Hi, I’m Hannah, and I have been living with endometriosis symptoms since I was 11. My first period lasted six months, and from that moment on, my life has been dominated by pain, fatigue, and uncertainty. My periods were unpredictable and excruciating, but I was told they were "normal" by peers and doctors.

At 19, while at college, a new provider prescribed a form of birth control that my body completely rejected. It caused continuous, heavy bleeding and left me on total bed rest for 13 weeks, attending classes from my bed, unable to leave my dorm, and living day-to-day with constant pain. The number of times I facetimed my mom just so I wouldn't be alone when I would inevitably pass out in the bathroom is more than I can count using both my hands and my feet. Those facetimes felt frighteningly routine at that time.

Endometriosis doesn’t just hurt during periods — it controls every part of my life. My periods usually leave me bedridden for the first few days, on top of other excruciating symptoms that make even the most mundane tasks unbearable — eating, sleeping, going to the bathroom, walking. I spend nearly 22 hours a day with a heating pad on my stomach. I have missed birthdays, weddings, and trips. I plan my life around my pain, not the other way around. On my worst days, it feels like someone is carving me from the inside out, leaving me drained, fragile, and desperate for relief.

I have been so fortunate to have the same incredible people rally around me since I was first diagnosed. Their support has meant everything. But I’ve also lost people along the way — friendships and connections that couldn’t survive the inconsistencies my pain causes. That loss has been isolating, reminding me that endometriosis affects not just my body, but every part of my life.

After five years of waiting, I was finally able to see an endometriosis excision specialist. He performed a mapping ultrasound to fully understand the extent of my disease. The results were sobering: a cyst on my right ovary, my right ovary stuck to my bowel, my left ovary adhered laterally to my cul-de-sac, endometriosis on both uterosacral ligaments and my torus uterinus, a nodule on my lower rectum (which will require a bowel resection), and superficial endometriosis on my rectouterine pouch. This mapping confirmed why expert surgical care is absolutely necessary.

I am now preparing for my fourth surgery in five years, this time with this specialist. The procedure will include a laparoscopy, laser excision, hysteroscopy, and bowel resection, scheduled for May or June 2026. This surgery is my lifeline — my chance to reclaim my life, wake up without pain, and move through a day without fear of flare-ups. I want to go to work, socialize, travel, and finally feel at home in my own body.

Insurance will not cover this surgery because I’m seeing a specialist, and the cost totals $14,500. Every donation, share, or word of encouragement brings me closer to a life free from constant, debilitating pain — a life I have been dreaming of since I was a child.