Yes, the title sounds like an episode from Star Wars. Unfortunately, there aren't cute little Ewoks running around in this battle. As some of you may know (and some of you may not know) last July, I was diagnosed with Endometriosis. It's actually a very common disease in women and the symptoms vary with each person. One of the main symptoms is infertility. So, I've been coming to terms with not being able to have kids (physically). Some days are better than others. I guess today isn't really a good day, since I actually want to blog about it. There are definitely other options that we're looking at and adoption is top on the list. Fertility doctors and in vitro procedures are too expensive for a pastor and secretary's pocketbook and with my prognosis, it might not really be worth the try, pain and heartache to do those procedures.
But the main reason I'm even blogging about this is for many of you to know about this disease. As of now, there is no cure. None. But there are ways of healing and ways of keeping some of the symptoms at bay. Symptoms run from moodiness, PMS-like symptoms (but sometimes about 10 times worse), infertility, digestive problems, headaches, anxiety, lower back pain, fatigue, depression, hypoglycemia, and many other symptoms linked with our reproductive organs. Also, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is more common in women with endometriosis, as well as, Hypothyroidism, Fibromyalgia, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. We don't know how a woman gets Endometriosis, although it could very well be genetic.
So, what is it? Ok, I'm going to get a tad graphic here, but it's my daily life and it's something I deal with all the time, so it's just what I live with on a daily basis. Basically, the lining that a woman sheds each month (which is normal for all women) but for women with Endometriosis, the lining ends up going through her system and that lining adheres to other organs in the body, causing lesions, pain and sometimes ruining the reproductive organs. The Dr. that performed my surgery (which determined my diagnosis) found this lining even in my hip, as well as my ovaries and uterus.
Ok, what can be done? Well, there are lots of artificial and sometimes harmful ways to alleviate the pain. One type is a hormone shot that was actually created for men with prostate cancer. Um. No thank you. There are types of surgeries that can be done, but some women go through life having many surgeries in their lifetime. I'm learning a lot about diet and herbal supplements, massage, acupuncture, that can possibly benefit in the healing of symptoms of this disease. There are a lot of foods I should and shouldn't eat to help with a lot of my symptoms. And while it's hard to do, it can become a matter of quality of life vs. a miserable daily life.
Did you know that it is estimated that over 70 million women suffer from Endometriosis. It is more common than breast cancer or AIDS and despite the amount of women who have this disease, not many people know about it and there is still no cure. On one of the more popular sites (www.endo-resolved.com) dedicated to Endometriosis, it says "Endometriosis is serious. It is affecting millions of women around the world. It is not simply disrupting women’s lives, it can be devastating for most women. It affects her health, her quality of life, her possibilities of having children, her income earning potential, her emotional well-being, her relationships, her sex life, her economics if she lives in a country where she has to pay for treatment, her social life; in essence it affects her entire life." I also have a friend, Melissa, in New Zealand who has a blog full of information and hope for women who suffer from Endometriosis. Check out her blog: www.cureendometriosis.com
So, it's a lot to take in. It's a lot of information. It's sometimes too much for me to digest on some days. And it's also important to shout it from the roof tops to make people aware that this is out there. You never know, it might help someone in the long run that you know about this disease.
Remember to be kind to one another and live life to the fullest. Don't take each other for granted and live in every moment!
