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PHYSICAL HEALTH | MENTAL HEALTH
Body Schema, Body Image and Embodiment
Rediscovering my belly, my space, myself…
On 16 January 2025, I had surgery to remove a huge cyst from my belly, which — when checked for cancer — weighed in at 3520 grams. It was pure coincidence that health professionals discovered the cyst, as I noticed nothing before. I had symptoms which went with the cyst, but could also be explained by other conditions, such as the nausea for which I took PPIs.
After the operation, I lost 8 kilograms, without effort. No diet, no watching what I eat. It was just gone, and now, four months after the surgery, it’s still the case.
But, the weight loss is not what I want to write about today. The most remarkable, almost confusing awareness of my belly that has occupied my mind these past weeks.
My upper belly is flatter than it’s been in years, and my lower belly has the soft rounding many (post-)menopausal women will recognize. Even though I want to lose another 8 kilograms — and for that, I will…
