THE GIRLFRIEND'S CORNER
HOPE
TURNING FIBROIDS into
by Dr. Reneisha M. Randall
for The Girlfriend's Corner
I’m normally pretty private when it comes to my personal life, but about a year-and-a-half ago God revealed that nothing is off limits. At least nothing that God can use for His glory and what I can use to give women knowledge, courage, perseverance, and most of all acceptance. I must admit, I continue to be amazed at what God does in my life. Even in the seasons that aren’t as comfortable, He keeps making a way. I started my own business in January 2020 and named it BEthat! THAT is an acronym for Thrive, Hope, Affirm, and Transcend. BEthat! was founded in Orlando, Florida, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, to empower and equip youth, women, and professionals, giving them the tools, support, and resources they need to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally as they navigate through life. My BEthat! mission has always been to empower and equip youth, women, and professionals to be Thriving, Hopeful, Affirming, and Transcending! Through individual and group mentorship, support training, and resources, we aim to change the narrative of how individuals view themselves by encouraging them to be their authentic self while helping them push through their adversities. As passionate as I am about BEthat! the real test is when I encounter challenges and struggles that force me to discover a layer of myself I’ve never experienced and still empower others, even when I’m not sure what tomorrow holds. I, like so many other Black women, suffer from uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that typically develop and grow in your uterus. They can affect so much from a woman’s reproductive system, producing long and extensive bleeding from menstrual periods, pelvic pain and pressure, frequent urination, and pain during sexual intercourse, to name a few. The fibroids range in size, which typically determines the pain level to an extent. Like many other ailments, Black women develop fibroids three times more often than other women. I remember being told for the first time that I had fibroids. For some reason it didn’t seem like a huge deal at the time. Maybe it was
because I was young and they were smaller. I monitored them, but I guess because they weren’t bothering me or causing any discomfort, I disregarded it … until one day I was in excruciating pain. When I went to my primary care doctor, he immediately ordered a CT scan of the pelvic area. I remember being super nervous but wanted some relief. When I went in for my results, I remember him saying, “You gotta get these things removed ... the fibroids are literally pushing against your other organs, causing you tremendous pain; make an appointment with your gynecologist.” That’s exactly what I did. She then sent me to a specialist, where I had various tests performed to see the size and area of the uterus where the fibroids were located. There I was having to think about the fact that I don’t have kids, and I still want that option although I’m 40 years old. What do kids look like for me, and is that something I still desire? Taking all that into consideration, I chose to have an abdominal myomectomy, which is different from a hysterectomy. I figured this would at least buy me some time in case the opportunity to have children happens within the next couple of years. So my doctor and I started setting everything up for me to have the operation. I went into the hospital to have it, and guess what? The doctor canceled it because while I was under anesthesia, my heart rhythm changed, and the doctors wanted to be cautious. Listen, to say I was frustrated is an understatement. I was nervous, overwhelmed, and trying to figure out why this had happened in the midst of my tears. This was my second attempt to have my fibroids removed. The first time Hurricane Ian hit Orlando, which is the city where I live, and now this. During the second attempt, I was in the hospital two days. They ran every test you can name to see what may have caused the reaction from my heart. But guess what, ALL the tests came back normal, and I was cleared by the cardiologist to have the surgery (that’s shouting news). Now, I’ve rescheduled my surgery for January 2023.* My prayer is that everything goes as planned, with no complications, in Jesus’ MINDBLOWING MAGAZINE | 13
