For most of my life, my uterus was in a state of constant pain and stress.
Though I didn’t know it at the time, I was suffering from multiple conditions, including endometriosis, a debilitating, painful condition caused by an excess growth of endometrial tissue in the womb which can often find itself elsewhere in the body.
According to the Johns Hopkins medical website, Endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus instead of staying where it’s supposed to, which is inside the uterine wall to prepare the uterine lining for a possible pregnancy. Endometrial tissue growing in these areas does not shed during a menstrual cycle like healthy endometrial tissue inside the uterus does. The buildup of abnormal tissue outside the uterus can lead to inflammation, scarring and painful cysts. It can also lead to buildup of fibrous tissues between reproductive organs that causes them to “stick” together.
[caption id="attachment_1006405" align="alignnone" width="702"] Halcian Pierre had a hysterectomy in 2005 to get rid of the many challenges she endured with endometriosis. -[/caption]
Endometriosis most often occurs on or around reproductive organs in the pelvis or abdomen, including:
● Fallopian tubes
● Ligaments around the uterus (uterosacral ligaments)
● Lining of the pelvic cavity
● Ovaries
● Outside surface of the uterus
● Space between the uterus and the rectum or bladder
More rarely, it can also grow on and around the:
● Bladder
● Cervix
● Intestines
● Rectum
● Stomach (abdomen)
● Vagina or vulva
A textbook description, yes, but my uterine pain has been a part of my very existence since experiencing my first period at the tender age of nine.
Dysmenorrhea was the official diagnosis, and I came to dread the monthly painful onset of cramps, nausea and more. It was normal for me to sit out various events whenever that time came and I would always find myself in a state of anxiety every month, and the times when I was pain free, my art comforted me.
[caption id="attachment_1006406" align="alignnone" width="720"] Halcian Pierre found comfort in her art during her struggle with endometriosis. -[/caption]
When I eventually became a mother, the old wives’ tale of having one’s painful periods disappearing after going through childbirth did not apply. In fact, my pains were even worse than before, and my screams would be just as loud as when I had delivered my now adult daughter.
Sadly, in trying to find a solution I was often dismissed by some physicians who said the pain was all in my head. But why would I even make up something that would leave me a crippling, babbling mess, unable to stand upright and also bleeding for 21 to 30 days straight – yes, you read those numbers correctly – at a time?
My search for answers would take me down the rabbit hole of multiple visits to my GP, various hospitals and clinics. Bit by bit, the
