Katie was diagnosed with Endometriosis when she was 19 years old. Now 21, she shares her Journey with us.
Katie’s Journey: Symptoms first started when I was 11 – my first ever period was agony. At age 12, I had an ultrasound which showed cysts, this was the first time I heard the word endometriosis. I went home and looked it up and everything seemed to suddenly make sense.
I was 18 by the time I finally got referred to a gynaecologist. In September of 2016, I had my first laparoscopy and got diagnosed with endo!
There’s a study published in August of 2018 that I just read, and it threw me for a loop. So I wanted to share it with you.
A 52-year-old woman went to her Primary Care Physician because she had a weird leaking hole near her right hip. It just drained a nasty discharge. He put her on antibiotics for two weeks, but it didn’t resolve. After suffering from the drainage for two months, she went to the emergency room. If you’re curious, you can see a photograph of her little hip-hole.
Today’s quote is brought to you by my favorite employee at a bagel shop, Phil. Next Tuesday is his last day and I am SO sad! Not only does he make me smile and is a beacon of joy in my mornings, but he gives THE BEST hugs.
“When a hug is this big, you feel it for days.” ― Jessica Shook, Shrapnel
I’m a huge hugger. Always have been. Always will be. They just feel so good to give and receive. Better than a warm handshake or a smile.
🙂
Have an incredible weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go hug someone you love.
Today’s quote is for all of you that may be doubting your ability to push through, to finish, or to even start…who feel broken by inability, or frustrated with “the system,” or less-than.
“You can do this, and if you can’t do it today, you’ll do it tomorrow. You are not a failure.” ― Alisha Rai, Wrong to Need You
You are amazing. And strong. And you have all of us to help you.
Aly was diagnosed when she was 15 years old. Now 21, she shares her Journey with us, and she has been through so much. She does, however, continue to fight and push ahead and raise awareness. She’s an incredible woman. And one hell of a Warrior.
Aly’s Journey: I have been a runner since I was four years old. It has always been my passion, but it was also where my pain began. In the spring of my junior year, I was running on the track as usual when I suddenly I fell to my hands and knees in severe pain. I vomited when I tried to get up. It was the beginning of a life-changing injury in which I would endure unbearable stomach pain that I still experience even though it has been 7 years since I was diagnosed.
Brandy, Lisa, myself, Jessica, and Heidi. Sisters! ❤
So, it’s Friday. Again. Already.
Last Saturday, a few of us EndoSisters gathered from around Southern California and met up at a cabin on Palomar Mountain. It has been months in the making. And it was just an overnight getaway. And it was wonderful. Lovely. We laughed. We cried. We ate. We drank. We played cards. We bared our souls. We bonded more than we already had.
It
Was
Epic!
Such an incredible group of strong women, all courteous to one another, all thoughtful, all compassionate and truly family. And it hit me as I dropped off Heidi at her house and headed to my tattoo appointment:
I grew up with two older brothers. My sister passed away shortly after birth, so I’ve never had one. Rosie is the closest thing to a sister I’ve ever had…I used to mourn the fact that I didn’t have a sister. And I realized driving away…that I now have millions.
I love you gals. So much.
Thank you Brandy, Heidi, and Lisa for the photographs! And thank you Jessica for opening up your cabin. I cannot wait to do this again! You’re family, you’re my strength, and you’re my hope. And I know that we will always be there for one another. I love you all.
Hopefully you can find an event near you; just click on the title of the event and it will bring you to more information. I’ll add to this as I find new events! If YOU have an event you’d like me to add, please email me.
So, as part of our 2019 Endo Walk, I’m offering the opportunity for our attendees to say something about Endo on their name badges…and if I can share those blurbs with the world.
So, you’ll be seeing them shared from time to time…and here’s the first. She didn’t write it, and we don’t know who did…but it’s too awesome not to share.
Gain strength from it today. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next……..
Many of you already know I have a large tattoo on my left shoulder, which represents my journey after I was diagnosed with Endometriosis in 2014. And many of you also know that each time I have a surgery because of Endometriosis, I add a blood droplet to that tattoo. And each time, my best friend and Seester (Rosie) comes to be with me during the tattoo session.
So, this year I not only wanted to add another blood drop but I felt a need to somehow honor my sterility since my fallopian tubes were removed, and with them any chance or choice of continuing our family line.
Knowing I’ll never give him a son or daughter, knowing we’ll never hold them in our arms, change diapers, watch them grow up, all the glorified things that my heart aches for. About a year ago, Jim and I shot a film project for a friend of ours. We were parents of a beautiful infant girl, Emily. And while we weren’t filming, he continued to hold her and just seeing him rock her in his arms, coo at her, smile when she made cute bubbly baby noises, smell her head – it filled me to the brim with warm feel-goods.
Although both my husband and I have wanted children at some point during our lives (or shall I say our prior-to-meeting-each-other lives), we no longer felt like we did at our age (I’m pushing 40, he’s pushing 50). So why couldn’t I stop sobbing? During my grieving process, I tried to better understand why I was so very upset. Lots of soul searching led me to a conclusion.
Yes, the chance to procreate and to hold our own child in our arms was now gone. We could adopt, but as I stated above, we truly did not want children at our age. But if one happened by mistake…we both would have been so happy. Wait…I’m digressing once more. I already covered that.
So, where was I? Yes, my sterility. The choice to remove my fallopian tubes was made prior to my laparoscopy. If it even remotely had any chance of ceasing the progression of Endometriosis, let’s do it (yeah, yeah, I know – retrograde menstruation is a sneered-upon theory, but it’s worth a shot). And even if the decision hadn’t already have been made, my fallopian tubes would have been removed during surgery anyway because of the state they were in. But…they are gone. My uterus is a now a sealed tomb that will still continue to shed and bleed and remind me each month that it, at least, is still there and functioning.
Wait…I digressed again. Obviously, I’m still dealing. Back to the tattoo…
I wanted something that represented not only my sterility, the end of our bloodline (well, I have brothers, a niece, and a nephew, but I mean the direct bloodline of myself and my husband), and my coming to terms with it, but truly accepting the fact that my illness has robbed me of something I did want so many moons ago…
And suddenly it came to me. I wanted a lit candle, burnt almost to the point of extinction. Smoldering. If you’ve followed my previous tattoo posts, you may remember that my artist’s name was Will Novotny. Sadly, he passed away last year…I’ve been his client since 2009 and no only had the pleasure of being his client, but of becoming his friend. And now my choice of tattoo had an even greater meaning: not only am I expressing my sterility and acceptance, but I am also lighting a candle in memory of Will…directly adjacent to the last tattoo he inked onto me.
I wrote my friend, Mia, who is a tattoo artist here in San Diego at the Jade Buddha Tattoo studio and explained what I had in mind.
Mia added the suggestion of the candle being held in the palm of a hand, wax dripping. Then she expanded on that thought: have it held in my hand. Our waning existence, mortality slipping between my fingers, and me grasping and accepting that very concept. It was brilliant.
Then the creative process took off! Not only did I love the journey, but it was so therapeutic talking about it. And a HUGE thank you to Rosie for being there to comfort me during the painful 4.5-hour session. And to Mia for her friendship, understanding, and talent! This piece means SO very much to me. It’s incredibly beautiful, seamlessly wound into my existing Endo tattoo, and it’s amazing! I want to cry even just typing about its meaning and yesterday’s wonderful experience. Oh, and if you can’t find it, the third blood drop is lingering at the bottom of one of the pieces of dripping wax.
A smidge of humor 😛
Some photos! You can click on a thumbnail, and click once more on the image it opens and it will open a full-size version.
And here’s a few videos trying to better show the entirety of the piece! Neither the photos or videos do it justice!
(don’t mind the little peeling flecks all over the tattoo haha)
oh…and if you’ve made it all the way to the bottom…here’s my favorite photo taken during the session! God, this piece hurt so much. So worth it!
If you’re in San Diego, I highly recommend Mia at the Jade Buddha Tattoo!!!
Bloomin' Uterus 