Alicia Stanger.
Awareness post.
As many of my close family and friends know I was in hospital for endometriosis surgery. This has been a very tough, surreal and sometimes lonely ride. After 3 years of being told I was healthy and that my periods were ‘normal’ i was diagnosed with a condition called adenomyosis (Google as I can’t write it all on here) and was getting somewhere finally, however the pain didn’t stop and after another 4 years I was taken seriously by an amazing doctor in gynaecology who suspected endometriosis also. He listened, he persevered with me and made me feel like I wasn’t mad for the pain I was feeling. I was booked in for surgery for the 4th October 2022. Scared was an understatement. But the staff at the NHS David Beevers unit were all angels and I am so grateful for how I was treated.
They found Endometriosis at the back of my womb and managed to burn all of it away, I was told my right ovary was enlarged but wasn’t too concerning hence the pain I was feeling.
My biggest fear in all of this was my fertility, a very widespread topic for many women. I had so many questions and was kept in the dark for a long, lonely time questioning whether I will be able to have children. I was told my tubes, ovaries and apart from the Endo and adenomyosis I looked healthy and showed no indication of not being able to have babies..my heart could have burst with joy at that point. a huge weight was lifted, and the worry didn’t seem too heavy.
Please any of my female friends on my Facebook, don’t be fobbed off by doctors if you have pain down in your abdomen and painful/ heavy periods IT IS NOT NORMAL! please persevere and make sure you are listened to. Many women suffer alone and feel there’s nowhere to turn, but there if. It takes time but you will get there. Feel free to message me, even if we haven’t spoken before about any concerns, you may be feeling, I will be an advisor, an ear to listen and try my best to help.
Thank you to my amazing mum Nicola Hayes who has given up so much to help me on the road to recovery and being there every step of the way on the journey. And my wonderful boyfriend Matthew Malone. You two are my rocks and I am so so grateful! Also, to the rest of you, you know who you are
Here’s to recovery and getting back to my normal self (whatever that is) and some embarrassing pictures I’ll probably regret posting eventually.
Kenneth Ingram says
“Thank you, Alicia, my Friend, for your kind permission for allowing this story to be here, so many Ladies out there with any health concerns, see your Gp.”
