About Me
THIS IS MY STORY... YOU ARE NOT ALONE:I AM A STAGE 5 ENDOMETRIOSIS SURVIVOR...I myself have struggled with and survived the excrutiating pain of the disease Endometriosis, and the madness, insanity, heartbreak, and dissarray it can create within your life as well as it's power to kill your spirit if you allow it to. All of this as well as the unbearable physical pain. I recently had yet another (second) surgery that lasted 9 hours for this disease on October 5th, 2006. My surgery was performed by Dr. David Redwine
http://www.endometriosissurgeon.com, located in Bend, Oregon. Below is some more information of my history and recent past regarding Endometriosis.There is no cure for this disease, it is very hard to diagnosis and often times women are misdiagnosed. I myself suffered with all of the symptoms for at least 8 years going from doctor to doctor searching for the answer until I ended up in an emergency room with my brother, (who's bosses daughter had just happened to have recently had surgery for Endometriosis) so he asked the doctor did he think that this could be "endometriosis". I had never even heard the word endometriosis until that day, in 8 years and several doctors not one of them had even considered the possiblity, yet alone had they ever given me an ultrasound. They all just brushed me off as having bad cramps.When I returned to Los Angeles, I immediately began researching and searching for a doctor to help see if this was what I myself could possibly be suffering from. The only way to be diagnosed is to go through a laparascopic procedure, which is a surgery where they insert a camera through your belly button and look inside. A procedure that is supposed to take one-two hours and you leave the hospital the same day. When I found a doctor,
Dr. Charles Dubin one of only a few doctors in the country that excises the disease (he is based in Los Angeles. 310-899-9799), I felt comfortable enough with him to perform this procedure on me to see if I had the disease, since I was suffering from all of the symptoms. I ended up being in an 8 hour surgery and being an in-patient (meaning I didn't leave the hospital the same day). Dr. Dubin went in laparascopically and discovered that there was endometriosis attaching my colon to my uterus, there was a block of it the size of golf ball almsot completely blocking my colon (one of the symptoms to endometriosis is severe constipation - this explained why I couldn't releave myself for sometimes up to 10 days). It was on my ovaries as well as in other areas throughout the reproductive system. He found that the disease was so thick, that how he described it was "it had cemented" my colon to my uterus. He could not remove it through the belly button. So he tried vaginally, which failed. The third attempt was having an abdominal surgeon (which Dr. Dubin had on standby)and which was the last hope, come in and cut me open from one side of my hip to the other (a ceserian cut) what is called a laparotomy, removing 6 inches of my colon that had been attached to my uterus, as well as the other endometrium cells in other areas. I was at a Stage 5 level of the disease - the worst stage. I spent a week in the hospital and then 5 weeks in bed at home recovering from the surgery (Thank God for me I have an incredible mother who stood by my side and cared for me this entire time). 5 weeks of physically healing and just the beginning of the healing spiritually and emotionally for me from the shock and all the years of suffering with this pain. As well as during surgery I had an incredible spiritually enlightening experience, which changed my life forever.I managed to remain disease free for 9 months, and had even packed up my life and moved to Japan where I was gigging and selling albums before the endometriosis began to return. NOW almost 3 years later since my orginally surgery, I recently had another surgery that lasted 9 hours on October 5th, 2006. What was found was three ovarian cysts on my right ovary and two on my left, endometriosis on my abdomen, appendix, colon, uterus. My procedure was done by Dr. David Redwine in Bend, Oregon one of the leading specialists in Endometriosis. I trust Dr. David Redwine as being the best and highly reccomend him to anyone in need of surgery. Keep yourself from having to go through a series of surgeries or suffering any longer and call Dr. Redwine. Let him know you learned about him from me!Read up on him at http://www.endometriosissurgeon.comNow this is my last attempt at relieving the symptoms which generally is excrutiating pain that is compared to being worst than child labor that women with the disease go through every month. I personally believe in the more alternative, holistic approach to healing, especially after trying all the different birth controls, pain killers, etc. that are used to treat the pain of this disease. I have changed my diet, I have tried fasting, I quit smoking ciggarettes, drinking alcohol, I have chaged my lifestyle, to better suit my needs. However, sometimes no matter how much you try to help yourself alternatively, there are some things that must be done in the more conservative mainstream approach to treatment. And with Endometriosis surgery is one of those things, because you can not be diagnosed unless you go through the laprascopic procedure.This disease does return at a high percentage in most women. Some women are even given a hysterectomy as a "cure", I luckily did not, however there is no "cure" for endometriosis. It can cause infertility in woman, although they have not made a direct connection. NO CURE - there is Only treatment. It is more prevelant in women than Breast Cancer yet, why has no one heard of it?. I call myself a survivor because I am. And I live everyday with the affects of the spiritual and emotional pain from this and about 10 - 14 days a month with the debilitating and very excrutiating physical pain. A physical pain that is so strong you can not function in your daily life. Why do I share my story? This very personal story? Certainly not for sympathy. I am a soldier, more so even I like to believe, I'm a warrior of the light. I do this for you, I share my story for you, the woman or teenage girl, who is reading my journey with endometriosis right at this moment, or you the man whose wife, girlfriend, mother, daughter, sister, niece, or cousin that is suffering from this disease and not even know because she has been mis-diagnosed or not diagnosed at all. I share my story to educate you and make you aware that it exists and to maybe help you or for you to begin to help a loved one. So please educate yourself about endometriosis, do some research, learn what the symptoms are. If you have any questions, write me, if I don't feel I have the proper knowledge to help you, I will refer you to someone that does. If you suffer from endometriosis, write me, share your story, and allow me to be an understanding hand to hold, and support system that can relate to your pain and frustration. I believe I am here for you, and that I myself have been given this experience with endometriosis in my own life, so that I can be a more compassionate human being for others who maybe struggling, but who are survivors of life, like myself. I am currently building a relationship with the Endometriosis Association in hopes to become an official Spokeswoman for them and an Advocate for the disease. My number one goal in life is to raise awareness and help other women like myself. I am also making it my mission to raise awareness so that globally people will become more aware of Endometriosis I am currently starting the process of creating my own Foundation dedicated to Women suffering from Endometriosis. This Foundation will be a public charity that provides finances for surgeries for women, education, resources, frequent flier miles for surgery, etc. If you would like to help please add me as your friend and email me.
