I was pickled tink to notice that I have a new follower this morning! Welcome, Faye!
I followed her Blogger profile to her website and there discovered a favorite new motto: It's a great life if you don't weaken. She writes, "It's always seemed to me that the difference in those who go beyond the basic are those who don't weaken, don't let worry or fear of failure or embarrassment stop them." Well said, and amen, sister! Praise the lord and pass the ammunition! ;) So, if you don't mind, Faye, I'd love to steal that slogan for myself for a while!
Tangentially related, I received an invitation last week from the U of M, asking me to participate in a study titled "A Quality of Life Comparison of Women Who Experience Treatment-related and Spontaneous Menopause." I responded this morning, saying that I would participate. Why? Do I have extra time on my hands? (No.) Are they paying study subjects a stipend that I could so desperately use? (No.) I'm participating because, if there's any chance that this study could result in information that might, one day, prevent a woman from going thru the years of pain, both physical & emotional, that I went through . . . well, then it's worth it!
And, with that, back to work I go.
Good girl! I let them (a team of dr's & students) videotape my 6.5 hour surgery to remove all the endometrial tissue, it was so bad that I had some settle near my shoulders & brain... obviously they didnt' take that out LOL! I hope it provides much needed training to all those incompetent OB/GYNS that try and "treat" endometriosis themselves instead of giving referrals to an endocrinologist, here's to finding great doctors!
ReplyDeleteYah! Endo girls UNITE! ;)
ReplyDeleteLooks like I might have to have surgery again....anything you can do to bring awareness to this horrible disease is great!
ReplyDeleteSheri, ohhhh, I am SO sorry! You know, I actually gave thought to starting a endo "support group" via a blog just for that. But, I think I'd have to charge an entrance fee to cover my time in keeping it up. ($25?)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, if you need someone to talk to, I've been thru it all! You can e-mail me at chickenmama at boreal.org. :)
Ha! That was my dad's favorite saying when we kids were growing up. It was said in a somewhat weary but also passionate voice.
ReplyDeleteGood on ya for participating in the study.
Not only does it effect us women, but the great men we have in our lives as well....Sometimes I think Jeremy needs more support than me, atleast I have the good pain meds! He just sits and watches me suffer, which I suspect is just as hard on him. That whole this hurts me more than it hurts you thing going on....or I'd trade places with you if I could.....Erin how did they find endo near your brain and shoulders? Did you have some sort of body scan before surgery?
ReplyDeleteHi Sherry, I had several MRI's that didn't show as much as had hoped, but when I was opened up and they saw how extensive it was they were able to peek around with a laparoscope again further and saw that my entire abdomen was "glued together" basically, bladder onto the uterus, uterus onto the spine, etc, etc... the telling symtoms for me was menstrual cramps like clockwork in the shoulders and neck. Since I had 2 6 hour surgeries with such extensive damage, dr's said it was a safe bet that it was endometrial tissue there as well. They ended up "lining" my uterus with a gore-tex like fabric which was supposed to inhibit tissue from adhering, but 2 years later they opened me up again and the dr said that the medical company that makes the lining had a rep in the room and he turned white as a ghost when he saw that it didn't work... at all! Us girls could go on and on :) I am so sorry you are dealing with this, I understand the pain. Unfortunately my first marriage didn't survive the endo and infertility issues, but now I have that strong wonderful man I was meant to be with, and 6 surgeries later, I have 2 wonderful boys, and just in time - since now I'm in early menopause LOL, hang in there, we are always here to chat if you need us!
ReplyDeleteWow....thanks for sharing Erin....what a story and I am so happy for you and your 2 little bundles of joy! I had a MRI scan about a month ago and they found 2 new masses and a cyst on my right ovary, again. As I am about to turn 42, it looks a hysto for me! No babies. Gotta have an unltrasound soon but I just keep putting it off. Don't really want to go through surgery again, especially this time of year. 2 Years ago, when I woke up from surgery there was a hurricane heading straight for my house....going to wait for hurricane season to be over, yeah it sounds crazy! Thanks for sharing, I am doing pretty ok and staying busy. Missing my man as he is up north right now for the next few weeks!
ReplyDeleteSherri (sorry I spelled it wrong before!), it does sound crazy, but I understand about hurricane season, I am putting off my fall garden planting right now and waiting for it to be over! I hope for the best for you, you know what's crazy? The endo wasn't my fertility problem since it was all located on the EXterior of my reproductive organs, but they found I had a double uterus, so that's the thing that had to be surgically made into one for the preg to happen. Too bad we can't all commiserate together over a glass of wine, I'm sure there would be some tears and some laughs, too. Hang in there! Hey ChickenMama, where are you? We hijacked your blog!
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