Living with worsening chronic illness is not for the faint of heart. Especially when the medical realm doesn't make it any easier for women like me, who suffer with Endometriosis, to navigate seeking treatment and diagnosis. I've struggled with the chronic illness and chronic pain my whole life, yet I am only now getting the diagnosis and treatment I need for it at the age of 25 almost 26. And what's even more disheartening is....I am one of the lucky ones. 25 is considered a pretty young age for being diagnosed and receiving surgery for Endometriosis. Too often, women with this chronic illness will go their whole lives suffering in silence with no glimmer of hope, knowledge, or guidance in sight. This is absolutely unacceptable. Even though I finally got to the point of getting my Laparoscopy & Excision surgery scheduled with an Endometriosis specialist, it took me 2 years of actively pursuing this exact result to finally get to this point. And by the tie I found myself with a treatment plan, I was already broken down and gaslit into hopeless defeat. 

Should I be surprised that I've faced very similar experiences within my mental health journey and getting the diagnosis I need to provide a sense of closure and deeper understanding of myself? Perhaps the answer is no, sadly. I've been talked over, misunderstood, patronized, and misdiagnosed every single time I sought out help from a professional in some capacity. The road to seeking out the diagnosis for my ADHD wasn't easy, but when I finally received the formal diagnosis & began receiving treatment for the ADHD my life drastically changed for the better. Had I not advocated for myself, had a clear understanding of my symptoms, and trusted my intuition--I'd be receiving treatment for a personality disorder that I did not have. And now I am in the beginning stages of the journey into seeking out a formal diagnosis for Adult Autism. As I continue to navigate this aspect of my life, I have a stronger sense of what I may come across in regards to ignorance from medical health professionals & how to navigate that. I will continue to seek out necessary help from those who are qualified to do so, and I will not stop until I receive that answers I need to help me understand myself more deeply.

If you are interested in my Endometriosis, ADHD, and Autism journey--subscribe and follow me on my platforms. I will continue to make more content and keep you guys up to date on all of these subjects. Cause god knows we need more information and stories out there.

Peace & love,

Irene

·Connect with me· 🌱 Tik Tok: irene_selfembark 🌿 Instagram: self_embark 🍊 selfembark.com