N-a never ending road of pain and suffering,.
O-opinions and advice-when will they ever end,.
M-the marathon nights that are so lonely and desperate,.
E-escape the pain-please, take it away,.
T-tired and drained,.
R-respect from the doctors-is this too much to ask,.
I-independence regained-it's what we all want,.
O-others caring and understanding-this would be so nice,.
S-self esteem-this must be regained,.
I-inner turmoil-we all must let go,.
S-so life goes on, as we all know".
Belle Brown wrote these compelling words about her battle with endometriosis. She, along with 90 million other women, has experienced the physical and emotional pain that comes with endometriosis. Endometriosis has caused these women horrible menstrual pain and sometimes even infertility. The biggest complication with Endometriosis (endo) is that most of the women who have it don't actually know what it is. Many women are told that their chronic pain and fatigue are normal, or even that they are over-reacting. Not only is this frustrating for the woman, but leaving endo untreated will often result in a worsening of the disease. Health care professionals and the general public must both be made aware of this awful disease, so as to aide in early detection and treatment. A rise in awareness will bring rises in information promotion, and more treatment options. It will also lessen the burden of the many women who live with endometriosis.
Endo is defined as "the appearance of tissue from the endometrium (lining of the uterus) outside the uterus, in such locations as on the ovaries or surface of the fallopian tubes, on the outer back wall of the uterus, or in the pelvic space between uterus and rectum" (Ammer, 199). This condition causes the most problems during menstruation. "When the uterine lining, which was built up in preparation for pregnancy, is shed, the endometrial tissue outside the uterus responds to hormones in the same way, by breaking down and bleeding.