Today you will learn what it takes to turn your life around no matter the obstacles or the level of desperation you may be feeling at your lowest point. The tide will shift.
Karalyn has been generous in allowing us to learn from her story.
We are going to be guided through her journey starting from a prosperous and hard working young school girl. To the determined women battling through life as she handles the diagnosis and symptoms of endometriosis. The many surgeries that follow and the trauma of miscarriages that this brought on in her 20s and 30s.
She hit rock bottom a few months before meeting with me at New Directions and that was one of the accelerating factors that changed her world and her life’s trajectory.
Starting your 20’s with a diagnosis of endometriosis.
Karalyn talks about the frustrations she had with herself, her employers and friends as she managed her symptoms and work life balance. She remembers “Nobody understands what you were going through or what you had and you needed to take time off work constantly."
Typically she was having surgery every 4 years if she was lucky.. or 1-2 years if she wasn't very lucky.
These constant breaks from work would make her question her own reality "You feel like it is just all in your head and you’re just being a hypochondriac."
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a medical condition that occurs when the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, grows in other places, such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries or along the pelvis. When that lining breaks down, like the regular lining in the uterus that produces the menstruation, it has nowhere to go. This causes cysts, heavy periods, severe cramps and even infertility.
You can find more information here.
In Karalyn’s words you can be "Riddled with lesions and not have any pain or a small lesion with excruciating pain. The only means of treating it is with surgery."
Endometriosis leads to difficulty having children.
Karalyn explains that she did not have problems with falling pregnant but, she had a long history of multiple miscarriages. Most women have trouble falling pregnant with the growths from endometriosis.
Being enveloped by grief and powerlessness.
During this time the "Why me, (I was) worn down by it all... and then you'd have the surgery and for a little while you would feel a bit normal.."
Bit by bit the sense of control, being able to fit in and making changes for the better began to feel out of reach.
I began “Neglecting myself physically and I felt so needed elsewhere that I took a backseat to my own health and my own well-being.”
“I never gave myself the permission to look after myself. At this point the endo was getting quite bad.”
Reached out to my GP and seeking a therapist.
“I was really ashamed at that point... Especially that I needed help. It was a very dark place. Thankfully things started turning around. I found a brilliant therapist. An amazing women. It was wonderful to be able to speak to someone independently and get a bit of perspective.”
“That was the first point of progress. Maybe you should start exercising again and getting out there. Sometimes you do have to make that leap...”
Finding New Directions
I saw Marisa's fitness journey of losing 45kgs and read her story.
“I didn't want to miss that potential to train with you. You hold such a safe space. I had to prioritise myself. I felt like a I had no time to get what I wanted done, done... And then some how I found 5 hours a week to be working out!”
“It was then that I realised I was the one holding the chains over myself.“
The Beginning of Progress! The change of tide.
After recognising that she had been very agreeable to everyone else’s needs she knew she had to start to be more assertive. She decided on the minimum that she need for herself and stuck to it. She told herself “This is what I am going to do from this point forward.”
As the weeks rolled by training went from 2 sessions a week
