{"id":2086,"date":"2018-09-28T09:00:52","date_gmt":"2018-09-28T13:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2086"},"modified":"2018-09-28T15:32:57","modified_gmt":"2018-09-28T19:32:57","slug":"come-back-strong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2086","title":{"rendered":"Come Back Strong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interview with Lori Ann King <\/em><\/h1>\n

By Christine A. Krahling<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

This month, we talked to athlete, author and wellness coach Lori Ann King, author of \u201cCome Back Strong.\u201d In our interview, Lori candidly discussed her experience having a full hysterectomy and oophorectomy (surgical removal of the uterus and both ovaries) at the age of 43, which thrust her into surgical menopause. Read on to learn about what she learned from this experience and what she wants other women to know about balance and empowerment during difficult times.<\/em><\/p>\n

SWM: For those who may not be familiar, let\u2019s start with the obvious: what is surgical menopause and how is it different from typical menopause?<\/h4>\n

Lori: Surgical menopause occurs when the ovaries are surgically removed (oophorectomy) or are damaged by disease, radiation, chemotherapy or other medications. This causes a sudden drop in estrogen and an immediate plunge into menopause.<\/p>\n

By contrast, in natural menopause, symptoms appear gradually and are sometimes so subtle that we barely notice the changes; and when we do, we can tackle one or two symptoms at a time as they pop up. So, the symptoms are the same, but the main difference is the timeframe and intensity.<\/p>\n

SWM: You discuss the importance of the mind-body connection in your book. Why is it so vital to healing after surgery and for handling menopause?<\/h4>\n

Lori: Our minds can be our most powerful tools or our worst enemies. If we let negative thoughts run out of control, stress will most certainly manifest.<\/p>\n

When my system was compromised by the hormonal fluctuations of menopause, negative thoughts and emotions made my symptoms even more challenging. The more I focused on my symptoms, the more frustrated, anxious and overwhelmed I felt. I found that positive thoughts and feelings of gratitude, love, hope and happiness helped to lessen my symptoms.<\/p>\n

SWM: You say in the book\u2019s introduction that even two years after your hysterectomy, you were still seeking balance. What do you think attributed to that? And why do you think, as women, finding a healthful balance after surgery can be difficult?<\/p>\n

Lori: Months after my surgery, most people thought I was living a normal life and fully functioning. But I wasn\u2019t myself. I was no longer calm and peaceful and I certainly did not exude joy.<\/p>\n

So many women, myself included, are praying for \u201ca break\u201d from our crazy, busy lives. This is the opportunity to take it. If we don\u2019t, healing and recovery can take longer. What if our symptoms are our bodies\u2019 ways of saying, \u201cHey? Love me. Hug me. Nurture me. Think good things about me. Get more rest. Stop feeding me that.\u201d Are we listening?<\/p>\n

If I\u2019m honest with myself, life before my hysterectomy was lived at 180 miles per hour. I think this is common for many women. We push and push, staying up late, getting up early. We don\u2019t rest. We forget to play. We work hard. When our schedule overflows, our self-care activities are what get dropped. Slowly, the cumulative effects of stress build up and we find ourselves burned out, overwhelmed and fatigued. We are already stressed out and then a life event like surgical menopause pushes us beyond our limits and intensifies things that are already out of balance.<\/p>\n

I have since learned that a balanced life requires \u2014 even demands \u2014 rest, recovery and play on a daily basis. I had to learn to make this a regular aspect of my life, not a quick fix.<\/p>\n

SWM: In \u201cCome Back Strong,\u201d you suggest women stay empowered by playing an active role in their medical plan. What are some suggestions for doing so?<\/h4>\n

Lori: Know your personal and family medical history and share it with each of your doctors. Educate yourself on your options and alternatives, especially when it comes to surgery, drugs and lifestyle changes. Ask questions. Remember, there are no stupid questions. Ask and keep asking.<\/p>\n

Get a second opinion; it is perfectly acceptable. Take notes and\/or bring a friend to your appointment. I\u2019ve found that when I invite a friend along, my friend provides an objective point of view, along with the opportunity to take notes.<\/p>\n

Do your part. Part of staying empowered is doing your part to live a healthy lifestyle. Fortify the body with good nutrition. Reduce stress. Stop smoking. Lose weight if you need to. If you have other conditions, discuss them with your medical team to make sure they are well-controlled. Get adequate rest. Remember to play.<\/p>\n

SWM: You discuss complementary medicine, practices rooted in ancient beliefs and healing practices. What advice do you have for women who would like to add complementary wellness practices into their lives \u2014 either post-surgically or otherwise \u2014 but are hesitant?<\/h4>\n

Lori: I believe we hesitate for two reasons. We don\u2019t understand something and\/or we have told ourselves a story. So often, our stories are borrowed. In any case, holding onto these beliefs and fears can leave us resistant to trying something that could be extremely beneficial to our health. Education is power. Most practitioners will offer a consult to help you understand their treatment.<\/p>\n

SWM: In the section \u201cUncover and Embrace Your Passion,\u201d you say women may not know or realize their purpose right away. What would you say to women who are trying to find their purpose after a surgery such as this or as a result of another major life change?<\/h4>\n

Lori: Consider what makes you laugh and what makes you cry. If you are moved to either emotion, it deserves exploration. Think back to your childhood or to a time in your life you were truly happy. What were you doing? Your passion and purpose may become obvious.<\/p>\n

SWM: If there was one thing you\u2019d want women who have experienced surgical menopause to know, what would that be?<\/h4>\n

Lori: We have more control than we think we do. This may feel like a major setback, but take the time to heal and know you can come back from this. You can come back strong. SWM<\/em><\/p>\n

For more information on Lori Ann King, \u201cCome Back Strong\u201d and her story, visit loriannking.com<\/a>. Interview was edited for length and clarity. <\/em><\/p>\n

Read more from Christine A. Krahling at keepcalmandwrite.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interview with Lori Ann King By Christine A. Krahling This month, we talked to athlete, author and wellness coach Lori Ann King, author of \u201cCome Back Strong.\u201d In our interview, Lori candidly discussed her experience having a full hysterectomy and oophorectomy (surgical removal of the uterus and both ovaries) at the age of 43, which…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2099,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[367,699,700,695,368,262,694],"class_list":["post-2086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-christine-a-krahling","tag-come-back-strong","tag-lori-ann-king","tag-october-2018","tag-syracuse-reads","tag-syracuse-woman-magazine","tag-the-pink-edition"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Come-Back-Strong.jpg?fit=5200%2C3470&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2830,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2830","url_meta":{"origin":2086,"position":0},"title":"Go Red For Women: Early Menopause: What\u2019s the Risk?","author":"Staff","date":"February 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By Dr. Riya S. Chacko \u00a0 Our understanding of women\u2019s cardiovascular health has continued to evolve since the 1980s, thanks in part to large research studies such as the Women\u2019s Health Initiative, UK Biobank and Framingham Heart Study. In addition to changing stereotypes about women and heart disease, such research\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/heart-care-1040250_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/heart-care-1040250_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/heart-care-1040250_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/heart-care-1040250_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/heart-care-1040250_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1080,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1080","url_meta":{"origin":2086,"position":1},"title":"From Mom to Me Again","author":"Staff","date":"September 29, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Filling an Empty Nest\u00a0 By Christine A. Krahling Preparing for an empty nest can stir up a whole host of emotions: sadness, uncertainty, loneliness and, at the same time, maybe even a little bit of relief and excitement about what\u2019s to come. As women, we typically manage our children\u2019s schedules:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Special Feature"","block_context":{"text":"Special Feature","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Syracuse-Reads.jpg?fit=1200%2C803&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Syracuse-Reads.jpg?fit=1200%2C803&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Syracuse-Reads.jpg?fit=1200%2C803&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Syracuse-Reads.jpg?fit=1200%2C803&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Syracuse-Reads.jpg?fit=1200%2C803&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2847,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2847","url_meta":{"origin":2086,"position":2},"title":"WOMEN\u2019S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: Pelvic Pain, Painful Periods, and Infertility: All About Endometriosis","author":"Staff","date":"March 3, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By Lisa Sousou \u00a0 What is endometriosis? March is National Endometriosis Awareness Month. Some 176 million women around the world, 5 million in the United States alone, are afflicted with this commonly painful, sometimes debilitating condition. Caused by tissue similar to the inside lining of the uterus (endometrium) growing outside\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1757,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1757","url_meta":{"origin":2086,"position":3},"title":"Poison Girls","author":"Staff","date":"April 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"A Conversation with the Author\u00a0 By Christine A. Krahling\u00a0 Poison Girls is the fictional story of crime reporter Natalie Delaney, who discovers that daughters of Democratic powerhouses are targets of a serial killer who uses drugs \u2014 specifically a strand of street heroin called \u201cPoison\u201d \u2014 to kill. When Natalie\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Reedauthorsmall.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Reedauthorsmall.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Reedauthorsmall.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Reedauthorsmall.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Reedauthorsmall.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1044,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1044","url_meta":{"origin":2086,"position":4},"title":"Jamie Ann Owens","author":"Staff","date":"August 31, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The Life of Syracuse\u2019s Favorite Socialite By Lorna Oppedisano | Photography by Alice G. Patterson Jamie Ann Owens \u2014 more widely known as Syracuse content creator, SocietyGurl \u2014 has had an appreciation for all things vintage, fabulous and ladylike in Syracuse since she was about 3 or 4 years old.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Jamie-Owens-The-Society-Gurl-0011.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Jamie-Owens-The-Society-Gurl-0011.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Jamie-Owens-The-Society-Gurl-0011.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Jamie-Owens-The-Society-Gurl-0011.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Jamie-Owens-The-Society-Gurl-0011.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1274,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1274","url_meta":{"origin":2086,"position":5},"title":"Modern Spice","author":"Staff","date":"December 1, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Spicing Up the Kitchen By Christine A. Krahling | Photography provided by Monica Bhide\u00a0 This month, we had a chance to talk with Monica Bhide, author of \u201cModern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen.\u201d Find out what Monica thinks about our evolving food culture, the role Pinterest plays\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Food"","block_context":{"text":"Food","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=102"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/08_SA_IndCkBk_RicePudd-023-2-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/08_SA_IndCkBk_RicePudd-023-2-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/08_SA_IndCkBk_RicePudd-023-2-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/08_SA_IndCkBk_RicePudd-023-2-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/08_SA_IndCkBk_RicePudd-023-2-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2086"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2087,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2086\/revisions\/2087"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}