This photo was taken a bit over a fortnight ago; before I went into surgery. Last week I went back to see my specialist to get the results, and was told what we were expecting, that during my operation they found and removed three growths of Endometriosis. Never heard of it? Either had I until six months ago. And yet it is extremely common, affecting 1 in 10 women in Australia. Endometriosis is a condition which causes the lining of the uterus to grow outside of it, and in some cases on other internal organs. This leads to a variety of symptoms. For me these were fatigue, skin allergies, food sensitivities, and chronic period pain. Now I'm not talking slight discomfort or cramps once a month, but rather crippling pain and nausea that leaves me bed ridden and genuinely wishing someone would come and put me out of my misery. I suffered with this for nine years, which is actually the average time it takes to get a diagnosis for Endometriosis. Why does it take so long? One word, awareness. I just thought that what I was going through was normal, that I just had it a bit worse than everyone else, and that I shouldn't talk about it. So yeah, I'm writing this long winded post because I wish that I had have known that what I was feeling wasn't normal, that someone had have said "hey, maybe you have endo, or maybe you should get that checked out", rather than just suffering in silence. I think that no one wants to talk about it because OMG periods, gross! But I'm calling bullshit on that whole stigma. If I hadn't have been so embarrassed then I may have seeked help earlier. I now know that I'm not alone in my pain, and I have been able to connect with so many other Australian women who are trying to cope with what can be a debilitating condition. Okay, I'm getting to my point I promise. If you are suffering with any of the symptoms I just mentioned then go see your doctor. Don't be embarrassed or ashamed, and get some help. Because take it from me, it'll only get worse, not better. xo
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The Blog of LifeFor those of you wondering what my life is like when I don't have my head in a book, here it is...
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