Help Jessica raise money

I am a 1 in 10

In March 2019, I found myself in Post Op after major abdominal surgery which involved extensive endometrial excision, extensive adhesion removal, bilateral ovariolysis, lysis of rectovaginal adhesions and development of the pararecral spaces bilaterally, left ureterolysis and resection of endometriosis from the left pelvic sidewalk, left uterosacral ligament, left sigmoid mesentery and the left posterior upper vagina, resection of right uterosacral ligament and sigmoid mesentery and a tumour from the rectum, resected and repaired, JUST TO NAME A FEW THINGS that were necessary to be carried out during my surgery due to the extensive damage endometriosis has caused my body. The damage was so extensive and the surgery was so difficult, that it is noted in my post operative note,  "we began a very prolonged and difficult dissection of this deep endometriosis". 

After fighting hard for 22 years to be heard and taken seriously, I finally found a trained Endometriosis Excision Specialist who was willing to give me a chance, and I received a diagnosis of Stage 4, Extra Pelvic, Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis. Yes, 22 years of test after test, variety of specialists, tons of hospital visits, invasive procedures, and a shit ton of suffering, while it spread undetected and caused major damage to my organs and my health.

The moment I received my diagnosis was bittersweet because I was finally able to tell Doctors & Specialists who had gaslighted me and told me it was all in my head for so many years, that they were wrong. I had been right to remain so persistent.. there was indeed something serious going on inside of me that needed (and needs ongoing) immediate attention, and that has been killing me slowly, while I went ignored and belitttled by medical professionals for so many years. But now I finally had answers. In that moment in Post Op, my whole life and my perspective of my future, changed forever.

My bruises from surgery have faded and my incisions have healed. On the outside I have only minimal reminders of the trauma from surgery; my incision scars, and my endometriosis inflammation which causes me to look pregnant from time to time. But on the inside, I am still healing. I have nerve damage from the surgery. I have new pains from the surgery. I have adhesions from the surgery. The healing process after this surgery is anywhere from 1 year to 3 years. At times, I need to use a cane now due to the leg weakness and pains post surgery. And that's just to mention the physical. On the inside, emotionally, I am also still healing. My depression has deepened due to the ongoing physical symptoms and new medical findings and news I keep receiving. Coming to terms with the diagnosis has been an ongoing journey. I have anxiety due to not being able to know the damage the Endometriosis is still causing and how much further it's continuing to spread since it can't be monitored. The isolation and loneliness due to some friends who have become distant because they don't know how to process the news or accept it has been saddening. And of course, the feeling of being a burden due to needing help doing simple daily tasks that most don't think twice about. 

With all of this mentioned above, and the daily physical pain I endure, I still have hopes that there will be a cure found during my lifetime, and that I will find some relief and peace of mind.

I have also been finding myself struggling to breathe while experiencing sharp chest pains, day after day, while I wait for further investigations and intervention to confirm if the disease has spread to my lungs & diaphragm as suspected, due to the holes that have been found in my diaphragm, and the webbing and nodules found in my lungs. Endometriosis is relentless and aggressive. It has been found on every organ except the spleen. And the worst part is it is undetectable on diagnostic imaging. The only way to see it is via surgery, and it is so difficult to receive surgery, especially now more then ever. There needs to be a less intrusive option! there needs to be a way to monitor this disease, so that warriors do not need to continue to loose organs, etc, due to Endometriosis. 

I have countless medical appointments and procedures every week, and the strain they have caused me both physically and emotionally are unexplainable. Being this sick is a full time job. I long for the days where I can stand up for more then 5 minutes without sharp pain causing me distress, due to damage from my recent surgery. I do countless research, hoping to find the latest options that might slow down or stop the spread of my Endometriosis. Currently the only options offered are chemo and surgery. Those only make the symptoms tolerable. This disease is so misunderstood and ignored! I long for a day where there can be a cure. I want to live my life instead of only exist!

My body is fighting a never-ending war; A war that it will never be able to conquer. But I'm stubborn and persistent as f*ck...; I'm going to fight this nightmare to the bitter end and do whatever I can to raise awareness!