How do they do that?

The Survivor's Guide to Surgical Menopause has tipped us to two interesting pages that give operative procedure details on:

• Salpingo-Oopherectomy (Fallopian Tube and Ovary Removal)
• Total Abdominal Hysterectomy (Uterus Removal)

DO NOT GO TO THERE IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH. While there are no illustrations or photos, the terminology is medical and describes, layer by layer, each step involved.

It's also important that you understand that these are for "open" procedures. That means that they are the conventional, make-an-incision surgeries and that laparoscopic or vaginal procedures involve other steps. Other procedure variations don't seem to be posted to the site yet. And, of course, if you're having extra work done, like a recto/cystocele repair or endo removal, that will also change the exact method used.

Still, if you're wondering "how do they do that?" or why it takes some time to heal, this might help fill in those blanks.

The Survivor's Guide bookmark account has other useful and interesting stuff about surgeries, too--go check out tags like "surgery" and "hysterectomy."