Update...

Where have you been lately???

This is a question I have been hearing a lot from not only my readers...but even my real life friends. Over the last few months I have been making numerous doctor visits, getting a number of medical tests done, and just laying around in the worst pain ever. All of my tests showed that it looked as though I had endometriosis. I didn't even realize that my pain was uncommon. I thought it was normal. But it was in a routine yearly gynecological exam that the possibility of this condition was discovered.

Why am I sharing this with you all? Well, I really wasn't going to. When I first found out I was rather embarrassed...maybe even a little ashamed. But, why should I be? I have read that this condition is something that up to FIVE MILLION American women have! When I read that number I definitely did not feel alone. I have relatives that have this condition (which is one of the reasons that I probably have gotten endometriosis), and almost everyone I know seems to know someone with this disorder. Even picture perfect celebrities have this disorder, including: Padma Lakshmi, Julianne Hough, Jillian Michaels, and Tia Mowry.

I actually had a large cyst known as an endometrioma growing in/on my ovary. It was getting larger by the day and had to be removed. The thing about endometriosis is that it spreads and is very painful. The upsetting part about it all is that there is no cure. It will keep coming back, even though there are a few ways to control it. I'm sure that this will not be my only surgery for it in my lifetime. 

So as I sit at home and recover from my surgery, I ask that you all keep up with your yearly exams and if you are in pain it's probably something you want to get checked out. Pain is not normal...for anyone. 

Lastly, I do want to thank all of my friends and family that have supported me through this difficult time. Thanks for all of the kind emails, phone calls, and all of your love. I appreciate it more than anything!!!

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