sucky part of being a girl.....

I don't plan what I write about on this blog but one thing I have tried not to involve you all in is my constant struggle with my lady bits. Not because they bounce around on Asian bus journeys if untamed by a fierce sports bra, nor the nuisance of fitting these curves into any clothes in the beautiful high street stores, but the actual innards of my lady bits where on a monthly basis I turn green, lose feeling in my legs and have to swiftly crawl to the bathroom to vomit in pain. Always a little awkward if out in public obviously.

For the benefit of my male readers be warned I'm likely to start mentioning words you'll recognise from Health lessons at school when you would blush and be baffled by the intriguing boobs and bits girls were starting to develop across the classroom (some of which you learnt you never wanted to know about). You may also squirm when I write "period" and don't mean full stop. I'll forgive you for laying off the blog for a bit while I soldier through this stage (I nearly used period there too) of my story.

Since I was 14 I have had bad period pain. When asked by my gynaecologist if this interrupted my schooling, I replied "no….I'm the youngest of 4 girls and my teachers knew that I would need an afternoon off a month, or more to manage my health". I never had to explain myself thanks in part to my family history, but honestly this is little comfort to you when every 28 days I am curled in a ball, taking deep breaths and medicating myself with painkillers that screw with my digestive system - for the past 17 years. Yes that long!

Having an endometriotic episode at 4800m above sea level 
is not recommended!

While I travelled on the Big Adventure I found that I would rest for a day or two, doing "Admin" - sitting in a hotel, with my drugs, food on hand and water to last me the days before I could surface again. This was fine - until I took on the Everest Base Camp trek. At altitude I highly recommend not being on your period regardless of any pain issues you have. Your body is already deteriorating with every vertical step as the oxygen seeps from your being, so there is no reason to trek when you know you'll be at a weaker point in your month. I can laugh about it now but I described my accent to Everest Base Camp as "bogged up, bent over and out of breath". I distinctly remember saying a mountain thank you to the makers of drugs to get me to the greatest high of my life.

On my return to "normal life" in London I realised this was not something I could actually manage any longer. After many months of visiting my local GP I was sent for a scan at my local hospital. The radiographer allowed me to see my innards and the endometriotic cyst fast growing in my uterus. 8 weeks later I met a Gynaecologist who confirmed the radiographers speculation. Also mentioning I have a cyst inside likely to burst at any time which will "likely be very painful - but probably nothing worse than you have already experienced". Oh yippee!

I have chosen key hole surgery as my treatment plan rather than some injections that turn off your ovaries which is usually prescribed for women trying for babies. So it shall be an interesting journey over the coming months as I get some inside knowledge on my innards like never before.

As of May 31st I had already had my pre-operative assessment and have been told I am good to go at any time for surgery - so I should start calling to book in a fortnight's time. Because I love my family and hate repeating things I might post the progress on here. Nothing gruesome I promise. Just factual details with my own honest experience. So maybe gruesome actually....but it'll be true. Maybe something you will read here will help a friend or loved one while they suffer quietly.

But for now, I'm enjoying a break in my pain, instead relishing in the aches and pains of a 10 mile run around the beautiful Limehouse Cut to the Hackney Marshes for the cleanest London air I have tasted in preparation for my half marathon next weekend.