerbated if I stay up late I’m discovering. I’ve replaced all my “shoulds” with the word “behooves” and it’s just the reframe I needed to actually enact some of those healthier habits that make me feel better, like going to bed at a reasonable hour. Shout-out to with Katy Weber. This podcast (plus my therapist) has helped me really keep a handle on my ADHD brain through this whole process of preparing for my hysterectomy. Adenomyosis really has to cause havoc and make it every other organ’s problem, doesn’t it? It’s not enough it’s affecting my uterus, fallopean tubes, and cervix, but now it’s causing an upset stomach? I can’t win with this BS. Adding to the list of things that make today a lovely day: Singing! Choir days! Learning new music and practicing to get better :-) I’m enjoying looking at the next few days before surgery kind of like Finals week in college where I can get my head into gear to get everything done I need to do before the semester is over. And it makes me think I should try to push myself like this more often (but I know it’s not sustainable). It’s also nice finally putting the focus on my health and what I need at the moment. I even got myself in a peppier mood by the end of the episode and revved myself up for another day getting stuff done! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/31013358

BONUS EPISODE: More Spoilers, Listener Feedback, and Info on Seasons 2 and 3 05/18/2024

BONUS EPISODE: More Spoilers, Listener Feedback, and Info on Seasons 2 and 3 “You'll hear me in later episodes get bitter and jaded a bit about podcasting and the podcasting space. But these messages, this feedback, hearing from listeners, hearing from people who are finding the podcast and who are finding the podcast helpful, that, that is what keeps me coming back to the microphone over and over again, creating podcasts, wanting to help people create podcasts. This is why I did this. This is why I wanted to tell my story.” — Emily, 6 Months AFTER Eviction Day ** Want to reach out and send feedback? Email ThatsHystericalPodcast(@)gmail.com or on Instagram** In This Episode: Welcome to this bonus episode! Recorded 6 months since my hysterectomy and (spoiler alert, if it wasn’t already obvious) I consider it a major success! Sharing some listener feedback and answering listener questions. Questions answered: What did I have removed? Did I have to quit using pot a week before the surgery? Ah! So you’re checking the show notes to see what happens to an egg after ovulation? Here you go: “If your ovaries are left in place after your hysterectomy, they’ll continue to function as usual. This means they’ll continue to release hormones and eggs, although you might have a slight decrease in hormone production. In most cases, when your ovary releases an egg every month, the egg will go into your abdomen and eventually disappear.” (source: ) No matter how many times I think I’m on top of my ADHD, a little detail pops up that I’ve missed to remind me “Nope! I’m always going to be your brain’s operating system, babe!” Please know, as a podcaster and creator, your feedback letting me know how much this podcast means to you and how it’s helpful is so motivating. It lets me and other listeners know we’re not alone. This pain isn’t “normal” or “just a bad period,” as many of us have been told countless times by medical professionals. One of the reasons I haven’t been as active on social media or promoting this podcast is because I have to work on it in chunks at a time and then take long breaks in between where I don’t want to dwell on that space I was in during Seasons 1 and 2. This is another reason why I’m so grateful when others talk about the podcast and share it with friends and others going through painful periods and hysterectomies. Did you know that many episodes include Thoughts from Future-Emily from after I’ve had the hysterectomy? Make sure you’re checking the show notes (which is weird to write in these show notes because, well, here you are!) The number of tangents I go off on, lol. But I promise I keep them relevant! If you were to have a drinking game (water perhaps?) for this episode, it would be the number of times I awkwardly laugh and say, “anyway …” One of those tangents happens to be listing a few mistakes I made right after the hysterectomy I regret, so of course I kept it in! Find out when Season 3 is expected! Past Episodes Mentioned: Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/31357007

The Distractions — Good and Bad 05/18/2024

The Distractions — Good and Bad “That's one of those fears I'm fighting with is, Well, is the pain going to be worse? Will it get better? Will it get better? The other thing is, Is my gas just painful? Am I just not going to the right doctor? Oh, all the questions and the doubts and everything.” — Emily, 5 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: It’s the end of a day during ovulation and I (Emily) feel like a truck hit me, and I’m dragging around this now-18-pound bowling ball between my hips. The pain gets worse as the day goes on. It might almost be worse pain during ovulation than during my period. I’m trying to get my work done and it’s already hard enough fighting with my ADHD, let alone dealing with awful cramps and bloating. And I feel like the pain and discomfort adds fuel to the ADHD fire sometimes, too. Another thing that happens at the end of the day when I’m like this is I contort myself to sit comfortably and find a position that helps me get the blood flowing or put pressure on my uterus. This has been a regular occurrence for the last three years, but I don’t think I should have normalized it as much as I did. I have some fears about the pain following surgery — if you look below at the “Note from Future-Emily,” you’ll see how that turned out ;-) Despite my introversion and the fact that parties with lots of people tend to drain me, I still want to attend and not have something like wanting to sit like a newborn giraffe all the time to get some relief from Adenomyosis (and Endometriosis). My enjoyment of going to the casino just to walk around and people-watch is the same excitement I get about the mall when I don’t have any other particular reason for going. It’s been a wonderful practice over the last few weeks and months of hysterectomy prep and recovery to mindfully pinpoint those instances of “Lovely Day” makers — those things that don’t cost a lot or anything, but that fill me with joy. Before I knew it wasn’t “normal” to be in pain as often as I was, I used to love being a passenger in my best friend’s car while we’d drive around. She had heated seats and the car rides would relieve some of the cramps, pain, and discomfort. The car heating pad I have: (affiliate link) Thanks for this parasocial relationship! Hope you’re taking “me” along on your road trips! Note from Future-Emily: The song currently in my head: Supermassive Black Hole by Muse. Also, no I am NOT listening back and thinking my recovery pain is “so much worse,” like I worried I would! LOL Oh no, the pain I had when recording this episode is, thankfully, a fleeting memory! :-) Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/31013258

Focusing on a Lovely Day 05/11/2024

Focusing on a Lovely Day “I think I'm going to make the list of those things that I would do every single day if I could. Those things that I wouldn't get sick of that would always bring me joy. The things that if I were told I wasn't able to do them anymore, I would be heartbroken.” — Emily, 6 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: Less than a week before surgery and I’m trying to focus on the things that make it a Lovely Day. Podcast mentioned: If you’re reading this, what are some of the things that make a Lovely Day” for you? Something you do that doesn’t necessarily take a lot or any money, that brings you joy? For me it’s spending time with my family, driving, snuggling with my cats, sleeping late and not having an alarm clock, couch naps, and delicious food (that I don’t have to cook!), my yoga (which I’ll miss when I’m in recovery). I’m worried that all the things I *think* are made worse because of Adenomyosis aren’t actually going to get better after surgery, like my sensitivity to hot and cold. All those doubts and anxieties pre-surgery are coming up this week, as expected. Once again, I’m wondering why I got to the end of recording my podcast and my uterus is still hurting, even though I feel like I’ve given it plenty of attention for the day! (But that’s not how things work.) Note from Future-Emily: I’m writing this about 6 weeks post-hysterectomy and I’m just now realizing that I haven’t had to do the thing where I need one alarm clock so I can turn on my heating pad to take away enough pain so I can get out of bed when my second alarm goes off. Wow! Such a difference a hysterectomy makes! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/31013203

My T-Break Becomes a Tea Break - A Surprising Turn of Events 05/04/2024

My T-Break Becomes a Tea Break - A Surprising Turn of Events “As soon as you say surgery, out come the concerned faces. I don't want people to be concerned for me. I'm relatively excited about this! It's fun to give them that alleviation of, ‘No, no, no, this is a good thing!’” — Emily, 7 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: Got a call from the anesthesia department and found out some great information, when it comes to managing my pain before surgery and what I can have! And also found out some surprising information about something I can’t have (green tea! WHAT?!) The trouble of trying to fall asleep with the pain from Adeno/Endo is just awful. Once again, do not take your health and medical advice directly from a podcast. (I feel like I can’t say this enough.) I talk a bit about intermittent fasting, intuitive eating, and deconstructing from diet culture. was the podcast I was a part of where I shared my weight-loss journey. In real life, I try to make people laugh along with me when talking about my upcoming hysterectomy because seeing their discomfort is nearly as uncomfortable as my own pain and discomfort. Note from Future-Emily: RE: Intermittent Fasting. Since the surgery, I’ve leaned more into Intuitive Eating and getting better at listening to my body’s hunger signals and it’s been a wonderful journey so far. I decided on December 31 of last year that I didn’t want to check my weight on the scale at home anymore, so the only time I’d know my exact weight this year would be during doctor's visits if I choose. I’m basing my eating habits more on how I feel and how my clothes fit (because I’m cheap and don’t want to buy all new clothes if I go up or down sizes, yet again) and four months in, I can say it’s the BEST “diet”/”lifestyle”/”weight maintaining routine”/whatever you want to call it for me! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/31013128

Taking a T-Break And I Already Miss It 04/27/2024

Taking a T-Break And I Already Miss It “I love you, normies. I try so hard to fit into the world that you have created, but alas, we need accommodations and hysterectomies. Accommodations and hysterectomies.” — Emily, 7 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: I'm taking a THC break before surgery, and it is not going well already. Cannabis has made living with Adenomyosis much more manageable for the last few years, and without it, I have very little I can do for pain and discomfort :-( Note: Where I’m recording from, cannabis is legal for both medical and adult use. Getting ready for my therapy appointment and being grateful to have found a marriage and family therapist (LMFT) who specializes in ADHD in adult women. Speaking of ADHD, my train of thought for this episode is quite difficult to keep track of! I mentioned why I use the term “cannabis” rather than “marijuana” because of racial undertones. Learn more: Sorry for turning this into the “Emily Can’t Have Pot-cast” Find out the reason I didn’t do anything with the Adenomyosis podcast idea I had about two years ago. Calling the week before my surgery “Hell Week,” like I’m in a theater production again. Note from Future-Emily: LOL, knowing what I know about the next episode,I had a smirk on my face the entire time while editing and re-listening. You’ll find out why soon enough! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories and Radical Acceptance — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/30151383

Stoicism, Self-Care Sunday, and SOCKS! 04/20/2024

Stoicism, Self-Care Sunday, and SOCKS! “Oh, my gosh, these are so amazing. These make my legs and my thighs feel completely different. Wow. Is this what it's like when there's blood circulating? It was like I found another tool for adenomyosis. I even had that quick thought in my head of, did I just need compression socks this whole time?” — Emily, 8 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: Celebrating my usual Self-Care Sunday and happy to have one coming up before my surgery It’s so odd to be getting used to the pre-surgery anxiety and almost expecting it now. Today in church, we talked about Stoicism and that’s on my mind as I recorded this episode, Learn more about Stoicism and . Shout-out to who opened me up to Stoicism I’m hoping to really be able to tap into these Stoicism and Radical Acceptance lessons for my upcoming “T”-Break (T” as in, “Tetrahydrocannabinol” or “THC”) A little about how cannabis/CBD/THC helps the pain and discomfort from Adenomyosis and Endometriosis I got some compression socks after reading they would help immediately before and during recovery and I am loving them! Change is scary. But exciting. Having a supportive community to talk openly with has been incredibly helpful. I’m beginning to notice and plan for the things I won’t be able to do once I’m in recovery mode, like yoga, choir, driving, even bending over! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 and Radical Acceptance — Hysterectomy Support & Stories — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/30149488

A Lovely Day with Bluey’s Big Play 04/13/2024

A Lovely Day with Bluey’s Big Play “My husband and I are at this point of, Hey, we know that the next few weeks are going to be shitty. Let's have a really good ‘f--- it all’ day. In ‘Parks and Rec’-speak, it would be a ‘Treat Yo' Self’ day.” — Emily, 9 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: The family went to Bluey’s Big Play today (it was adorable, we all cried) and while not every day can be like this, there are still so many wonderful days to have as a family. Podcast mentioned: Don’t mind the background noise — I’m grateful to have recorded a very sweet moment of my husband and youngest son’s laughter, as part of my “Perfect Day” (though I try to steer clear of the word “perfect”) Wouldn’t we all benefit from Bluey’s Mum explaining menstruation to us all? This mom, on the other hand, took an edible and her to enjoy the day, despite her uterine pain (which hopefully will soon be long gone!) I love that my husband’s been on his own ADHD/neurodivergent journey discovering all the memes explaining why our brains work the way they do. It helps explain why we can’t just linearly tell a story and it seems to bounce from one thing to the next. I promise it’s all connected in our brains. This was kind of a “Treat Yo’ Self” Family Day for us, and it was nice to have one of the last few family outings before surgery and an unknown recovery time. Note from Future-Emily: There’s a line from a Jason Mraz song that goes, “May the best of your todays be the worst of your tomorrows” that comes to mind when I’m editing and re-listening to these episodes after the hysterectomy and feeling so, so, so much better physically and mentally. The joy of seeing my family happy isn’t distracting me from the pain — I get to enjoy it pain-free! YAY! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — Hysterectomy Support & Stories — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. CLICK HERE FOR THE TRANSCRIPT ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/30060558

Calculating the Spoons Needed for Mom Mode 04/06/2024

Calculating the Spoons Needed for Mom Mode “If I'm moving, I'll stay warm. But also if I'm moving, I might not notice as much pain as I'm in until I sit down and then I realize, Oh, my gosh, I can't move for the rest of the day. I've used up all my spoons.” — Emily, 11 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: We’re at the podcasting at the playground today and thinking about how even a trip to the playground takes planning and energy rationing when it comes to dealing with unpredictable pain. It’s funny how I didn’t realize how much Adenomyosis snuck up on me over the years until I’m exhausted and can barely get out of the car in the middle of the day and realize “this isn’t normal…” Have you heard of the ? Coined by blogger Christine Miserandino, it’s a metaphor to describe the amount of finite energy someone with chronic pain and illness has for the day and how we have to ration our “spoons.” Some activities use more “spoons” than others. Adenomyosis has me in this Goldilocks prison of being in pain when it’s “too hot” and “too cold,” and maybe *just maybe!* it won’t be so bad when it’s “just right.” (Maybe) I swear, I’m not in a bad mood — that’s just my face: An RBF Memoir. One day, maybe I won’t drive 35 minutes to a playground just so I can comfortably sit in the car. Note from Future-Emily: At the end of the episode, I had to cut it short because my son had fallen and was upset. He’s totally fine and nothing was seriously hurt that day, don’t worry ;-) Also, not to spoil Seasons 3 and 4 too much, BUT the difference between my energy on the day I recorded this and after surgery is unbelievable! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/30060483

The Big Cleaning Energy That Comes After My Period 03/30/2024

The Big Cleaning Energy That Comes After My Period “I think I'm feeling good. I'm still a little nervous. I can't shake the nerves. And you know what? I think I need to radically accept that those nerves and that anxiety is going to be with me. It's probably not going to get easier as we get closer to surgery. I keep thinking I'll get used to the idea. Give me some time to get used to the idea. And then I'm like, Okay, I'm used to the idea. Wait, it's eleven days. Oh, I have so much more to do. And then I'm not used to the idea anymore.” — Emily, 11 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: Have you heard of Procrasti-Cleaning? Oh, it’s great. I use cleaning as a way to procrastinate doing the more urgent, important things. I love the instant gratification, even though it might not be exactly what I need to be doing in the moment. Oops! Tip for cleaning showers: Use a Swiffer mop thing to reach the high areas ;-) NOTE: I use the term “Walking Pad” to refer to a walking treadmill. is the official brand name, just FYI. I ended up getting a , which I love. Does anyone else remember the show “How Clean Is Your House?” I loved that show, and I always picture Kim and Aggie as my Sassy Godmothers of Cleaning. It’s hard to find the show now, but contains many great tips and DIY household cleaners. There’s this weird duality of “I have to wait 11 days?” and also “Ugh, 11 days isn’t enough time for everything I need to do!” Someone help me with this portmanteau: Procrasti-casting? Pod-crastinating? LOL Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/30060418

Procrasti-Cleaning to Delay Doing the Other Important Stuff 03/23/2024

Procrasti-Cleaning to Delay Doing the Other Important Stuff “Currently, the countdown is twelve days. Twelve days. So it's getting more real and time is going both very slowly and faster than I would like it to go as far as my to-do list.” — Emily, 12 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: The art of procrastinating one thing with another — I have it mastered. Speaking as someone who edits dialogue and removes the word “just” a lot, it’s not “just” Adenomyosis, it’s not “just” a painful period, it’s not “just” Endometriosis … etc. You are not “just” anything - you are a skilled individual with great things to offer the world. Balancing trying to get all my work done with unexpected illness in the house, on top of hysterectomy prep — it’s a lot! A reminder (to both you and me) to give yourself grace and lovingkindness, as Tara Brach would suggest. Trying to juggle with tons of balls in the air and avoiding my email so that I don’t have to take on any more balls. Making a plan to produce and release this podcast while in recovery (see below!) I started buying some post-hysterectomy clothes — oversized underwear, dresses so I can avoid waistbands on my incisions, oversized sweatpants, and nightgowns. Making plans for my choir’s concert I have 4 weeks following the surgery — will I be able to sing? Maybe I’ll sit for the performance? We’ll see. Worrying about some of the stuff I won’t be able to do post-surgery that I do for my mental health currently — yoga, driving, choir rehearsals. My cat, Little Man, makes an appearance a few times in this episode. I edited most of it out, but some of my commentary ended up staying — enjoy the blooper at the end! Note from Future-Emily: LOL! I love hearing myself getting excited about the beginning stages of building out a new podcast idea. Now that I’m in the thick of releasing episodes and getting ready for the next season, it’s so much fun to revisit when all of this is brand new. And I also love that I was slowly building little bits and pieces for me to come back to following recovery to be able to tell this story :-) It’s nice to fall in love with podcasting again as a creative space to play around in. Oh! And I ended up finally writing that email and, as I suspected, it took about 1/3rd of the time to write as it did to record this episode ::facepalm:: Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. CLICK HERE FOR THE TRANSCRIPT ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/30060343

Cutting Back on Cannabis — It’s Not Going Well 03/16/2024

Cutting Back on Cannabis — It’s Not Going Well “I keep thinking if I didn't have to deal with this stupid pain in my uterus right now, I could deal with everything else. And maybe that's not true. Maybe that's just the excuse I'm telling myself. But everything is a lot more irritating when I feel like I have a 15-pound rock in between my hips, pushing out, making me feel pregnant.” — Emily, 13 Days Until Uterus Eviction Day >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** In This Episode: A love letter to Cannabis (legal for adult use in the state I’m in), which has been one of the best pain management tools for period and ovulation pain I’ve found NOTE: As of the recording of this, I was under the impression that I had to give up THC/CBD up to a week before my surgery so a lot of my stress was wondering how I was going to deal with pain and anxiety without it. My personal experience comparing CBD to Xanax The importance of reminding myself I am not my pain and I am not my uterus. Are my supplements a placebo? Maybe, but that doesn’t stop me from noticing a difference when I stop taking them. Planning for a T-Break is somewhat hard to think about, even for someone who successfully quit cigarettes after being a 10-year smoker During these last few weeks, I was already cutting back on my cannabis consumption and it was taking a toll on my mood (if you couldn't already tell) There’s a point where I imitate exactly how my anxiety sounds with its intrusive thoughts that even I scared myself a little when I heard it back This is dedicated to all those who also watched the show “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant” and now think every pain or period abnormality is a surprise pregnancy at least once a month Let’s hope a good night’s sleep is just the ticket for a better mood the next day (and next episode). Note from Future-Emily: Oh, Past-Emily :-) this might be one of the funniest weeks leading up to surgery because you’re going to get a very nice surprise in a few days, I promise. That said, I’m already listening back to this episode and glad I’m able to cut back now that the surgery is over! Additional Links and Resources: Links not working in your podcast player app? Visit ThatsHystericalPodcast.com — Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic - Book by Maria Yeager — Facebook — MamaO2D4 — PubMed — PubMed Disclaimer: This podcast is based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Resources are provided for you to look into further and talk with your medical support team about. ** Follow on Instagram for Show Updates and News ** ** ** >>> SUPPORT THE SHOW <<< ** Stay in the loop with our latest episodes, upcoming topics, and exciting announcements — ** /episode/index/show/5d25f510-2507-4a85-8fda-78a296e89062/id/30060283

That's Hysterical! Now, Get Out! | My Adenomyosis, Hysterectomy and Recovery Journey

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