A Very Informative Chat

While I was recuperating from a different surgery, I had a consultation with a gynecologist in High River about the tubal ligation.

I will tell you right now that Dr. Bailey is one of the most intense, intelligent women I have ever come across. The woman beats around absolutely no bushes, a trait I personally appreciate.

We discussed my health, sexual and medical history, my desire to have the TL, my knowledge about the odds of conceiving once the clamps are in place. We are woefully misinformed about the efficacy of birth control by the way. I can't help but think that if we could let go of our puritanical, sex-is-the-devil frames of mind, we would be a much healthier society with less slut shaming and misogyny. Unfortunately we seem to be taking only steps back instead of forward.

I digress.

Dr. Bailey asked me how long I've been on the Tricyclen and what my periods were like prior to going on the bc. I've had terrible periods since day one. Cramps to the point of vomiting and a couple of days laid up in bed. She actually recommended that I stay on the birth control after my operation in order to maintain menstrual comfort (for lack of a better word). She passively inquired about the existence of a man in my life but didn't imply that there should be a long discussion with anyone as it's my body.

We also discussed alternatives to the TL in case I didn't want to "slam that door shut". For instance, with Mirena (an IUD), the door would only be locked for 5 years. Not only that, but my period could stop completely while it's in.

The expected down time for the surgery is 2 days. Yes, TWO. One in for the surgery, one off to recover from being that high. My surgery's even already scheduled.

January 11, 2012 I will be admitted to High River Hospital and voluntarily rendered infertile. I'm actually pretty excited.

To be honest, the only frightening thing about the whole consult was the posters of old-timey contraception on the walls.

The lengths women used to go to to prevent unwanted pregnancy astound me. Even with the medical leaps and bounds, pregnancy is still incredibly dangerous for women. I cannot even imagine what it must have been like, even 60 years ago.

The birth control pill wasn't available for women until the late fifties. Canada didn't legalise it until 1969! Some religious groups consider contraception "homicidal" and there's a movement in the United States to make miscarriage murder. Recently shut down was a bill in Mississippi in which personhood would be defined as beginning at conception. This means that anything preventing implantation of a fertilised egg would be considered, literally, a murder weapon.

All I can really say about that is I'm grateful I live in Canada right now.

Also, a bit unnerving: there was a male medical student present for our chat. Now, it's not that he was there. It's that he was surprised when I said "fuck yeah bodily autonomy" while signing my surgical consent forms and the doctor replied "aren't you glad you don't need a husband's permission anymore?" He said, "What? Permission?" The poor guy has no idea how much things have changed since the 70s even. Actually, I just checked and in some States, the surgeon can require spousal consent prior to performing the tubal ligation. Unbelievable.