Help Me Get Medical Care!

Hi, all. For the past 20 years, I have had mystery pain all over my body, but especially in my pelvic region. I have had numerous tests done, seen countless specialists who dismissed my symptoms as nothing more than "woman's pain", and received what I now feel is an incorrect diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Now, I will be having a laparoscopy on October 24 for potential endometriosis. This surgery could change my life by finally giving me the answers to my pain, as well as removing the root cause (endo lesions). If it is endometriosis, the excision could potentially give me a quality of life I have only dreamed of.

I have struggled for so long with joint aches, pelvic pain, extreme fatigue, brain fog (memory difficulties, confusion, inability to focus, comprehension difficulties), nausea, heart palpitations, abdnominal bloating, insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

Endometriosis is a poorly understood condition due to the medical community's longstanding belief that it is just bad period pain. It isn't. Endo has been found in every organ of the body including the brain, lungs, and intestines. It is more accurately described as a full body disease, meaning it can affect all organs and systems of the body. It is extremely painful, and can directly contribute to depression and anxiety. It is estimated that 1 in 7 women, and an untold number of queer and non-binary people, have this disease.

Currently, there is no cure for this disease. It often doesn't show up in imaging tests and there is no blood test for it. The only way to diagnose it is through laparoscopy and removing the lesions and sending them to pathology. Removal of endometriosis, even with a total hysterectomy, is not a cure. It is possible for endo lesions to grow back and require additional laparoscopies, though there are those who find lasting relief from their surgeries (fingers crossed that I'm one of them!).

I know things are very difficult financially for so many right now, so I do not ask for donations lightly. My pain has caused me to be out of work for all of this year and most recently I have had to put my mortuary studies on hold. In years past, I have missed many days of work and lost out on wages.

Your donations will help with surgery and the accompanying medical bills that have built up due to the significant increase in pain I have had over the past 5 months. It will also help with rent, utilities, groceries, and the pelvic floor physical therapy I will need after surgery, as well as a possible referral to a urogynecologist depending on the results of the surgery.

I want to thank each person who reads this, donates, or shares this. Thank you to everyone who has called, texted, messaged, and visited me, as well as those of you who are sending good vibes and prayers my way. Your encouragement and compassion mean more to me than you know. I wish you all well. <3