We Need Better Understanding of Endometriosis
According to Google, endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus. Such a vague description, isn’t it? Google failed to mention that endometriosis is a very common chronic invisible illness that has no cure. That it takes seven plus years to just get a diagnosis. That a diagnosis doesn’t solve anything for the people who have it. It’s just the beginning of a long, hard battle that can seem impossible to win.
It can take going through countless doctors just to find one who knows what endometriosis is and how bad it can be. It sometimes takes years to find a doctor who believes your symptoms and pain are a real thing. The common treatment options are birth control, laparoscopic and excision surgery, partial or full hysterectomy and pain management. But again, there is no cure. There’s a chance at temporary relief, but that’s all you get. Temporary.
You put your body through so much, you go through so many extensive surgeries and you try different “treatment” options all for the hope of a little pain relief. You hold on to the hope of being able to live a “normal” life even for a short while.
Look around you: one in 10 women live with endometriosis. We may mask the pain with a fake smile and a positive attitude, but we are struggling. We are forced into trying treatment options that sometimes cause more harm than good. We sometimes suffer in silence because the people around us don’t understand that endometriosis is more than just “period pain.” It affects our jobs and our relationships with the people we love.
Our illness may be invisible, but it doesn’t make it any less real. We struggle greatly with an illness we never asked for. An illness that fuses our organs together. An illness that can make having a child almost impossible. An illness that causes severe pain throughout our bodies. An illness that can cause you to struggle with depression. An illness that makes even the easiest tasks such as showering and getting dressed feel impossible. An illness that has no cure. An illness that isn’t fully understood by doctors.
So, the next time you see someone struggling, don’t judge them over something you can’t understand. We are fighting a never-ending uphill battle every single day. We will be battling this illness for the rest of our lives. We deserve better treatment options but until we get them, don’t judge us. We were given an impossible task and we are just trying to make the most out of it. We have good days and we have bad. And of course, endometriosis will always be a part of us. We have no cure, just “better” treatment options.
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My Name is Gage Paslay and I am 27 years old. I’ve been struggling with this invisible illness called Endometriosis since I was 12 years old. It’s chronic and I deal with pain everyday. There is no cure for it so it will forever be a part of me and it’s something i’m going to have to deal with for the rest of my life. I have good days and bad. It takes 7 plus years just to receive a diagnosis and its often misdiagnosed. Over the years i’ve received different diagnosis and i’ve been on countless medications and treatments that haven’t worked. Luckily, I was finally diagnosed correctly In December of 2016 by laparoscopy, the only way to determine if you have it or not. However, it made my symptoms worse and I am now looking into excision surgery. My blog is really about bringing awareness to this debilitating chronic invisible illness. 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth have Endometriosis and so many of them haven’t received a diagnosis yet or they are waiting to have another surgery. Endometriosis impacts people in almost every aspect of their lives. How, when and if we can have children. How our cycles work and how long they may last. It gives us pain sometimes so debilitating we can’t even get out of bed in the morning. It messes with our mood. It also impacts our relationships with family and friends. It sometimes overpowers us and defines who we are. So this page is about me speaking out for myself and for everyone struggling from any kind of chronic illness. You aren’t alone. Together, we have each other. I know what its like to have no one, to feel like you are stuck in a dark hole and no one is willing to pull you out. I’ve been there. I want to show light to people who are struggling, I want to encourage others to speak up and stand up for themselves. This disease shouldn’t define us and it shouldn’t control us. You shouldn’t feel guilty for being sick because it’s not your fault. I struggle everyday AND i’ve survived every bad day I thought I couldn’t get through..I’m rising up everyday and so can you. If you’re interested in finding out more about Endometriosis, watch my videos, read my blogs and follow my journey. If You are a Endometriosis Warrior like me, follow me. Share them with your friends and family. React to them. My voice is one in many but I’m determined to make sure its heard. This is me taking a stand against anyone who has ever told me “Its all in my head” or “I’m overreacting” or “It ’s just period cramps”. #I’llRiseUp.
gagepaslay