Anonymous wrote:The reality is, some people will come out of the woodwork and blow you away with their understanding and some people will be all "If I can't see it, it's not happening" and will think you need to just suck it up.

But you'll never know which people fall into which camp until you get honest.

Since we're all anon here. .... my mom's vagina fucking FELL OUT of her body. It's called vaginal prolapse. Any parts can prolapse - uterus, vagina, prostate (okay I don't know about that one).

Anyway,, she was HORRIBLY embarrassed, and INSISTED that we not tell anyone (just my dad and me and my sibling knew). Finally after a LOT of fights, my dad told some people, like his sisters, his mom, some of the cousins my mom was closest with. All of a sudden relatives were like, suggesting the brand of pessory (this plasticy device you shove up your body to keep your vagina from falling back out again) they use, giving us doctors excellent at dealing with this, sharing their experiences with my mom. I know WAY more about my extended family's vaginas than I ever wanted to or thought I would.

So share with people. Figure out like a paragraph's worth of spiel you'll say to people, explaining what you're going through, how it feels, etc. Be prepared for people to ask what they can do to help, and have things in mind. Don't be shy. I do not come across as mushy, but when I offer to help someone, I really, truly mean it. I really WILL come over and clean your kitchen while wearing your baby in a sling so you can take a shower and nap.