6 Reasons I’m Thankful for My Endometriosis Diagnosis

If you would’ve told me ten years ago that someday I’d be writing a blog post about why I’m thankful for my endometriosis diagnosis, I probably would’ve given you the middle finger. Constant pain that keeps you curled up on the bathroom floor, paying to be gaslit by expensive specialists, and going into a surgery knowing it might be unsuccessful and you’ll wake up sterile aren’t on your average woman’s bingo card of #blessings.

Yet here I am, a few days before we celebrate Thanksgiving, realizing that my endometriosis diagnosis is what got me [here] – from blindly trusting doctors to boldly advocating for my health, from popping pills to get through my period to barely noticing it’s that time of the month, and from the prognosis of infertility to having a perfect almost-four-year-old playing at my feet.

Everyone has a handful of turning points in their life…leaving my shopping cart in the middle of Target and rushing to the ER with labor-level abdominal pain is one of mine. The scans & surgery & scars & studying & lifestyle shifts that followed have made me the woman, wife, mother, friend, and pelvic rehab provider I am today, and I guess you could say I’m pretty dang proud of her.

If you’re in the messy middle of managing endo, I want you to hear that there’s hope. I will never, ever say that getting to the other side is simple, straightforward, or speedy, but it’s possible and soooooo worth the process.

So here they are…the (bigger) results of being diagnosed with endometriosis and the reasons I’m thankful for this currently incurable condition. I used to consider endometriosis my fatal flaw – the brokenness I blamed, was bitter towards, and warned boyfriends about. Now I realize this shortcoming has been my superpower all along and wow is it healing & humbling to see things from the other side.

Adios, blind trust!

Before my endometriosis diagnosis, I believed “doctors know best”. Birth control is safe? I’ll take a year’s supply. Red meat is bad? Copy that. Painful periods are normal? Yep…totally makes sense. I can’t help but look back and laugh (half nervously, half embarrassed) at how little both I and my doctors knew and the amount of trust I put in these people just because of their degree.

Now anytime I’m making a medical decision or pursuing help with my health, I still get the advice of a medial provider, but I ask “why” and “how” 392 times during the appointment, thennnnnnn ultimately check that information against a lengthy internet search and, most importantly, my intuition.

I…you…we all know our bodies better than anyone else ever will and I’ll even go so far as to say we deep down know what our bodies need. Those inklings and instincts are why I stopped blindly confiding in doctors and started questioning everything. The latter takes far more effort and energy, but I’m more confident, clear, and in control of my wellness and wellbeing than ever before.

A low-chemical lifestyle

Honesty hour – ya girl was not always *this* crunchy. I used to choose my skincare and makeup based off Sixteen Magazine recommendations, “healthy” eating merely meant counting calories, and I could have opened my own store with the number of Bath & Body Works candles in my home. If you would’ve tried to talk to me about phthalates and carcinogens, I probably would have thought you were speaking a different language.

When we decided to try and start a family, the birth control I was prescribed to “manage endometriosis” after my laparoscopic excision was no longer an option. I began researching other methods to control the symptoms and ~~jumped~~ ~~leaped~~ dove head first into toxin-free living. It started with skincare (shout out to Primally Pure who has been my go-to since day one), then laundry & cleaning products, and I’ve slowly swapped my makeup & dental hygiene & period management & clothing & cooking appliances over time.

I’m not perfect – there are plastic Ziploc bags in my kitchen drawer, seed oils still occasionally sneak their way in, and I haven’t completely converted my closet to natural & organic materials. But everyday I make mindful decisions of what I’m putting in, on, and around my body, and I ~know~ I wouldn’t have this same level of information, awareness, passion, and conviction if it wasn’t for my endometriosis diagnosis.

Motherhood is so much sweeter

While it only took us three months to get pregnant with our Lolo girl, I spent years believing I would never have a baby of my own. Since having Sloan, I’ve suffered two losses, both of which, I believe, were due to my endometriosis and underlying hormone imbalance. Motherhood was and never will be a given for me. And while there are still trying and tiring times, I don’t take a single moment with my girl for granted.

Now let’s call out the obvious before the internet loses it – I’m not saying that moms who haven’t been through endometriosis, loss, or infertility love their babies any less. But I do believe there’s an extra level of appreciation for those little lives when something makes you question if it will ever actually happen.

Pink lines on a pregnancy test, little socks in the laundry, the sweet voice over the sound machine, the dinosaurs on the windowsills…I don’t know if they would demand the same degree of double-takes without the doubt my endometriosis diagnosis brought. The parts of motherhood that might seem mundane to some are, to me, the most magical and miraculous gifts, and for that I’ll be forever thankful.

A holistic approach to health

I’ve always been passionate about exercise. In college I was known as “sporty Amanda” because 1) half the female population was named Amanda and differentiators were needed, 2) I was getting a degree in exercise science, and 3) I was always at the gym, either working out or teaching group fitness classes. But that’s where my “wellness” knowledge and interest stopped.

Endometriosis encouraged to me take a holistic approach to health – to explore different methods and experiment with various strategies to decrease pain, regulate my menstrual cycle, clear my acne, improve mood and energy, and eventually get pregnant. Now everything from supplements to a daily sauna, staying sober, cycle synching my diet & daily movement, sleep, and stress management are all on my radar and a part of my holistic health routine.

When you have a diagnosis that’s incurable and the conventional way of managing it is sketchy at best, you have to change your questioning from “why me?” to “what now?” You must become someone who prioritizes their health, pushes boundaries when pursuing help, and stands up for herself. I’m passionate about holistic wellness because the ability to be my happiest & healthiest self depends on it, and I don’t think I’d be this enthusiastic without endometriosis encouraging me in the background.

A stronger faith

As a Christian, I believe God’s plan for my life is perfect, and I’ve been asking that “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” ever since I was a little girl. But when you have cramps so bad you can barely breath…or you’re childless in your 20’s and a doctor tells you he’ll likely need to remove both your ovaries…or you suffer two miscarriages in a year…it gets hard to trust that divine timing or see the bigger picture & purpose behind the pain.

Endometriosis has been one of the most predominant #firstworldproblems in my overall privileged life. It’s left me ugly crying on the shower floor, brought me to my knees begging for answers, and kept me depressed for days in bed. But with every hurdle it’s also given me a reason to turn to God, the one whose hands are holding me, in both the hurt and the healing.

I don’t think I’d be writing this post today without my faith. I don’t think my faith would be where it is today without my endometriosis diagnosis. I know God will work everything out for my good because he knows all, sees all, and is sovereign over all. Endometriosis and all its challenges have given me the opportunity to turn my worry into worship and my battles into blessings, and I’ve arrived at a relationship with God I never would have otherwise.

My passion for (& profession in) women’s health

In my last year of PT school I had the opportunity to take two electives. I chose sports rehab (along with every other person in my class) and women’s health as it was around that time my pelvic pain, pain with sex, and other endometriosis symptoms started escalating. What began as a desperate search for answers to my personal physical problems turned into real results and a fascination & appreciation for all things pelvic health…and the rest is history!

RELATD POST: The [Exact] Strategies I Used to Heal Pain With Intercourse (Straight From a Pelvic Rehab Therapist

I’m one of the lucky few whose career matches what they went to school for, who loves what they do, and who gets to help people in the process. My endometriosis diagnosis means I’ve also been on the other side – researching my options, doing the exercises, and riding the roller coaster of recovery – and can approach each patient from a place of empathy, experience, and expertise.

[This] is why I make my advice actionable, accessible, and achievable. [This] is why I swear by a “less is more” approach to (pelvic) health. [This] is why most of my spare time is dedicated to helping women achieve their wellness goals. Not only do I know what it’s like to feel hopeless and helpless, but I’m living proof there’s healing on the other side of clear, consistent, and confident action, and I want everyone to experience that beautiful transformation for themselves.

Dear endometriosis, thank you.

All I’ve thought about while writing this post is how much I wish I had read something like this in the early days of dealing with my endometriosis. I don’t know if I would’ve fully seized those silver linings, but it would’ve been nice to see I wasn’t alone and there were women successfully making it to the other side.

Endometriosis is a bitch and I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy. And honestly, despite the hidden blessings, if someone gave me the option to change one thing about myself I would GLADLY give up this disaster of a diagnosis. But until my fairy godmother shows up waving her magic wand, I’ll be here squeezing every ounce of upsides out of the struggles and sharing it all so you can sidestep the mistakes, skip the setbacks, and know there’s someone going through it right alongside you.

My family doesn’t traditionally go around the dinner table and say what we’re grateful for on Thanksgiving, but maybe this will be the year we start. My top five would be my family, a part-time job that allows me to spend more time with my daughter and pursue other passions (like this blog ;)), our growing homestead, my creativity, and yes…even my endometriosis diagnosis.

– Amanda

Disclaimer: The content provided here does not constitute medical advice, nor is it a substitute for personalized healthcare. I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. If you have concerns about a medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment, you should consult with a licensed healthcare professional.