"My endometriosis journey officially began in July of 2014, the day I went to the emergency room for what I thought to be appendicitis. Appendicitis quickly turned into a cyst on my ovary, which after careful review became a suspected tumor. When blood work was ordered and came back with cancer markers reaching triple what were considered normal, I was sent to an oncologist a day later, and that is the first time someone finally said it with actual faith; The words 'I believe you have endometriosis.'
"I had heard that many times, but he said it with such conviction that I couldn't help but feel relieved that someone was FINALLY taking this pain I constantly felt seriously, and that I would finally receive a diagnosis that proved the pain I felt was real. Justification for all of the hospital visits. Proof that it wasn't all just in my head. He scheduled me for surgery a week later, preparing me for multiple possible outcomes. The most likely outcome, he said, would be the discovery of endometriosis. This would be treated by excision, ablation, and the extraction of whatever was inside my ovary with the hopes of saving the ovary itself if possible."
