At 24 I got married, shortly after marriage the pelvic pain was becoming debilitating. I went back to the gyn, told him of my symptoms and hoped this time I would find the answers. I was told that if I was having pain during sex my husband must be doing it wrong! Can you imagine hearing that? I didn't want to argue with the gyn so I once again accepted his script for Motrin and was on my way.

After years of countless ER visits, doctor exams, and crying on the bathroom floor curled up in a ball, I finally got the diagnoses. I was trying to conceive the summer of 97 with no luck. In the spring of 98 I decided to see a totally different gyn to find out why. She said she wanted to do a lap to see what was going on in there. She had it scheduled within 2 weeks. I woke up in recovery to my doctor telling me I had stage III Endometriosis. I was stunned. I had no idea I had that, I had very little knowledge of this disease, I had no idea how much that diagnosis was going to change my life

My symptoms returned just 4 months after that first surgery. I tried Lupron for 3 months. In October 98 I had emergency surgery for a ruptured cyst. I was told after that surgery my Endo was stage IV. Within weeks my symptoms were back. In December 98 I had my 3rd surgery. My bladder was punctured, I developed post surgical pneumonia, and I spent two day's in the hospital on IV antibiotics. By this time depression was setting in. "Why me, why is my body turning on me, why can't I be normal?" 4 weeks later I had my 4th surgery, I had my gallbladder and appendix removed. I had endo wrapped around the appendix and removing it was difficult. The recovery from that surgery was hard. By March 99 all the unmistakable signs of endo were back. I swore to myself that I would last as long as I could before any more surgeries, but... on April 12th I had my 5th surgery. This time with a pelvic pain specialist at the University in my state. During my last surgery I was found to have severe pelvic adhesions, it was my 5th surgery so that wasn't a surprise. My uterus was completely tilted sideways and the top of it was stuck to the side of my pelvic cavity. The pain before this surgery was enormous. I am now nearly 2 months post op and I feel better than I have in months if not years. I am hopeful now that I won't need surgery again for a long time, and I am even hopeful enough now to try for pregnancy this summer.

But I do know that as long as I am breathing I will have this disease. Right now I am feeling good, but I also live with the threat that someday it will be back full force. I can't let that rule my life though. I have been happily married for 6 years, and have a wonderful little boy I adopted from birth. Those are the people who get me through the day to day stuff and give me something to look forward to.