Help Krista raise money

I didn’t even know what endometriosis was. And I had been living with it for years.I was told painful periods were normal. That the excess facial hair was just my Italian background. That irregular periods made sense because I played soccer.I believed it. For years, I believed it.When I started my fertility journey I knew something wasn’t right. That’s when I found out I have stage 3 endometriosis and an endometrioma on my left ovary. And honestly… it was a lot to sit with.

Because here’s the thing. Fertility is already a complicated journey all on its own. And when you add a diagnosis like endometriosis on top of it, it becomes a whole other thing entirely. What people don’t always understand is how unpredictable the pain is. You can be completely fine in the morning and then by the afternoon you’re on the floor with cramps. 

You can be sitting in a meeting while quietly suffering through an infection and nobody around you has any idea. 

Balancing a job and this diagnosis is incredibly hard and honestly, not a lot of people will understand it… because once you’ve lived with the pain long enough, you get really good at hiding it. That’s also why not a lot of women talk about this.

When I started opening up about my journey, the messages started trickling in. And then it became a wave. Women sharing how it affected their sister, their cousin, their mom, themselves. 

Listening to those stories inspired me to keep sharing and to let go of some of the hesitancy I had around being open like this. Because when I was first diagnosed, I felt completely alone in it. And then the moment I started speaking up… I didn’t anymore.

Two years later and I still don’t have a surgery date. I still have such a long road ahead of me. But what has carried me through day to day are the people who have shown up for me in times of need. They mean the world to me. I genuinely don’t know how I would have gotten through any of this without them.

I’m running for more awareness, better care, and for every woman who has ever been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or left waiting for answers. If my story resonates with you, I would be so grateful for your support. 💛