Vaginal Prolapse Colpocleisis LeFort Surgery A Personal Story

By Judith Cutler

Vaginal prolapse is a painful, embarrassing condition which adversely affects the lives of countless women.  It is usually a secret a woman does not share with anyone unless it is her partner or doctor.  Many of us feel ashamed to admit we have had this happen to such an intimate part of our bodies.  One reason is that we don't want anyone picturing the bulge it makes. Another is that since most women say that no one ever told them this was a possibility we have no idea who else in our circle has dealt with it and if so, how?  I decided to tell my personal story of vaginal vault prolapse surgery and recovery after interacting with a supportive group of women on Facebook.  This private group helps others by telling their stories, misery, surgery experiences and triumph.  The details of living with prolapse should not be kept a secret but should be shared with younger women to help them and prevent it happening to them.  There are some preventions but only a few surgical cures.  Colpocleisis LeFort Surgery is one that repairs the prolapse and gives back freedom of movement and comfort.  There is a trade-off which reviewed this in the book. It is an individual choice which is never made lightly.  I made the choice and have not regretted it for a moment.  I only wish it had not been necessary and that the gynecologists who treated me over the years had even said one word to prevent it from happening.  I feel very let down my them.  It could have been prevented.  I hope the advice in this book helps to prevent it for others.  Tell women. Share the information.  This is a story of sadness, recovery and joy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jess Perna Studio
• Release date: Apr 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9780997438246

Judith Cutler

I am simply a 76 year old woman who decided to help other women who have been hiding their embarrassing secret the same as I had done. No doctor ever warned me of the possiblity of this condition.  I did not know it existed until it happened to me.  I was also never told how it could be prevented.  It was an unpleasant, painful shock.  I suffered for 2 years before learning it could be repaired.  Not without a significant personal cost but repaired.  Sometimes we don't get to choose what will make us well.  We just decide to go for it. I am very glad I did! I live in California, USA and am the art director for JessPerna.com and JessPernaFineArt.com.  

Book preview

Vaginal Prolapse | Colpocleisis LeFort Surgery

A Personal Story

Copyright Judith Cutler, 2023

All rights reserved

Made in the USA

Author Judith Cutler

Illustrator, Editor, Publisher Jess Perna

Visit and Comment on our Blog

vaginalprolapse.blogspot.com

This book is dedicated to

Dr. Martina Chiodi

Las Brisas OB/GYN

Murrieta, CA

For giving me back my freedom.

Thank you, love and gratitude to Edith founder of the Facebook group:

Colpocleisis, Surgical Vaginal Closing, Colpectomy, LeFort

and the incredibly supportive women in the group.

I strongly suggest joining the group for the help and support you need.  It is private and confidential.

Pre-teen us:  What is going to come out of where every month?!!!

Yes! But, only for about 40 years.

What is going to go in where? Really to make a baby!

What??? The baby is going to come out of where???

So, thousands of diaper changes later, thousands of dirty dishes, thousands of meals prepared and millions of days of house cleaning and then the whole structure collapses and we are left trying to figure out what to do about it. No one told us this part. Sooo along comes Edith and Facebook to the rescue!  What did our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers do?  No FB.

Thank you to my wonderful son Jess who illustrated and designed the cover, proofread, edited and published the book with patience and care. He took care of me every step of the way as he always does.

Thank you to my son Mark for keeping me entertained with conversation and stories as he always does.

Mark’s rescue cats Maggie and Oliver kept me entertained through photos and videos of their antics.

You can recover more cheerfully watching cat videos.  I promise!

Maggie & Oliver Perna

Chapter 1

The Cave In

After two years of complete vaginal prolapse (Stage 4), I decided to take a close-up look at the monster that was ruining and running my life. Up until then I had seen it from a distance in the bathroom mirror. It appeared to be the size of a tennis ball. I put one foot on the bathtub ledge and aimed a large hand mirror upward. Due to the prolapse, tissue that was previously hidden from view could now be seen on the outside including the approximately 3-inch incision scar from my hysterectomy done over 20 years before. The scar was beige, except for a white spot on the end. Hmmm, what’s that? It concerned me.

I looked up some possibilities online, learning that 90% of the time a similar spot is nothing serious. The other 10% of the time it could be a pre-cancer of the cervix. I did not have a cervix anymore, but I had what was referred to as a cervical rim. 

When I had my hysterectomy, the surgeon said I never needed to be examined by a gynecologist again since there was nothing