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32 Comments

  1. Ingrid Schmidt
    February 17, 2023 @ 12:04 pm

    Good luck with your surgery Gerda! I look forward to reading many more postings from your blog which I find simply marvelous. You bring me to places I’ve never been… the artwork you select is so enchanting and your musings are delightful.

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:02 pm

      My dear Ingrid, Thanksso much for your kind comment on my post. I am grateful that you enjoy the information and artwork. I think of you often, and the story of your mother that I was unable to complete. I can no longer edit and rearrange writing as complex as your mother’s story. I am so glad, however, that I got to know you through our contact and through you your remarkable mother.

      Reply

  2. Judy Hinck
    February 17, 2023 @ 2:28 pm

    Thank you for sharing your journey into the nether regions of female medical care. Your honestly and openness is refreshing, and, yes indeed, we are journeying with and sharing in your path.

    Reply

    • Kathy Williams
      February 17, 2023 @ 3:01 pm

      I had that exact surgery 2 years ago(including the repair of my bladder and rectum). The surgery was a complete success and the recovery time 2 weeks. I felt much better after 3 days. I was in the hospital about 29 hours. Surgery was at 7am and I was released noon the next day. I was so happy I had this done. Thought you might to hear from someone who experienced that surgery. My lady surgeon was awesome. I love your blogs.

      Reply

      • Gerda Saunders
        February 24, 2023 @ 6:07 pm

        Dear Kathy (and also Judy, who’s in on this), thanks so much for your nice comments about my blog and, best of all, to tell me your surgery experience. Your account is one of the most positive I have received–other people have had very hard times and it took long for their recovery. Whatever happens in my case, I know I will get through it with Peter and my family’s and friends’ help. But I do hope I fall in your category of the good surgery stories!

        Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:04 pm

      Thanks so much for your kind comments on my post. It means so much to me that you read my blog and let me know that it means something to you. My best wishes go out you.

      Reply

  3. shen
    February 17, 2023 @ 4:18 pm

    I had no idea that almost half of we more” mature in years” women experience vaginal prolapse! Certainly agree, why have we not been made aware of this? And how can you be my sole suffering female confidante who has had it? The goddesses are playing mean tricks Gerda. You are dealing with this wait for relief in your usual competent, reasoned manner. You are a shining example once again! (Believe me, you’d hear me cursing and complaining)

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:09 pm

      Mydearest Shen, so lovely of you to write after I had already cried on your shoulder face to face…You’re just out of earshot to hear my wails and gnashing of teeth, but I do have my days! Thanks for you support in this as in everything else in my life.

      Reply

  4. Riva
    February 17, 2023 @ 5:49 pm

    Gerda, as always I am so deeply touched and enriched by your post.
    Your personal descriptions, the breathtaking art work you select, the questions you raise and encourage us to contemplate; all of it, is a stunning masterpiece.
    I am always left speechless,
    and can’t wait for our face to face conversations.

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:11 pm

      My dearest Riva, thanks so much for your very flattering comments. I very much appreciate your support whenever life throws a wall in my path. But I’m glad I now have a surgery date and can look forward for this to be over. Happy that I’ll see you before my surgery.

      Reply

  5. Annette Lavoie
    February 17, 2023 @ 8:17 pm

    Thank you Gerda, I am always so inspired by you and your beautiful posts. Sending love to you and Peter from the other side of the world ❤️❤️

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:13 pm

      Thanks so much for your lovely message, Annette. I do miss you since your move to the “underside” of the world! Thanks for being in touch–and I hope to catch you on your next visit here.

      Reply

  6. Erika
    February 17, 2023 @ 9:11 pm

    Goeie more Tannie Gerda.
    Ai, wat ons liggame nie alles aan ons doen nie. Jammer om te hoor chirurgie is die enigste opsie. Sterkte, ek stuur positiewe energie.
    Ek verwonder my altyd aan al die kunswerke wat jy as vergelykenis gebruik en beskou jou nou as my “nagraadse” Kuns Dosent!
    Elpida’s Fragility het my gedagtis geprikkel en my die internet laat invaar!
    Thank you for sharing your thoughts, experiences and emotions in this particular manner, you have a rare talent indeed.

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:16 pm

      Liewe Erika, baie dankie vir you meegevoel and doe goeie energie wat in my rigting vloei.Bly jy geniet die kuns–dis ‘n veld wat ek in die laaste jare begin opsoek het en dit bring vir my groot plezier. Veral dat jy daarvan hou. I wish you and yours the very best–happy wandering in the animal parts art world!

      Reply

  7. PAMELA BALLUCK
    February 18, 2023 @ 9:07 am

    Thank you for sharing all this, Gerda.

    xox Pam

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:17 pm

      So nice to hear from you, Pam. While I wish I did not have many woes to share, I am so grateful that you find my thoughts of interest and that you support me through your comments.

      Reply

  8. Mary
    February 18, 2023 @ 11:26 am

    As always, dearest Gerda, you uplift us all with your generous gifts of insight and information, gently and lovingly wrapped up in the beauty of language and art. Reading your blog remains one of my greatest pleasures. Thank you. Sending all our love to you and Peter.

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:19 pm

      My dearest Mary, thanks for your lovely comments on my post. You are one of my friends who likely know all about the”bottom” issues after all your studies to become a midwife and your experiences with the many mothers. I did not think I’d have to find out new stuff in this area at my age! Very much looking forward to talk tomorrow. xoxox

      Reply

  9. Jane Luger-Jacobson
    February 18, 2023 @ 12:44 pm

    Thank you for sharing Gerda. You have shared so much of yourself with us and I am so grateful. My sister had the same successful surgery done several years ago. All the best.

    Jane

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:21 pm

      Dear Jane, thanks so much for your kind comment. It is very good to know of others who had successful experiences. Thanks so much for telling me and for your good wishes. My best wishes go out to you and the people you love.

      Reply

  10. Jo Yaffe
    February 18, 2023 @ 10:57 pm

    Thank you again for your bravery and diligent sharing of introspection. I am having surgery, too, in March, and am much more neurotic about it than you seem to be. I wish you happy healing! I have an aunt who had this surgery several years ago, and was very happy that she no longer needed to deal with the dreaded pessary.

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 6:23 pm

      Hello Jo, it was wonderful hearing from you. I so much enjoyed getting to know you in past years. Sorry to hear you are also up for surgery. But happy that your aunt looks back on her surgery with gratitude for a better quality of life. Sending my atheist prayers out into the universe that you will be similarly blessed.

      Reply

  11. Hanli Buber
    February 20, 2023 @ 2:35 am

    Haai Liewe Gerda. Dis weer Hanli wat kom inloer by jou blog 😊 Dankie vir die bekendstelling aan Me Ehrenreich…wow! So ‘n bek moet jam kry!

    “It’s not only “my work”—forgive the pompous phrase—that I bequeath to my survivors but all the mental and sensual pleasures that come with being a living human: sitting in the spring sunshine, feeling the warmth of friends, solving a difficult equation. All that will go on without me. I am content, in the time that remains, to be a transient cell in the larger human super-being.”

    Ek is bly dat ons deel is van die human superbeing op dieselfde vlietende oomblik.

    Hanli

    NS: Erna sukkel net so met haar onderstel na haar kankerbehandeling. Daar is ‘n meer gekompliseerde chirurgiese (Colpocleisis ) prosedure wat meeste van haar probleme kan oplos, buiten die dubbel-heupvervanging wat sy ook nodig het, maar sy wil nie eers dink aan ‘more suffering, annoyance, or boredom’ nie. Ek probeer die korttermyn pyn vs. langtermyn gain argument voer. Sover verloor ek die stryd, maar dalk inspireer jou braafheid haar.

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 24, 2023 @ 9:37 pm

      My liewe Hanli, Ek hou so baie van die Ehrenreich kwotasie wat jy stuur. Ek het dit gemis toe ek die keer weer deur haar boeke en goed gekyk het om te probeer onthou wat sy gese het. Jy se dit so mooi, en ek stem saam: “Ek is bly dat ons deel is van die human superbeing op dieselfde vlietende oomblik.” So jammer om te hoor van jou ma se moeilikhede–ai, dis sleg as die Bottom uitval. Ek het nou net Colpocleisis opgekeyk–het in al my soeke nie daarop afgekom nie! Nou het jy dit vir my geleer. Ek het nooit gehoor dat jou ma kanker gehad het nie. (Dit is na haar kankerbehandeling wat Ehrenreich gese het sy is nou klaar met mediese intervention). Ek verstaan toekom jou maa dit nie wil aandurf nie. Hoe lank gelede was die kankerbehandeling? Miskien het sy net tyd nodig om weer vir wit jasse kans te sien. Wat sy ookal doen, ek ondersteun haar 100%–mens se psige weet waarvoor mens kans sien. Gee asb baie, baie liefde van my aan haar. Ai, ek verlang na my skoolvriendin-geesgenoot-enigste vriendin Erna. En is so dankbaar om met wonderlike jou in kontak te wees. xoxoxoxox

      Reply

  12. Judith Vaughn
    February 20, 2023 @ 10:02 am

    Gerda my dear, you are a special soul who gives me a will to carry on. I was fearful for a moment this post was a goodbye. Silly me. Strong of spirit and love of life is your mainstay. Thank you, and Peter as he continues the journey side by side with you. Blessings to both of you. Love from Judith

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 25, 2023 @ 11:43 am

      Dear Judith, so wonderful of you to send me this lovely message I am glad that my scribblings mean something to you and makes you feel that you are not alone in this challenging world!Thanks for your kind wishes for Peter and me. I wish you and the people you love the best our sometimes fickle universe ca offer. xoxox

      Reply

  13. Elza
    February 20, 2023 @ 10:49 pm

    Liewe Gerda, soos gewoonlik slaan jy die spyker mooi op sy kop en in die proses leer jy vir my en baie ander ook, van so baie dinge daar in die wêreld!

    Dis hoe jy jou hele lewe lei- om almal om jou te verryk en te leer van dinge wat jy aanhou ontdek! Mag jy nooit ophou met jou ontdekkingsreis nie!
    Ons is baie lief vir jou !

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 25, 2023 @ 11:41 am

      My liewe Elza, so goed om van jou te hoor. Ek is baie bly dat jy my “too much information” positief belewe. Vir my is alles in die natuurwereld ‘n wonder–ons liggame ingesluit. En alles is vir my so interessant–al vergeet ek wat ek geleer of geskryf het vof minute na die laaste punt! Dink so baie aan jou en Koos en hoop dit gaan so goed as moontlik. Ek hoop jy het van jou eie liggamsdinge herstel. Baie, baie liefde vir jou en Koos en julle magiese kinders en kleinkinders.

      Reply

  14. Sonette Lategan
    February 21, 2023 @ 5:46 am

    Hallo Gerda, baie sterkte met die chirurgie. Dankie dat jy met ons gedeel het. Niemand praat van hierdie groot operasies nie – en daar is so baie vrouens wat swygsaam hierdeur moet gaan. Sonder die nodige ondersteuning, omdat hulle “skaam” is om daaroor te praat. Hou ons asseblief op hoogte van jou vordering. Seënwense van Sonette xx

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      February 25, 2023 @ 11:37 am

      So wonderlik om vanjou te hoor, Sonette. Ek onthou jou goed as een van Lana se vriendinne wat haar met haar boek gehelp het. Ek is bly dat jy die inligting waardeer. Ek is so moeg om in ‘n wereld van skande en geheime te lewe. Nlydat jy ook dinge mens moet oor die dinge praat. Baie liefde vir jou en jou familie.

      Reply

  15. Ria Saunders
    February 25, 2023 @ 11:37 am

    Thank you dearest Gerda for your sharing that educate and enrich us all. You are an inspiration to me! Sterkte met die operasie!

    Reply

    • Gerda Saunders
      May 5, 2023 @ 4:43 pm

      My liefste Ria, jammer dit vat my so lank om te antwoord. Peter het vir jou ‘n versoek gestuur om Sondag the Zoom. So jammer ons het jou verjaarsdag gemis. Sal graag wil opmaak en ook hoor van die moeilike dinge waarvan jy ons laat weet het. Baie, baie lief vir jou en Landie en die ander lede van jou lieflike familie.

      Reply

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