Ask Me About My Uterus

By: Abby Norman

Narrated by: Abby Norman

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

For any woman who has experienced illness, chronic pain, or endometriosis comes an inspiring memoir advocating for recognition of women's health issues

In the fall of 2010, Abby Norman's strong dancer's body dropped 40 pounds, and gray hairs began to sprout from her temples. She was repeatedly hospitalized in excruciating pain, but the doctors insisted it was a urinary tract infection and sent her home with antibiotics. Unable to get out of bed, much less attend class, Norman dropped out of college and embarked on what would become a years-long journey to discover what was wrong with her. It wasn't until she took matters into her own hands - securing a job in a hospital and educating herself over lunchtime reading in the medical library - that she found an accurate diagnosis of endometriosis.

In Ask Me About My Uterus, Norman describes what it was like to have her pain dismissed, to be told it was all in her head, only to be taken seriously when she was accompanied by a boyfriend who confirmed that her sexual performance was, indeed, compromised. Putting her own trials into a broader historical, sociocultural, and political context, Norman shows that women's bodies have long been the battleground of a never-ending war for power, control, medical knowledge, and truth. It's time to refute the belief that being a woman is a preexisting condition.

©2018 Abby Norman (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Required reading for anyone who is a woman, or has ever met a woman. This means you." (Jenny Lawson, author of Let's Pretend This Never Happened and Furiously Happy)

"Compelling and impressively, Norman's narrative not only offers an unsparing look at the historically and culturally fraught relationship between women and their doctors, it also reveals how, in the quest for answers and good health, women must still fight a patriarchal medical establishment to be heard. Disturbing but important reading." (Kirkus Reviews)

"This book deals with such an important subject. Abby Norman's odyssey with her own health is sadly an all too common story to those of us who suffered in silence for so long. My hope is that anyone involved in women's health will read her story and revisit the way we treat women and their health concerns in our culture." (Padma Lakshmi, New York Times best-selling author and cofounder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America)

powerful woman and powerful storyteller

Even when she feels weak or broken down, Abby exhibits through her story and inner strength and resolve to be her own advocate. With a harder life than most, she maintains this power that is entirely her own and her illness, her pain and her painful family history cannot take it from her.

must read!!

Really great and important story to shed light on these issues. I wish the ending was rounded off more with the author's current place and what research/initiatives are needed to improve health care.

Gifted and insightful storyteller

Abby Norman's memoir of her struggles with endometriosis is full of tenderness, wit and her sharp intellect. Ms. Norman's candor and vulnerability are a gift to readers. Her book is the rare exception in which the author is the perfect reader of her own work.

Should be required reading in medical school

Brilliant, witty, devastating, and so important. As another woman will chronic illness, thank you, Abby!

an eye opener

As a gynecologist, I think this moving book is a must read for all physicians who wish to better understand their patients.

Excellent

A friend suggested this book to me, and I loved it! I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever had a uterus, or loves someone who does or did have a uterus. I've fought many of the same battles she outlined in her book. It's 2021 and we still don't have any better choices for treatment of Endometriosis and typical co-morbidities than we had 20-30 years ago. Accept nothing less than the absolute best care you can find. It still takes way too long to get a diagnosis, and many of us are treated as if it's all in our imagination. No. It's real. Keep fighting through the misinformation. Educate yourself. Inspire others to learn and do more. Become your own best advocate. Listen to your body. Listen to this book! 😁🌈

Relatable and Inspiring

The narrator told her story beautifully. Going to it listen again. Truely inspiring to women.

Loved it

I loved this book and the many stories she told in it. I laughed, cried, cursed aloud at the drs who don’t listen to the cries of women suffering and just down right enjoyed listening to this book. Thank you Abby for sharing such personal parts of your life!

One of the best books I have ever read.

Amazing writing punctuated by life experience and passionate research. Abby Norman has a congenial way of writing (and speaking) that invites the reader into her life, simultaneously educating and captivating.

An absorbing and illuminating book...

Particularly for anyone who has struggled to figure out what is happening with their body. Abby Norman's determination and perseverance in the face of a heart-wrenching number of obstacles is truly inspiring. She brings you along on her journey to make sense of her illness and experiences within the health care industry.

This is must-read because once I spent time with Norman as she both experiences first-hand and researches how women's descriptions of their own symptoms are ignored and minimized within the health care system, I started noticing this bias and its affects more frequently than I would have thought. The way she weaves her personal story with the historical origins behind this issue kept my attention while reminding me it is critical to explore the question: "How did we get here?"