March is Endometriosis Awareness Month
#249527 - 03/01/06 02:14 PM
|
|
|
|
|
jen1013
Reged: 05/06/05
Posts: 1322
Loc: the wabe
|
|
|
I guess since March is such a sucky month anyway, you can't ruin it any further by thinking about chronic ailments. 
Just a friendly reminder -- make sure you truly get this one ruled out other than just thinking, "Oh, I'm sure I don't have that." Unfortunately, there's no way to prove you do or don't have endometriosis without a laparoscopy, but a COMPETENT gynecologist will be able to gauge if the risk is high enough to warrant the surgery.
For the endo-free, I believe that a nice way to acknowledge your awareness is to help out an endometriosis sufferer in some way. Like, I could REALLY use some help with my laundry over here.
--------------------
jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Well...I don't live close enough to do your laundry for you...but if you think of something I can do from a distance...I'm all there 
I think it's really cool they have an endo awareness month! Thanks for sharing this with us. :-)
How are you doing today? I hope it's a GREAT one for you *hugs*
With lots of love,
Sarala (Ruchie)
--------------------
Formerly known as Ruchie
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thanks for posting this and reminding us to reach out to those who need help. A coworker of mine just had surgery and possibly a hysterectomy for this. I'll find out more tomorrow - I got her a card and some word puzzles, but I'd like to get her something that will make her more comfortable post-op. (She already has plenty of help at home.) If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Well, if she has a hyst then her recovery will be a lot worse than mine, but when I had my lap, my godsends were:
- pillows to keep me mostly propped up
- comfy blankie (or two) to snuggle on the couch with
- small sugary nibbly things (helped w/ nausea) -- jelly beans, gummy candies, fruity stuff
- hot soups, hot beverages
- movies/TV shows
- books (caveat on this one -- I couldn't quite sit up nor quite lie down, so it was actually somewhat tough to read the first couple days because of the awkward position)
- limited-effort busywork for hands (I did embroidery)
One thing I didn't have but would've loved was some kind of bed tray so that I could've done stuff like write or at least more easily eat soup. If I had known beforehand what it would be like, I also would've gotten a DVD set, something like the first season of "Grey's Anatomy" or "House".
The word puzzles are a good idea -- she probably won't be up for them the first couple days, but they should come in really handy when she's feeling better mentally but still needs to stay inactive. Does she already have plenty of pillows/blankets? I always love getting blankets -- I don't think you can ever have too many. I am pretty sentimental about mine. 
Hope your friend's surgery went well, that her recovery is speedy, and that she feels a million times better!!
--------------------
jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thanks so much for the great ideas, Jen! I especially liked the blanket one - definitely can't have too many - and the small candies to help with nausea.
Excellent! Thanks again! 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
For everybody else it's March. For the unlucky ones it's every month!
I've had this since I was 14 and have only felt true relief since I've chemically stopped my periods. For me "Lack of endo awareness" month is officially sponsored by depo provera.
~nelly~ 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Having recently gone through a hysto in the fall for adenomyosis (endo inside the uterine walls) and fibroids, the best gift I got was from my sister in law: a basket with a bag of my favorite candies (sugar babies), a 'brain candy' book (funny, easy to read, not hard to put down when I was sleepy), a puzzle book, a fuzzy throw, and a small stuffed animal. It was great! She also came and got my kids and carted them around. Me, too, when I was about 3 - 4 weeks out and not allowed to drive but going stir crazy at home for the hour or two I was awake  . We went to lunch and a movie one day, and to my daughter's first soccer game another. This was almost better than the basket, because after the first week or two, everyone goes back to their normal routine and you're still stuck "on the couch". Also the dinners that fed my kids and hubby after the initial "rush" of meals the first two weeks was a nice break whenI felt well enough to tell the kids to throw it in the overn, but couldn't lift it to do it myself.
--------------------
Beth
IBS - D
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Jen and all others with Endo,
I understand your pain. I have had two surgeries for endo the last, 13 years ago, I had a hysterectomy. I was just in too much pain to deal with it any more. I had already had 3 children and I didn't want anymore kids. I look at pictures of myself right before my surgery and I looked awful. I had my period for two months, every day, before my surgery.
My heart goes out to all those who suffer. I wish I was close enough to do your laundry but since I'm not I will do mine today and think of you.
--------------------
Janey
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
i just found this post.. all of you have endo? im so sorry to hear that! surgery is the only way to diagnose it? a couple of my doctors said it sounds like i may have it but they never did anything to look for it besides ultrasounds.. if its caught early enough, is it possible to have children?? a girl i know has endo and they gave her a time frame of a year to have a child and luckily she was able to have one..she cant have anymore though. i know she had the surgery to diagnose hers.
--------------------
http://www.myspace.com/rachelle423
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
It depends on many factors - whether or not you can have children depends on how bad the endo is. In fact, a lot of doctors will tell you that getting pregnant "cures" endo in some people!
--------------------
>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<
Michelle
IBS-A, pain predominant
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
