Fashionista Fundraiser for Endometriosis Awareness

Let me start out by saying thanks so much for all the kind comments and emails I received after putting up the initial Fashionista Fundraiser for Endometriosis post on Monday. When I was first diagnosed with this condition I felt like very much alone. Even though I had the support of my husband, family, and friends...I still didn't think many people understood what I was going through. It really means a lot to me hearing from all of you. Getting my story out there is almost a form of therapy and makes me feel less ashamed about it all. It is what it is...and getting out information and fundraising for a cure/education about endometriosis is super important to me. I would be so happy if everyone could donate a little to the cause. Please click here to make a donation through PayPal. All donations will be going to the Endometriosis Foundation of America. 

Endo hurts. Badly. Before I knew I even had endometriosis I felt fine. I felt like my normal self. Everything changed when my doctor checked my ovaries during a routine check-up. I felt like I was being stabbed on my left side. When my doctor noticed that I have endo in my family he suggested that I go through some testing to be sure. Endometriosis??? I was shocked. He asked if my periods were painful...and of course I said yes. But I thought monthly pain was normal...for everyone. You always hear people complain, and I didn't know anything different. When I thought of endo I thought of the people I know that have it who literally can't get out of bed due to the pain. That wasn't me. I told my doctor this and he stated that I could just have a very high pain tolerance.

The next step was to have a pelvic ultrasound done. I'm not going to lie...this hurt. A lot. Probably due to the vast amount of endo that I had in my body. The result from this test was that I had an endometrioma cyst (AKA chocolate cyst) growing in and on my ovary that was the size of an egg. My doctor wanted to wait six weeks to see if it would grow or change. So I had to have another pelvic ultrasound done (ugh!). After the second one was done they told me that it grew to the size of a lemon. Now the pain really started to kick in because it was really starting to stretch my ovary. The pain was so terrible! I would come home from work and just go to bed, take my pain medicine (that typically didn't really work), and cry. I knew deep down that surgery really was my only option.

As you can see from the photo above, I am now all smiles. You would be too if the worst pain of your life suddenly stopped. Surgery might not be the answer for everyone with endometriosis, but it worked for me. What makes me not smile is the fact that endo will most likely return to my life one day. I had so much in me that the doctor took out as much as he could...but there was no way he could take it all out. So until the pain returns I'm going to keep this smile on my face and try not to think about my endo future...because that just gives me serious anxiety.

dress- Bebe

jacket- H&M

shoes- Fearne Cotton c/o Very.com

vintage fascinator- gift from my parents when they were in Ireland

I would love it if all of my readers could make a donation to this fundraiser. We started to get a few donations in this week...but definitely not as many as the optimist in me was hoping for! Even if all you can donate is a few dollars, it will help!!! All you have to do to donate is click this secure PayPal link.

If you cannot afford to make a donation, I would love it if you could please pass this post along to your friends to help get the word out there.

I thank-you all again for your support!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It means the world to me.

Also, be sure to check out Asian Cajun's latest post for endo awareness!