Support my surgery to finally end chronic pain

My Story

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Ericksen. I’m 30 years old and have been battling endometriosis and adenomyosis for years. For a long time, I was able to manage the pain, but in April 2024, everything changed. The pain became so severe that I was bedridden.

I was blessed to get surgery within just 5 weeks. My surgeon sent me for an MRI and found that the severity of the disease meant that I would one day need a hysterectomy. He advised me to wait until after I had children, while in the meantime, he would perform a laparoscopic excision of endometriosis. He promised me that if he went in and cut away all the endometriosis, leaving everything intact, I would have relief from my pain and resume my daily life. I put my trust in him, hoping to one day be a mother and trusting he knew best.

Unfortunately, as I recovered, I could tell that things were not going according to plan. After two weeks, I felt I was healed from the surgery, but I still had the deep, intense pain. After six weeks, I was supposed to return to my normal life, but I was still suffering from daily pain. In my follow-up appointment, when I told my surgeon I was still in pain, he told me that he had done his job and I needed to seek further pain relief elsewhere. I have been in pain every single day since.

My life has been uprooted and I lost my dream job. I felt like I lost everything. I have tried to push through and learn how to live a meaningful life while in pain. But the quality of life is nowhere near what it should be for a 29-year-old woman. I have to plan everything I do around my pain. Even simple tasks such as grocery shopping or walking the dogs have become large feats of effort that require careful planning. Larger things like vacations or going out with friends are often not possible.

This year has been incredibly difficult. While I’ve had a few good days, it’s become clear that the bad days far outweigh them. I know I need a hysterectomyly. Looking back, I wish I had gone through with it last year to save a year of pain and finances of an additional operation, but I can’t change that decision, I can only move forward. The hardest part is that I simply cannot afford another surgery so soon after the last one.

How You Can Help

I am humbly asking for your support. Even a few dollars can make a difference and bring me closer to finally getting the surgery I need. Your generosity would mean the world to me and help me take steps to getting my life back, a life without daily debilitating pain.

Thank you for reading my story, for sharing, and for any help you’re able to give.

Your kindness gives me hope that relief is possible. Thank you for being part of my journey.