If I Can Get Through the Bleakest of Times, So Can You

Life with a chronic illness can be tough on the body, but I believe it is especially hard on our mental health. There are painkillers that can ease excruciating flare-ups and gadgets that can take the edge off many types of discomfort.

However, the most grueling battle is the one occurring in our minds.

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been newly diagnosed with endometriosis or have known the monster's name for a decade or two. It’s tough and can get immensely harder when the colder months hit.

The days become shorter, the darkness can seem eternal, and it becomes trickier to stay positive. I am here to tell you that the bad times are temporary.

Dark times don't last forever

Despite the lack of a cure and the many other negatives endometriosis brings, any current feelings you are experiencing will pass. Any levels of pain, no matter how relentless, are all temporary.

I once spent the saddest of Christmases twisting in pain, alone, with tears streaming down my face and blood staining my favorite pajamas. Cut to three years later, and I have medication that prevents heavy bleeding.

Despite my occasional cranky mood and complicated dietary requirements, people in my life also want to spend the holidays with me.

There are great doctors out there

I’ve been at the receiving end of many patronizing comments by several health practitioners. Yet I have also met doctors and nurses who had my back. When you meet one of these fantastic human beings, being listened to can feel as good as the strongest painkillers.

Don’t give up when you meet one bad doctor, or two, or three. The good ones are out there.

I stand by this statement while permitting myself to worry about my upcoming appointment with yet another new doctor. I'm not losing hope, and neither should you.

This community is behind you

Maybe you have very few friends, or maybe you are like me and have been cast aside because you’ve canceled too many plans due to your symptoms. Just know that everyone visiting this community, participating in our forums, and on our social media platforms feel exactly like you.

I believe your pain. We all do.

I, too, have been dropped by friends and shunned by relatives for not delivering what was expected of me, whether it was having a baby or a smile through dire levels of pain. I get how much it hurts.

Yet when former relationships prove they are not worth it, the room is created for those that will stand the test of time and endometriosis.

Hold onto what gave you joy before endometriosis

I was a very young teen during the mid-nineties, so any music from that era makes me smile. I think about dialing the number of my crush and praying their parents won’t pick up, and I know it took a huge amount of courage!

Whether it is music, great movies, or looking at pictures of the Spice Girls, a good slice of nostalgia takes me back to safer times, and I know that happiness will find me once more.

These are the things I hold onto when my life feels heavy and bleak. These are my reminders that I will make it through. They are the beacons that, in case I had forgotten, let me know that the bad times are always temporary.

I hope they will help you too.