Endo - Friend or Foe?

I've had a long, unwanted relationship with endometriosis.  

I was first prescribed birth control in the 5th grade at the tender age of 11

(which I never took...partly because I was too irresponsible to remember and mostly because it grossed me out!)

My first surgery was at 16 years old.  

Sweet relief!!

My second surgery was at 20 years old.  

Disastrous...developed staph infection and almost died!!

My third surgery was one week later to scrape out all of the infection that had set in.

My fourth surgery was at 24 years old to take care of scar tissue. 

 This was the surgery we discovered babies would not be welcome in my uterus.   

We also discovered no sign of endometriosis!!

Win for me!!

10 years later at 34, it's back with a vengeance.

ARRRGGGHHH!!!

I know so many of you know exactly what I'm talking about.  

I meet a lot of friends battling their own fights with Endo.

I think the next step for me would be a hysterectomy of which the average age in my family occurs at the ripe old age of 32!!

Not ready for that yet.

The chances of having another little one are pretty slim.

Even if I did get pregnant there's that 15-20% chance the baby would have Trisomy 13 and wouldn't survive.  

I think I would rather take my chances than let Endo win this fight.  

Besides, there's a lot we can learn about ourselves when we accept the pain.

The oyster creates the pearl through pain caused by specs of sand.

Some life lessons are only learned through pain and who knows what pearls of wisdom may lie ahead.