Support for Gladys Iliana's Endo & Lupus Journey

Our amazing friend, sister, Tia and cousin Gladys Iliana had her second Endometriosis related surgery on May 11th, 2023 and needs ongoing community help and support in her fight against Lupus and Endometriosis.

In September 2015, Gladys Iliana was diagnosed with stage 3-4 Endometriosis after a traumatic emergency room visit and surgery. Endometriosis is an inflammatory chronic pain condition caused by uterine-like tissue growing outside of the uterus that afflicts at least 11% of women worldwide. The cause of endometriosis is unknown, and while there is no cure, symptoms can be treated with medicine or, in some cases, like Gladys’, surgery. Gladys’ initial emergency surgery resulted in the removal of a large cyst that had ruptured and had been gluing itself to several of her organs via a complex web of scar tissue. The surgery also removed as much of the endometriosis/scar tissue buildup that they could find and explained, in part, why Gladys had been getting sick so often and dealing with profound inflammation for a week or two every month leading up to that surgery.

Like many endometriosis patients, Gladys was able to manage and control the severity of her Endometriosis flare-ups for a few years post op with medication and lifestyle changes but unfortunately the pain returned in 2018, and by May 2020 the medication she had been on since her last surgery was proven to be no longer effective. Gladys was finally approved and referred for a second laparoscopic excision surgery, but unfortunately that surgery was delayed multiple times due to covid complications and lengthy wait times for scheduling with a specialist skilled enough to handle her surgery given the severity of her endometriosis condition.

During this time, Gladys started to experience worsening and new symptoms, caught Covid, and in addition to Endometriosis, was diagnosed with Lupus (SLE) in March 2023, another chronic autoimmune disease with no cure. Gladys started treatment immediately for Lupus and was ultimately able to finally have her second surgery to remove endometriosis in May of 2023. The procedure lasted over three hours. They removed a lot of the lesions and scar tissue build up that has spread throughout her organs. Gladys is currently healing from surgery and is continuing to navigate a variety of debilitating lupus symptoms and flare ups, new medications and side effects as she manages healing and living with two incurable and chronic health conditions.

Symptoms Gladys experiences during lupus flare ups:

An intense flare-up day or days for Gladys usually means having to be in or near her bed, fighting off flu-like symptoms including body aches and fevers; oftentimes in a fetal position from crippling cramping pains, and with multiple heat pads and blankets placed or wrapped around different areas of her body. The pains oftentime make it difficult for her to focus, to stand up and/or move around easily or at all sometimes, or to accomplish simple tasks–even getting a small amount of actual, rest-filled sleep is almost impossible for her during her Endometriosis and Lupus flare-ups. These flare-ups can last for days to months and regularly cause her to have to miss out on and cancel plans last minute.

Gladys needs our community support and financial help!

Believe me, if you know Gladys personally, she is the last person who would ask for any help. This kind, humble, selfless, and beautiful soul has done so much for us. Gladys Iliana is the person you go to when you need some advice, a safe space, and a good cry. One of the strongest women I know. She is worth more than words can say. She’s a daughter, our friend, an auntie, Tia, cousin and a sister, and she needs our unconditional support more than ever. Gladys is unable to work for the next few months and needs help to cover rent, out of pocket medical expenses/bills, post surgery care, etc as she continues to recover and navigate a new normal. It will take awhile before state disability insurance funds are processed and distributed to her, and the cost of living with these two diseases will continue to put her under financial strain.

We know times are financially tough for many right now, and folks are going through financial hardships in one form or another. We kindly request your financial support, positive thoughts, prayers and energy to Gladys during this time. Any amount, no matter how small, will go a long way in supporting Gladys' long healing journey. If you would like to donate to her recovery, we sincerely thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Please share this Go Fund Me page far and wide, and follow this page for updates on Gladys journey.

Gladys’ venmo account is also available, if you are more comfortable donating through that route. Venmo ID: @Gladys-Ramirez

With love, kindness, much gratitude and many thanks,

Charlie and Lulu