Finding strength in the battle against endometriosis
At just 18 years old, I had already been through so much that led up to this moment. On November 5th, 2013, I sat anxiously in a surgery center in Los Gatos, California, pondering what lay ahead. What would the surgeons find? Would I be able to have kids still? What if I didn’t have it? These questions swirled in my mind until I emerged from anesthesia, finally receiving answers to six years of uncertainty.
Endometriosis, often trivialized as "endowhat?", is a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, affecting most typically the intestines, abdominal wall, and reproductive system. In rare cases it can be found on the lungs, kidneys, liver, eyes, and even the brain. During menstruation, these tissue pockets, filled with endometrial glands, release a substance akin to menstrual blood, triggering inflammation and swelling. Over time, scar tissue forms, binding organs together and causing excruciating pain. Diagnosis requires exploratory surgery, as these lesions often elude conventional medical imaging.
