Reclaim Sexuality As Part Of Treatment
Intimacy Important, So Tell Your Doctors
POSTED: Tuesday, October 21, 2008
  istock/ftwitty |
Lisa Martinez, a lawyer and registered nurse, founded the Women's Sexual Health Foundation in 2002. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007.I didn't reclaim my sexuality after my mastectomy, but claimed it prior to surgery.My story may be somewhat unique in comparison to other breast cancer survivors perhaps, because I am a nurse and volunteer as the executive director of the Women's Sexual Health Foundation. No doubt this gave me a leg up.My husband and I spoke with my surgeon and medical oncologist prior to any treatment and wanted to know everything about how the surgery and the chemotherapy would impact our lives, including how it could impact intimacy and sexual health. Believe me, treatments certainly can have an impact.It isn't just that the mastectomy can create chaos with body image, but the medications given can potentially cause low desire, dryness and pure exhaustion.I took a proactive stance in asking questions of my doctors and became part of the health care team by expressing to them what was important to me and my husband. At a time when I felt that cancer was trying to take over my life, I decided I would take control over it by taking charge.Because of that experience, I wanted to help women take charge. Our foundation dedicated an entire issue of our Women's Sexual Health Journal (.pdf) to cancer and sexuality.
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istock/ftwitty
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