Hi, my name is Caitlin.

I’m asking for help as I prepare for another surgery to treat severe endometriosis that has returned more aggressively and is now affecting my daily life and ability to function.

Last March, I underwent my first surgery where doctors were able to remove stage 2 endometriosis from my pelvis. I felt better for a while, but in January 2026, the pain returned, and this time it was worse than before. Recent MRI imaging shows that the condition has progressed into deep infiltrating endometriosis throughout the right side of my pelvis. In simple terms, the tissue is growing more aggressively and attaching to nearby organs. It is now pulling my uterus toward the right side of my pelvis, while also wrapping around parts of my bowel and creating loops that have become stuck. My right ovary has also become tethered to both my uterus and bowel due to this growth. This progression has happened much faster than expected, even while I’ve been on medication to suppress it. This has led to constant, excruciating pain that affects me every single day. Because of this, I’ve been missing work and struggling to keep up with even the most basic parts of daily life. Things that used to feel normal now feel overwhelming.

At this point, my care team has explained that one of the more aggressive treatment options would be removing my ovaries, since they over produce estrogen that can continue to fuel the growth of endometriosis. After careful discussions with my specialists and working through this with a therapist, I’ve decided not to take that step right now. Instead, we are moving forward with another surgery to remove the endometriosis and give my body relief, with a plan to revisit the possibility of a salpingo-oophorectomy (ovary removal) next year if still necessary. This hasn’t been an easy decision, but it’s one I feel is right for me at this time.

Surgery is necessary to remove the endometriosis and relieve the pain I’m experiencing daily, but the costs of the procedure and recovery are more than I can manage on my own. I’m hoping to raise $5,000 to help cover medical bills and essential living expenses so I can recover properly at home, with adequate time to heal, rather than being required to return to work prematurely as I was previously.

My goal is to have this surgery by October so I can start getting my life back and move forward without constant pain. While that timeline may feel far away, I deeply trust my surgical team and would not want to proceed with anyone else. This is the soonest available date with the specialist I feel most confident in, and given the complexity of my condition, that trust and expertise are extremely important to me. I’m truly looking forward to being able to do things I haven’t been able to without worry about the pain, spending time with friends, getting back into arts and crafts, decorating for parties, and even simple things like doing laundry or going for a walk around my neighborhood.

If you’re able to contribute, share, or support in any way, it would mean so much to me. I cannot fully express how grateful I am for any kindness shown during this time. Even taking the time to read my story and share it with others truly helps more than I can say. Every bit of support, no matter the size, makes a real difference and reminds me that I’m not going through this alone.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for being part of my journey toward healing.

With all of my heart,

Caitlin