I was first diagnosed with IC in 2009 and the grand old age of 21. It took over a year of severe pain, numerous trips to the loo and lots of complaining to get my diagnosis. However, it can take up 10 years on average for an IC patient to get the confirmation they need, so I'm very lucky! Following that I had a laparoscopy in to confirm the diagnosis of endometriosis. After my second laparoscopy in 2010 to remove endometriosis and adhesions I was told that I have adenomyosis. In the same year I was also diagnosed with IBS, CFS and generalized chronic back and pelvic pain.
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| My Illness Picture |
Within the space of
3 years my whole world has been turned upside down. It didn't help that all of
this kicked off whilst trying to get through my 3rd and 4th year of my
undergraduate studies! I ended up taking a year out of my masters year to try
to figure things out and to give me more time to finish my research project.
I'm not good at admitting defeat, and having to move back in with my parents
was a hard decision. I really felt like I had lost my independence and a sense
of purpose.
Over the last 10
months I've tried so hard to turn this around and last summer I graduated with
a 1st class masters in geology. I also learnt to drive and I have recently
moved 250 miles away from home to start my PhD...! I'm still in pain, I still
take 28 tablets a day and I still have all the side-effects that come with it,
but I have something to focus on again.
I hope that my
ramblings may be of use to someone else who is suffering from chronic pain and
illness, and help non-sufferers to understand what it is like to experience
pain on a daily basis. I myself have found comfort in reading other peoples
blogs and connecting with those who suffer from the same conditions.
x Emma x
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