(A youtube video about my journey with Endometriosis)




(A photo of me smiling) 

Hi Cuties,
My name is Madelynn Poulson and I am an Actor and High School Teacher based in New York City.

My whole life I struggled with pain menstruation but like most folks with uteruses I just thought that is what came with the gig. It wasn't until July 17, 2018 when I was on a birthday trip in North Carolina that I realized something was terribly wrong. While on the toilet, I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen that took my breath away , I collapsed onto the ground screaming in agony. I crawled to the shower put the water on the HELL setting and sobbed on the tile floor.  What I didn't know then was this was just the start of painful journey. 


When I returned to New York, I saw countless doctors and made many trips to the ER. I was misdiagnosed with IBS, constipation, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), or just plain stomach bloat. Doctors told me 'I was making it up' and that if I wasn't dead from the pain by now then it must not be that serious (and yes that is a direct quote). 

I spent many days popping several painkillers just to get out of bed and calling out of work when the pain didn't subside. I lost friends, money and at some points my sanity. I spiraled into a deep depression, spending nights and days isolated from the world while curled up on my heating pad. One day I went to Google, I typed in all of my symptoms and the word ENDOMETRIOSIS came up. I took the symptom quiz and it was as if someone wrote it just for me. I read stories from other Endo Warriors and I cried. Their pain was my pain. I had this condition, I just had to find someone who believed me. 


(Diagram of Endometriosis lesions)

Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects 10% of people with uteruses. Thats 176 million people worldwide! That means there are more people in the world with endometriosis than there are people with green eyes or red hair. Still, the average diagnosis takes 10 years and by the time the diagnosis comes many sufferers have endometriosis lesions that have spread to other areas of their bodies like their lungs and diaphragm with irreversible side effects. 
Endometriosis happens when endometrial like tissue is found outside of the uterus where it typically grows and sheds during the menstrual cycle. This tissue causes debilitating pain that coincides with the person's ovulation. These painful periods of time are called flare ups. During these flareups symptoms include but are not limited to:

Chronic pelvic pain
Pelvic pain that gets worse after sex or a pelvic exam
Abdominopelvic pain apart from menses
Chronically heavy or long periods
Bowel or urinary disorders, often associated with periods
Painful sexual activity, particularly with penetration
Significant lower back pain with menses
Allergies, migraines or fatigue that tends to worsen around menses
Crippling menstrual pain

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354656 

I returned to my gynecologist in 2019 armed with my discovery. She told me that there was no cure for endometriosis and if I did indeed have it, my best bet was to have a BABY to slow down the progression of the Endometriosis. Yeah, you read that right, I was to have a KID in order to get my life back. *sigh* Needless to say I was not satisfied with that answer, so I kept researching. 

Fast forward to Spring 2021 when I came across the Pelvic Rehabilitation Center. I had been to dozens of doctors so I decided to give them a shot. I showed up to my appointment with Dr. Reuter and by the end of our time together, I was sobbing. He listened to me. Examined me throughly and immediately made me a MRI appointment. When the results returned back, I did in fact have endometriosis and the deep pain I was feeling was my uterus was being pulled back toward my spine by the adhesions. He referred me to my surgeon Dr. Liu who recommended me for laparoscopic surgery. Dr. Liu is an endometriosis expert and she believes this surgery will not only improve my day to day life but also my fertility, when my time comes to have a little rugrat. 


(My MRI Results, adhesions and cystic structures shown)

I am so overjoyed to have a plan in motion that will help me regain my life. I am so grateful to have a diagnosis and a surgery date (June 29, 2021) but I really need help shouldering the burden of the medical costs. Below is the breakdown.

Total surgery cost - $8000
payments broken up over 24 months 

1st payment of 10% ($800) due on June 16th (completely covered by instagram donations)

Total cost left over 7, 145 + gofundme fees.

UPDATE (as of May 22nd), I was able to lower our gofundme goal to 5,300 due to the overwhelming support via cash app and venmo!  I will continue to lower the goal if more contributions come through. 

Any donation large or small will help cover the costs of the monthly payments over the next two years. I will be paying the facility cost and anesthesiologist bill on my own. 

Thank you so much for your time, consideration, and donations. 
Even the smallest donations make a huge difference!
I am incredibly overwhelmed by the support I have already received.
Thank you for reading my story and helping me beat Endo!

with all my love Madelynn "Maddie" Poulson.