This is my story… Joy Elizabeth Turner

Endometriosis. That was the “official” diagnosis. After years of suffering through pain, excessive absences from school/work and extreme fatigue that would often impede upon even the simplest routine, there was finally a “name” to this evil entity that plagued my body. I was told during one procedure, they discovered scarring and adhesions that were situated on a nerve and the risk involved in removing those adhesions could leave me paralyzed from the waist down. Additionally, I’ve always been told that the only “real” remedy to end the endo was through hysterectomy. I wasn’t completely convinced and I also had some doubts about the effectiveness of that particular surgery given the information about the nerve tissue. All of the technical, medical “babble” just frustrated me because I still wasn’t hearing a definite resolution to end my pain.  



Endometriosis. That was the “official” diagnosis. After years of suffering through pain, excessive absences from school/work and extreme fatigue that would often impede upon even the simplest routine, there was finally a “name” to this evil entity that plagued my body. I was told during one procedure, they discovered scarring and adhesion's that were situated on a nerve and the risk involved in removing those adhesion's could leave me paralyzed from the waist down. Additionally, I’ve always been told that the only “real” remedy to end the endo was through hysterectomy. I wasn’t completely convinced and I also had some doubts about the effectiveness of that particular surgery given the information about the nerve tissue. All of the technical, medical “babble” just frustrated me because I still wasn’t hearing a definite resolution to end my pain.

There was a movie out once called the “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” and although I honestly can’t remember much about the plot or script of this film, the title pretty much sums up what it feels like when symptoms of endo are at their worst. I once had a dear 96-year old woman (I was her caregiver at the time) say to me, ”pain makes you a different person.” That phrase stuck with me, it adhered to me like Velcro as I realized that at times my own endo pain had a tendency of altering my mood to the point where I no longer felt like myself. I became someone else whose characteristics embodied irritability, depression, low-tolerance and a bad attitude. And I’m supposed to be a Christian woman, minister of the gospel, strong woman of faith! Yet, I have this “thorn” that I just can’t shake, and when the pain hits… it hits hard. Even with a “mustard seed” of faith left, nothing could dilute, diminish, erase, cover, or hide the fact that yes… I too am in pain. BUT, there is a silver lining to my story. 

My goal as a writer and entrepreneur is to be able to someday coach and counsel other women who have been suffering with endo and other life-altering conditions to create a better balance in their lives through entrepreneurship and tapping into their individual gifts, talents and abilities. My first book “Content…Right Where I Am” was actually born out of my own struggles, which did include this battle with endometriosis. I truly believe that although I may still have symptoms and require pain meds (AND a heating pad from time to time…), I speak healing into my situation and all of my fellow endo sisters. All hope is not loss and together we unite in VICTORY over endo.

Joy & Blessings!

Joy E. Turner

www.joyeturner.com

Emma's Endometriosis Epic

I am Emma Latham, twenty-nine years old and this is my story, the story of my health anyway. If I included everything else it wouldn't just fill a page, it would fill a book. Maybe a book I’ll write one day! For as long as I can remember I've always been a sickly child; not sickly as in anything really serious, just colds, flu, the usual bugs kids catch. As I got older I developed problems with my ears from flying, then as a teenager asthma, bowel problems and slight anxiety issues and OCD - not the kind of OCD you would think though. I was obsessed with keeping busy, not stopping; this led to my mind and body giving way to exhaustion many, many times.

Then I met the man of my dreams. I fell pregnant and when my son was around 5 months old the pains started. My periods had always been painful and irregular, and I didn't think they could get any worse but they did. The doctors often suspected appendicitis, but I didn't have that. So I was just given medication to control my periods basically. I do find a lot of what happened before actually getting diagnosed a blur, so I may have missed out bits. That's what the pain does to you: it makes everything fuzzy and makes days blur together. What stands out the most though is the incompetence of a certain doctor at a certain hospital, starving me for a week to do tests, then sending me home stating "No point in doing any tests anyway because we are not going to find anything are we?" I was like “I don’t know” and was sobbing my heart out. I went home the next day and spent the next month in a worse state than the one which I’d attended the hospital in. I was scared to go to hospital and a bit anxious about attending the doctors’ surgery again.

So by then my son was five years old and I was exhausted all the time, in a lot of pain and being treated for tension headaches and depression; I say the word depression loosely because I didn’t feel I was depressed I was just not happy that I was in pain all the time, and found it hard to cope with that factor. And also I was suffering badly with my hands; I had the carpel tunnel operation and it didn't work, and I was too much of a wimp to go through the pain to have the operation on the other hand. I went to the doctors so many times to deal with pain and they just said “Period pains, new drugs blah blah blah”. For a long time I felt like it was all in my head the pain I was suffering and the way I was feeling. I just felt at a loss. For a long time I felt like it was all in my head, the pain I was suffering and the way I was feeling. I just felt at a loss. In between all this going off I tried to stay positive. I went back to university because I’ve always believed writing is a good therapeutic practice and I managed to complete a MA in Creative Writing. During the course though I had a miscarriage, and our son blamed himself. I felt sorrier for him than I did myself. I wrote this poem, and then didn’t really deal with it again.

Until We Meet Again

The magic stick reads:

Positive!

A million thoughts run through my head:

How can I afford another child?

We have no space!

What If I’m not ready?

I already have one child!

I need to figure out what I’m going to do

Abortion, no I couldn’t do it.

One week later sat at the computer

The baby is coming

Not to meet life, but to meet death

The gods decided his or her fate

And I had no say.

Today, I cope; I try not to think about it

He must have overheard me and his daddy talk

Thinking he is to blame for the loss of our baby

I begin to cry, hold him tight

The gods decided his or her fate

And we had no say.

Anyway I moved from several towns; my bowels got worse, the periods got worse, the headaches got worse, and yes the mystery pains I was having got worse, and my hormones were so out of control. One minute I'd be okay, the next minute I'd be screaming, and the next minute I'd be in tears. I just didn't know what to do; I didn't know where to turn. I mistrusted doctors and hospitals, but in the end I'd had enough so with persuasion, I went to see the nurse and the doctor. They suggested it may be Endometriosis; at that point I was like “Endo- what- e- what-o??” because I had never heard of it before. It was briefly described to me, but to be honest I was still puzzled.

On February 2011, I had a Laparoscopy; they discovered adhesion's had developed due to me having a C-section with my son, and Endometriosis in the abdominal area. I was lucky; as it was bad in that area but they managed to laser it away, I think! I then went on the Prostap injection not long after surgery. I hated the way it changed me. I know it’s meant to change your body into a menopausal state, but I was just “arghhhh!” How do I describe it, as I said before: the screaming, the crying, the shouting, but worse; my anxiety levels were through the roof. I was like dynamite ready to explode at any second, and I'd get so upset and angry about the littlest things. I had turned into a monster. 

My poor husband barely slept because I was pulling the cover off and on. I kept getting up during the night  because I was drinking so much fluid. I am surprised the whole house didn't catch pneumonia to be honest because of the amount of times I'd left the windows open; when the weather outside was freezing. My Doctor then suggested HRT to me, and I'd seen with my own two eyes what that can do. I did not want facial hair; I am not a man for Christ’s sake! I wanted to use HRT and deal with menopause when it’s the right time to be dealing with it, not before I am 30 thank you very much! I said good-bye to that idea, and hello to the idea of having another child. So the gynecologist sent me away all smiles all happy, with no reason why I couldn't get pregnant and wished us good luck.

My periods started being regular; I know regular I couldn’t believe it either. It took four months after stopping the Prostap -and it felt like I was waiting forever to stop using it. For some reason I thought “ok I’m Endometriosis free, now all I have to do is make love with my knight, have that perfect moment, a bit of magic and ping a little prince or princess will start growing”. But No! Because life isn’t a fairytale! Please understand that Endometriosis, isn’t something that just leaves you simply after one surgical dooh dah! I even went to the gynecologist again asking for more support in conceiving, and what could I do because I was in agony. I was told to choose right then and there to "go away and be in pain and try and conceive, or be treated." I felt awful being put on the spot like that. That health care personnel just seemed so incompetent as she suggested me to try the pill; even after I’d told her I couldn’t due to other health problems. At times I have been in so much pain I’d be screaming and crying “Just take it all out of me, just take it all out” meaning I want a hysterectomy, but I just got laughed at when it came to that remark.

Now this is where time and days blurred even more into one, because I finally convinced the doctors actually I need fertility treatment and what happens, soon as I sorted it out something else would go wrong with my health. My eyes start burning and I become sensitive to the light, I feel the urge to close the curtains and wear sunglasses even though there is no sun outside, it’s just daytime. I joked with the doctor, I think I am turning, turning into a vampire. Turns out I am not a vampire; sadly because that would have been kind of cool except the whole sucking blood thing; I’m practically a vegetarian. Anyway, I was seen by an Optician, who referred me back to the doctor, who refers me to a specialist at the hospital . . . At this point I start to get dizzy. Yes, I am blonde! But that’s not the reason. 

Well, the visit to hospital turned into nearly a three week stay. They found fluid in my brain causing pressure behind my eyes. I nearly went blind. It was scary; I pictured my son’s whole life in my mind, and the thought of not seeing him again was one of the worst experiences of my life. Various scans, x-rays and tests revealed that I have a birth defect: the tubes in my brain that take the fluids out are very narrow, and I also have chronic sinusitis. I was given more medication in the hospital, and the side effects at first were horrible. Some parts of this will make you laugh; some parts you’ll think how can she forget stuff like this? I forget what I am saying, or what I am doing, or where I am going, who I am, who my son is, who my husband is, I just didn’t recognize them. And I was aggressive and swearing and getting really agitated. My mum said I was like a stroppy teenager, she didn’t know how to deal with me because I’d never been like that even when I was a teenager. Just to add to the list of “Em’s Health Problems” I always get acid reflux, I’ve been in and out of hospital and the doctor’s surgery with that also.

When they say pain changes a girl, I totally agree. I have changed so much. I guess I have become more caring, understanding, and appreciative of the family and friends who have stuck by my side, even though I have cancelled on them numerous times. My attitude towards life has changed: I used to be so ambitious, and when I look back even though I wasn’t horrible and nasty I was kind of selfish, I have become selfless. I don’t care about having money or the best whatever material latest rubbish is out today. I don’t care about the big house, the fancy car, the big bank balance, a high end career - I once did though. All I care about is getting through each day the best I can, showing my family and friends and endo sisters that I love them, and helping and being there for them the best ways I’m able. I guess all I want is to make a difference; I just take it one step at a time. My story is not going to end here. I will make a difference because that is my purpose.

Article by Emma Latham

Straight Dope: A 360 Degree Look Into American Drug Culture. Author, LeRon L. Barton

Straight Dope is a book that asks the simple question–why are drugs so entrenched in America’s society. Instead of doing the same ol’ rigamarole song and dance and interviewing talking heads and experts, Straight Dope gets to the heart of the matter and talks to the people at ground zero–the drug addicts whose lives revolve around getting high; the criminals who profit off the misery of the addicts; the teachers who deal with the children in drug abused homes; the drug counselors who try to balance breaking the addicts cycle of addiction while dealing with the bureaucracy of government politics; the legal marijuana growers’ battle against tobacco companies and how to thrive in the growing industry; and the parents’ issue of how they will prepare their children to just say no.

Inspired by the late great Studs Terkel’s many works, Straight Dope is comprised of raw and uncut hard hitting interviews about the participants experiences, thoughts, opinions, and outlook on drug abuse, why or why not drugs should be legal, and how the government is handling the war on drugs.

Removing nearly all of the questions, the interviews are more like monologues, allowing the reader to feel as if the subject is just, “talking,” instead of your standard interview.

In addition to the real life accounts, Straight Dope also includes spoken word pieces compiled of biting social commentary, as well as my own personal reflections comprised of my experiences with drugs.

 

Book SYNOPSIS:

Straight Dope is a book that asks the simple question–why are drugs so entrenched in America’s society. Instead of doing the same ol’ rigamarole song and dance and interviewing talking heads and experts, Straight Dope gets to the heart of the matter and talks to the people at ground zero–the drug addicts whose lives revolve around getting high; the criminals who profit off the misery of the addicts; the teachers who deal with the children in drug abused homes; the drug counselors who try to balance breaking the addicts cycle of addiction while dealing with the bureaucracy of government politics; the legal marijuana growers’ battle against tobacco companies and how to thrive in the growing industry; and the parents’ issue of how they will prepare their children to just say no.

Inspired by the late great Studs Terkel’s many works, Straight Dope is comprised of raw and uncut hard hitting interviews about the participants experiences, thoughts, opinions, and outlook on drug abuse, why or why not drugs should be legal, and how the government is handling the war on drugs.

Removing nearly all of the questions, the interviews are more like monologues, allowing the reader to feel as if the subject is just, “talking,” instead of your standard interview. In addition to the real life accounts, Straight Dope also includes spoken word pieces compiled of biting social commentary, as well as my own personal reflections comprised of my experiences with drugs.

 About the Author:

My name is LeRon L. Barton and I was born in Kansas City, MO in 1978 (totally dating myself – LOL). Like any Midwestern person, I wanted to come to California. Why? Because of the weather and the beaches, duh! After going to school for IT and moving from San Diego to The Bay Area, which I absolutely love, there was a void in my life. I broke down and admitted to myself, I am an artist! All my life I knew that I wanted to be a writer, well a stuntman, then a race car driver (I still want to!), but finally settled on using the power of the written word. I have written poetry, short stories, essays, and two screen plays, but I have always wanted to write a book. The idea for Straight Dope came because I wanted to create something real and impact–something about which I had knowledge. Where I come from, in my neighborhood, circle of friends, and way of life, drugs have always been around. Instead of taking a judgmental view of the topic, I wanted to have people tell their own story as I listened. I just didn’t want to talk to law enforcement and get this uniform answer on drugs in America, I wanted a well rounded look into drug culture, hence the title, Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American drug culture. This is my first book, but definitely not the last. I hope to continue to release projects that will make people take a step back and listen, learn, and as they say around my way – “Recognize, realize, and analyze.”

• Book Content:

  The reader advisory rating for this book is 18+. We deem it important to provide a reader advisory and an excerpt for those interested in reviewing books. If at any time you are unsure about the content of a title or feel that you would not be able to give an honest review, or just don’t have the time to read and review–we recommend selecting another way to promote the author. Author interview, book introduction, excerpt or guest post are always available and they are all required to be PG.

  
  

  Purchase the Book Online at:

  Amazon.com: Kindle / Paperback
  

   

  For More Information

  Visit the author online at:
  Email: info@mainlinepub.com
  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/leron-barton/1/b/2b7
  Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ninjagaiden78/
  Twitter: https://twitter.com/MainlineLeRon
  Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/channels/mainline
  Website: www.mainlinepub.com
  YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/MainlinePub
  
  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions: This giveaway is sponsored by the author, LeRon L. Barton, and administered by At the Water Cooler Virtual Book Tours. The Certain Ones is not responsible for prize fulfillment. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S.A and Canada except where it is considered illegal and/or prohibited. Entrants must be 18 and over to enter. Tour Hosts and their immediate family members are ineligible as entrants. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

You Are Not Alone

 

 What is Endometriosis?  Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that affects at least 6.3 million women and girls in the U.S., 1 million in Canada, and millions more worldwide.

I was never the type of girl who was eager to grow up.  I wasn’t anxiously awaiting the boob fairy (which is good since she never did stop for too long!) and I certainly didn’t want to get my period.  When it arrived, I felt resigned to the hassle. 

My mother warned me that heavy periods ran in the family.  She told me that we were still lucky because “we” didn’t suffer from painful periods.  Heavy?  Yes.  Painful?   No.  Normally, I relished contradicting her.  So it was out-of-character for me to stay quiet when I did have pain.  In the early years of womanhood, the pain was there, yet it was bearable.  The heavy flow was a much bigger battle in high school, forcing me to try to get to a girls’ bathroom hourly and, for the first few days, even get up from sleep every two hours to change.  Over time, my pain grew worse.  In college, I occasionally needed to lie down to escape it.  In graduate school, I’d curl up and cry monthly and I lost a large chunk of studying time every month.  Over the counter (OTC) remedies stopped helping me; I finally stopped bothering with the cost.  Within a year of finishing school (age 24), it would hit the “just let me die” level.  

And yet, I still didn’t speak up.  I can’t cite a single reason.  I had other medical issues and was fine talking to doctors about health matters.  In college, I helped run workshops for teens on safe sex so I could talk about sensitive issues.  I eventually told a GYN about the heavy flow and asked for the Pill (the birth control side was a plus).  Yet, I still didn’t mention my severe pain.  To date, I don’t recall ever being asked.  The Pill proved a great help with the flow issues, but not the pain.  My pain began starting sooner, and lasting longer, it eventually became a month-long source of agony; rather than just tied to my period (which had lasted 6-7 days, the Pill cut that to 5).  I knew then, that I had to speak up.  But I didn’t.  Then one day I passed out at work.  It wasn’t the first time I’d passed out, I’d often welcomed hitting that point since it let me escape, but it was the first time it happened away from my bed.  I don’t recall if my secretary actually heard me hit the ground, the desk chair sliding out from under me, or if she just saw me stumbling a bit afterward when my normally olive-tan skin went ghost pale.  I called the doc, they fit me in, and (after I rejected her offer to drive) my secretary put me in a cab.

 

As soon as I spoke up, talked to the doc, and did a bit of research, I knew endometriosis was the culprit.  The doc suspected it too, but did a bunch of other tests first since endometriosis diagnosis requires surgery.  There were a few bumps, tears, and fears on the way to the formal diagnosis, but I know that process was much worse for many others.  I felt fear when the diagnosis came, but also felt relief.  I finally had a name to my ailment and proof that I wasn’t just a wimp.

There is no cure for endometriosis.  I’ve had three surgeries to remove tissue (it grows back, many women have repeat surgeries).  I take continuous birth control pills (i.e. no placebo week, no period) and they do help a lot.  But if I miss even one or two, I’m back in the fetal position.  The most honest of docs admitted “It is likely we will never get you pain-free” and my reality is that the potential for severe pain is always lurking.  One of the hardest parts is that the pain, which pops up even with the hormone stabilization, is completely invisible.  I’ve faked phone calls where I let people “overhear” me saying the pain was intense so that someone would offer me a seat on the train since they couldn’t tell anything was wrong from looking.  People doubt pain they can’t see, even more so when it is in the realm of “women’s issues.”  

Endometriosis can be a very lonely disease.  My number one piece of advice to women facing endometriosis is to reach out.  There is an amazing community of women who support each other and who DO understand.  They are willing to talk about it all -- pain, heavy bleeding, treatments that work, treatments that don’t, and the impact it all has on sex.  You can find blogs and support groups online (even on Facebook).  This demon is REAL and you are NOT alone.  Speak up. 

 

Story by Cheryl Edwards

Endometriosis Resources

www.medicinenet.com/endometriosis

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/endometriosis/DS00289/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis

http://www.endo-resolved.com/diet.html

MY STORY - An Endo Awarness Challenge

by Michelle N. Johnson


So, today is the last day of Endometrosis Awareness Month. I hope you guys have have been educated enlightened and empowered by all the posts, info, and dialogue I've been sharing with you all month. Hugs and Thank Yous to EVERYBODY who pitched in and helped me to make this happen!  When I started this, I was asked to complete a challenge by answering a series of questions about my personal experience to help others learn more about what it is actually like to live w/ this disease. I decided to share my challenge with you as my last 'official' post for awareness month. I hope you'll take a few moments to read this and continue to help me Fight Fiercely, not just this day but EVERY DAY until we finally put an END to Endo!! Peace & Love Y'all!!!
~MNJ
Endometriosis Awareness - 31 Day Challenge

 Day 1. For me, living with Endometriosis is: EXTREMELY UNPREDICTABLE

Day 2. I was diagnosed with Endometriosis in the year: 2008

Day 3. But I had symptoms since: Looking back, probably around 2000

Day 4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: sacrificing a certain quality of life and learning how to function optimally while being in some sort of semi - medicated state a great majority of the time.
Day 5. Most people assume: #1 It must not be ‘that bad’ because I don’t ‘look sick’ and #2 that because I had surgery, ‘everything is okay now…right?’

  Day 6. These are the treatments I have tried so far: surgery, continuous birth control pills (multiple/various types), Hormone/’Pain Management’ Therapies (Lupron, Danazol, Neurontin, Elavil, Norco, Vocodin, Ibuporphen 800 up to 4x’s a day)

Day 7. The hardest part about mornings are: getting out of bed, getting out of bed on time, getting out of bed with a clear focused mind and train of thought.

Day 8. My Favorite medical TV show is: House  

Day 9. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my mp3 player

Day 10. The hardest part about nights is: GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP/REST, Getting a truly restful, peaceful, undisturbed sleep, Insomnia, Being able to get sleep and stay asleep when the pain is bad, Having the meds disrupt your sleep natural cycle, having only a short period of time to be functional and/or get things done before your pain meds kick in and zombie you out!!!{usus60-90 mins}

Day 11. Each day I take 4-7 pills & vitamins: I take one bc pill, 2 Elavil, up to 4 IB 800s and up to 3 Norco/Vicodin depending on the pain/symptoms, and 1 multivitamin or Prenatal ( how ‘bout THAT for irony – Endo is on of the top three causes of infertility and yet Pre-Natal vitamins are often given to help give needed vitamins/minerals to the reproductive system)

Day 12. Regarding alternative treatments I use: massage therapy self are techniques (obviously, sine I’m a Massage Therapist), Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy, and aromatherapy w/ my hot packs/compresses/baths/showers and massage PRAYER

Day 13. If I had to choose between invisible illness or visible I would choose: NOT TO BE SICK at all! W/an invisible illness you often get ridiculed b/c you don’t ‘look sick’, so its hard for people to understand and /or empathize. With a visible illness, you may get more understanding, but still get ridiculed and/or shunned b/c people CAN see your symptoms. It’s a lose-lose

Day 14. Regarding working and career: It has been SEVERELY affected by having Endo. As a business
owner, I not only am the lead therapist, but I’m the president, administrator, the HR person, the bookkeeper, etc. There are days when I can’t meet deadlines or meetings or when I have to postpone projects, or simply can’t go to work. That bothers me b/c I tend to be a perfectionist and I pride myself on giving my clients and business partners the ultimate in excellence of service. I hate it when I can’t give 100% of myself to my clients, my circle, or myself. When I’m in crisis mode, I often struggle w/ guilt of being ‘idle’ or ‘lazy’ b/c even when I’m lying there doubled over in pain crying my eyes out,  or so doped up I literally can’t see straight – all I can think about is ‘what needs to be done’, ‘what I need to be doing’, all the projects/meetings/networking oops that are falling by the wayside. When I’m able to I push through, I do, and when I can’t I feel absolutely wretched about it!!!!

Day 15. People would be surprised to know: The seriousness of the degree and the severity of my condition. Because it can’t be seen outwardly, and b/c (until now), I haven’t been vocal about it, the few people that (did) now assume that because I’ve had surgery for it – that everything is ‘ok now’.  I often don’t let it show on the outside all that’s going on inside, I’ve become the MASTER of the ‘smile and nod.’

Day 16. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: My new reality! Having to RE-adjust nearly EVERYTHING about the way I live.

 Day 17. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: ‘Come out’ publicly and allow myself to be a spokes-person AND a FACE for this disease so that hopefully my trials with this can lead to someone else’s triumph

Day 18. I feel that Endometriosis Awareness is: EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Before being diagnosed I had never even heard of this disease. After living with it for four years and STILL learning new things about it, I became really pressed, and inspired to educate enlighten and empower other women, and their families and loved ones to truly learn how to be survivors and not just sufferers of this disease
Day 19. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: TMI Alert: sleeping with no panties on!!!

Day 20. It was really hard to have to give up: #1 My left ovary and fallopian tube in order to preserve the rest of me so that I can still be able to have children if/when I’m ready, #2 that super sexy size 14 that I used to be and lost b/c of all the drugs and hormones and their side effects wreaking having on my body! #3 sexy/cute/'girlie' underwear, matching bra and panty sets!

 Day 21. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: researching reading and learning as much as I can and educating as many people as I can that will let me talk their ears off about it.

 Day 22. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: start kickboxing again, go out w/ my girls and juke my lil heart away until I sweat my perm out!!! Go panty-less whenever I felt like it!!!

Day 23. Endometriosis has taught me: that although it came close, that what didn't kill me will DEF made me stronger; it taught me that real life is what HAPPENS to you while you’re making PLANS for it;  it has taught me that the ONLY thing constant in life is CHANGE; It taught me that I can face some of the darkest nights that life can throw at me, but the Diamond in me we will SOMEHOW find a way to shine through, it taught me that you can still be in the midst of YOUR wilderness and STILL help someone else find a way out of theirs.

 Day 24. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: #1 You need to hurry up and get pregnant – you KNOW you ain’t got that much time left {THIS coming from DOCTORS!!! IKR!!!!} #2 'oooh girl, you go through all that - I would just get they hysterectomy and be done with it!! {THIS coming from chicks w/ a litter of kids runnin' around}

 Day 25. But I love it when people: Are genuinely concerned about me. Not feeling 'sorry for me', but sincerely being compassionate and trying to understand. Gimme hugs when I need them, let me vent when I need too w/o judgement

Day 26. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is:  #1 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm yo
u, plans to give you hope and a future."
~Jeremiah 29:11#2 - I need you, you meed me, we all need each other - ~Pastor Danjuma Gibson
Day 27. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: If you need me, I am here. Few people can say this and mean it, but I KNOW what you are going through.

Day 28. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: That I (unknowingly) went so long and lived so many years with this w/o ever being diagnosed

Day 29. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was:{different people at different times} Bring me food when I wasn’t able to stand/walk/cook for myself; took me to the doctor and stayed with me; Ask me if I was okay and if they could do anything to help; Held me and rubbed my tummy and my lower back when it was killing me; Helped me throw up so I could rid of that nauseated ‘blah’ feeling!

Day 30. I’m involved with Endometriosis awareness month because: OVER 176 MILLION WOMEN, TEENS, AND GIRLS suffer from this disease and only a fraction of people have ever even heard the word!

Day 31. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: like you cared enough about me, that I meant enough to you, that you would take the time to see through my eyes, what it's like to live with endometriosis.
BE EDUCATED. BE ENLIGHTENED. BE EMPOWERED.


 copyright March 31, 2012

Contact Michelle N. Johnson
 www.essentialetherapeutic.com
info@essentialetherapeutic.com