Author: Bloomin' Uterus

Share Your Story : Tara

| Bloomin' Uterus
Text that reads Endometriosis has no real face. I am its face.

Tara was 24 when she was diagnosed with Endometriosis.  Now 32 years old, she shares her experience with us…

Tara’s Journey: I am sick. I am chronic illness. I am not curable. I am angry. I am scared. I am pain. I am draining. I am sad. I am a fighter. I am strong. I am weak. I believe. I hope. I dream. I wish. I love. I suffer. I struggle. I laugh. I cry. I scream. I am mad. I am endometriosis.

Endometriosis has changed my life in more ways than I could ever possibly explain. It has ripped away part of me and has destroyed many of my hopes and dreams. I feel like an alien is living inside my body. I am no longer in control of my future. Endometriosis owns me. It holds ownership to one of the biggest dreams I have ever held. It has taken away my right as a woman to bare a child. It has left me hopeless, resentful, angry, confused, and scared, scared to death that one day it may take my life. No endometriosis cannot kill me, I understand that but it can cause things that can.

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Signs & Symptoms of Endometriosis

| Bloomin' Uterus
Stop sign, caution sign, yield sign all text replaced with the Bloomin' Uterus logo

Many people born with a uterus have Endometriosis and don’t even know it.  They may be cis-gender, transgender, non-binary, or others. And there have been rare instances of men developing Endometriosis, too. I sure didn’t know what it was until I received my diagnosis. I’d never even heard of it. Endo-what?  

So what are the red flags of Endometriosis?  If I only knew about this list prior to my diagnosis, I would have gone to my doctor years ago! I met every single one of these symptoms!! Every. Single. One.

You may have Endometriosis if you have any of the following issues:

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Bad Gas!

| Bloomin' Uterus
mushroom cloud after explosion

As much as I’d like to giggle, I’m not talking the *funny* kind of gas.  I’m referring to the Carbon Dioxide gas trapped in your body after a laparoscopic surgery. Approximately 35-80% of patients who undergo a laparoscopic surgery complain of shoulder pain.  It is reportedly supposed to last for up to 72 hours, but some patients have the ongoing pain for longer (mine lasted a few days longer).

During a laparoscopic surgery, Carbon Dioxide is injected into our abdomens to create a distended abdomen, a big balloon, so the surgeons can look around inside without all of our crammed organs in the way.  Some of that gas remains in our systems after surgery, causing pain. There are a few theories as to what causes the post-op pain in our shoulders:

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Tampons : Taboo ?

| Bloomin' Uterus
unused tampon

The History o’the Tampon

The Egyptians used softened papyrus as a makeshift tampons and the Greeks used lint wrapped around wood.  Other materials used in the past were wool, paper, plant fibers, sponges, grass, and cotton.

Early tampons available to women in the 1920s did not have an applicator.  Some had to be removed by actually reaching in and handling the cotton or gauze tampon, while others had strings for easy removal.  In 1929, Dr. Earl Haas invented a stringed tampon with an applicator.  He filed for the patent in 1931, and later trademarked the name “Tampax.”  The rights and product were then purchased by Gertrude Tendrich, who founded the Tampax company.  And in 1936, the first Tampax ad was launched and a package of 10 tampons cost a whopping 35 cents!  There are a lot more tampons on the market to choose from, some with applicators (cardboard or plastic), some without, some organic, some with odor control, some without.

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Reader’s Choice : Hysterectomies & Myomectomies Spreading Cancer?

| Bloomin' Uterus
A morcellator

I have heard that sometimes when physicians conduct a hysterectomy where the uterus was shredded/broken down and removed through small incisions then biopsied, cancerous cells could be detected during the biopsy.  And that the presence of those cancerous cells may remain in the abdominal cavity post-procedure, which may spread and continue to develop.  Some women who this happened to ended up having to go through a intense radiation therapy treatment to remove the cancerous cells.

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Feel Good Friday!

| Bloomin' Uterus
Popeye the Sailor Man flexing his muscles

It’s FRIDAY! We made it through another week! And do you know what that means? FEEL GOOD FRIDAY!!!

Today’s Feel Good quote is brought to you by an American consultant, author, and speaker, Dr. Asa Don Brown:

“Allow yourself to be an anchor and anchored by others.”

Inspired by my personal meeting with an EndoWarrior, which showed me how truly important a support system is.  And this goes for ANYONE!  Not just us with Endometriosis.  Be there to support, but also accept the support of others.  We are all in this together, and are all there for one another.

(And yes, my first thought with “Anchor” was Popeye the Sailor Man. So eat your spinach…and be strong!)

May you have a wonderful weekend!

Yours, Lisa

Share your Story : Aubree

| Bloomin' Uterus
A woman with brown hair sitting cross-legged in a park

Aubree was 29 when she was diagnosed with Endometriosis.  Now 33, she lives in Colorado and has found not only acceptance of her disease, but peace.  And she’s found her healing through self-love and a natural holistic approach.  She has even written a book about her journey and her path to inner-peace and healing.

Aubree’s Journey: I suffered with extremely painful periods from the very beginning. I complained about them for years to my doctors, but nobody really paid them much attention. One of my family doctors prescribed me Ibuprofen, but this didn’t touch the pain.

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Support : Gimme a HUG!

| Bloomin' Uterus
Row of paper dolls holding hands

When I was first diagnosed with Endo, I looked for a support group in San Diego.  A physical, sit-down, meet, greet, and hug support group.  And I found nothing.  Looking around still, I find nothing.  The nearest support group is in Riverside, nearly 100 miles north of me.

I’ve got a few girlfriends that actually have Endometriosis, and it’s good to have them in my life.  Bounce off ideas, bounce off of their experiences, be there for each other.  It’s fantastic, but we rarely see each other with our busy lives, and talk even less, especially about Endo. I’ve got my boyfriend, my friends, and my family offering endless amounts of love, support, and encouragement, but it’s not the same (no offense, loved ones). I’m part of several online communities which offer what an in-person support group should…but again, it’s…lacking something that I crave.

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