My name is Faisa I’m a 23-year-old Somali women living with Endometriosis.
My mission in life is to bring awareness to Endometriosis especially in the Muslim and African communities. Talking about periods or anything related to vaginas is very taboo in my culture. That’s the reason I created AfroEndo an Endometriosis awareness brand. Let’s raise awareness in style!
Here’s my endo story:
I spent the summer after my sophomore year going from doctor to doctor instead hanging out with friends. I couldn’t walk, eat, or doing anything other than lay in bed and yet the doctors thought I was being dramatic. The worst part of the whole thing was the condescending “it’s just your period” or “stop being dramatic” comments by healthcare PROFESSIONALS. I even had a doctor ask me if I was sure the pain wasn’t in my head. This only made me feel even more helpless and made me want to avoid hospitals altogether.
Fortunately, I went to a doctor who suggested I might have Endometriosis and told me to go to a gynecologist. So, I called around and it was hard to find a clinic that wanted someone with Endo. Here’s a conversation I had with one of the clinics:
Me: I want to make an appointment
Receptionist: Sure, how many months are you?
Me: I’m not pregnant I have Endometriosis
Receptionist: We don’t have any openings sorry…
After I finally found a clinic I set up the appointment w/ the gynecologist and she said she would start me on birth control rather than perform surgery since I was so young. Being young and dumb I asked for the Depo shot. Worst decision ever!!! Apparently, the shot takes calcium out of your bones and isn’t good for young women. I started having osteoporosis like pain at the age of 16! Then I had heavy bleeding for ten months straight!! I don’t know how I even managed to deal with that. I went back to my gynecologist and we decided to go ahead with the laparoscopic surgery. I was officially diagnosed with stage 3 endo.
I had my second laparoscopic surgery at Mayo Clinic in 2017. This time I had stage 4 endo with two chocolate cysts and my colon stuck to the back of my uterus. My surgery went from the estimated 2 hours to 6 hours but the surgeon got the job done! I started the mini pill because my body doesn’t react well to birth control pills. Unfortunately, my endo and chocolate cysts came back 3 months later. I’m sure my moldy apartment and the stress I was going through are to blame.
I felt like I was losing my mind due to the hormones and constant pain. I became depressed to the point I wanted to commit suicide. I mean I’ve contemplated suicide before I even fantasized about it but I’ve never come that close to doing it. Mind you I don’t believe in suicide and it’s completely against my religion! If it wasn’t for my family and friends I wouldn’t be here today. I’m finally learning to love my Endometriosis and my body after feeling like I was broken for a long time! I want to encourage other women to do the same. Together we can defeat Endometriosis!!
Join your fellow endosisters worldwide and walk for Endometriosis awareness this March 24th 2018!! Here’s the link to worldwideendomarch: http://www.endomarch.org/event-info/
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCez6E9mKZai6DgmWWVsIx5w
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somaliendowarrior/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thatsomali_girl?lang=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/afroendo
Fundly: https://fundly.com/users/1712200
