Page 43 - March 2023 Issue

Endometriosis Awareness who stopped asking me to do things placed on us from dealing with a disease
Month 2023 because I would always have to cancel most know nothing about.
plans, or have to leave early due to the
Endometriosis pain I was in. These are memories that I We must all work together to support

buried a long time ago hoping to never and comfort each other during this jour-
A Whole-Body have to relive them but I know in my ney. We can not get through it alone.
The next time someone says they are
Disease mission to hopefully bring awareness in pain or are having a bad day, please
to this disease and help other women
remember that just because someone
By Shannon Pinder Hannawald I would need to be completely honest.
looks OK on the outside doesn’t mean
What is endometriosis? If you ask a One night I had finally had it and I they are OK on the inside. We all need
doctor, endometriosis is defined as a decided I couldn’t take it anymore. I some sort of support and compassion
painful disorder in which tissue simi- went and got one of my medications instead of judgment because you never
lar to the tissue that normally lines the and I took the entire bottle. I didn’t care know what battle someone else is fi ght-
inside of your uterus — the endome- anymore. I didn’t care who would be ing. Ask questions, educate yourself and

trium — grows outside your uterus. affected by my choice to do this. I didn’t others so that each woman will know
Endometriosis most commonly involves care about anything at this point. My she has someone in her corner. Having

your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the mom happened to walk in after I took support from those closest to you or
tissue lining your pelvis. It has now been the bottle of medication. She called 911 even an acquaintance can make a true

found on the lungs, brain and other and I had to drink a bunch of charcoal difference in someones life. If we know
organs outside of the pelvic cavity. to make me throw up the medication we are supported it will help each of us

However if you ask a woman who has in my system. After that I was sent to a to fight harder and be our own advocate
been diagnosed with endometriosis they hospital for treatment of my depression until someone listens.
will tell you endometriosis is a whole but honestly, what was the point. Th ere March is Endometriosis Awareness

body disease that affects every part of was not a single person who understood Month so if you know someone who
each woman in a diff erent way. how I felt or what I was going through. has been diagnosed with this disease ask

Most know that endometriosis causes After that night I decided I wasn’t going questions or do a search to learn more.
severe pain, infertility and numerous to stop until I got answers. I needed to There are many women who lose the
other medical issues, but the way it know what was causing me so much mental and emotional battle this disease
affects us mentally and emotionally is pain not just physically but mentally and causes and that is not acceptable and

just as important. It takes on average emotionally as well. Nobody should be needs to be changed. My heart breaks
ten years to receive a diagnosis, in which made to feel like there is nothing wrong each time I hear of an Endo sister who
time most that know you don’t believe with them because they “look OK on feels she is so alone and cannot fight
anything is wrong with you because the outside.” anymore.

the doctors do not find anything in the

Aft er searching for five years, I fi nally Endometriosis is a horrible disease;
normal tests that are run. Endometriosis
found a doctor that knew exactly what physically, emotionally, and mentally.
can only be diagnosed by laparoscopic
was wrong with me the moment I told However, if we have compassion and
surgery.
him my symptoms. Endometriosis? understanding for each other, it makes
In my personal story, I spent the fi rst fi ve Why had nobody else known this or it a little easier to get through the hard
years of the doctors telling my parents I even mentioned this to my parents. days.
was lying because I wanted to get out of Once I was diagnosed I was faced with For more Info: Endo Warriors of the
school. It all started when I was 15 and a whole new set of fears, lifetime pain, Eastern Shore - www.endowarriorsoft -
I was in excruciating pain that nobody infertility, doctors who weren’t really heeasternshore.com and www.facebook.
seemed to know anything about or had educated on this disease and many other com/endowarrorsoft heeasternshore.
any desire to help me figure out what chronic illnesses that are linked to endo-

was wrong. I now know as I look back metriosis. 2nd Annual Wear Yellow
my parents didn’t really have much of a

There have been hard days the past 25 for Endo Day
choice but to believe the doctors but it
years. Days or weeks of being in a dark
took me a long time to be able to under- We are asking everyone to wear
place with depression and anxiety but
stand that and forgive the people who yellow, light their house up
I know I have to fight through them.
were supposed to love and protect me. yellow, and then post to the
I have to help other women not get to
Endo Warriors of the Eastern
I spent the first two years in a severe the place I was that night I decided to Shore Facebook page. The more
depression because there was nobody take that medication and end it all. Th is yellow the better because that

that would listen to me. I had doctors disease affects each of us diff erently, but means people are listening and
telling my family I was lying, friends I can tell you each of us face the same want to help.
emotional and mental issues that are
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