February 1st 2026

Hello readers! It has been awhile again. Life just goes by too fast!

To start let’s talk endo symptoms. Most of you know by now, I had a hysterectomy for adenomyosis in 2023. It’s actually been 3 years this month as I am now realizing writing this. I will give you my three year reflections. 

I am absolutely thankful I decided to do the surgery. I do not regret it for one second. I remain functional, doing things I was not able to do before the surgery. I am crushing the fitness world. Prior to my hysterectomy and endometriosis excision surgeries, I was really limited in my fitness activities by pain-pelvic, back and joint pains; horrendous bleeding, and fatigue to name a few. I did a HYROX on May 31st of 2025! Without even realizing the date I signed up for a ten mile race on May 31st, 2026, just yesterday, in my favorite place-Newport, Rhode Island.

I am not in agony at work caring for patients to the degree that I was. I remember working in clinic prior to my surgery, doubled down with multiple heating pads, doubled up on NSAIDS and Tylenol, pale as hell, and the worst unexplainable fatigue. How was I taking care of patients feeling this way?! It was very tough but my Dad always said, “Your a Viking”. I think all women with endometriosis are Vikings!!

Now with these being said, I still get flares around my cycle. I still have my ovaries thus I still experience a cycle, fortunately without the bleeding side effect. I still have ENDO, it’s not cured, because surgery doesn’t cure it. I no longer have adenomyosis-thanks to my devil uterus being removed, which greatly contributed to pain and bleeding. I was diagnosed with RA and I have lupus markers. In my own opinion, Endo, is also autoimmune though not yet scientifically proven. These all tie together. Flare ups are weird and horrible. One week I will experience bursitis, tendonitis (inflammation—go figure) in my knee pocket or presently in my right forearm. My back locks up in the middle of the night and I can’t move. This past week I had pain in my rib cage. I have thoracic endometriosis! This can be a whole post on its own, I will do that for the next one!

As most of you know, I am a nurse practitioner that fixes broken hearts. I can’t imagine my heart patients living without opportunities for medications or surgeries to potentially fix it. We have different ways to manage these conditions where patients can still have good quality of life. I am truly blessed to be able to help my heart patients. We have new medications and treatments coming out all the time to the forefront with research being done with randomized controlled trials!! But then the grief hits about my own chronic illness. The lack of treatments and research is appalling. I don’t understand why it has to be this way!

I read about women’s stories on social media. Women approach me all the time with people they know suffering from this disease. It breaks my heart that we do not have anything to help this condition other than surgery. SURGERY!! My people!! Does this not sound crazy!

I go to doctors appointments now and I still have to explain the link to Endo and my symptoms. I just recently shared a post on thoracic endometriosis to a friend of mine who was like “Wow I never heard of this”—no kidding (sigh). I constantly find myself educating my friends, coworkers-which are medical professionals!! Women are suffering, hard, and we still hear, “Damn I never heard of this before”. 

I reposted a story on my instagram page about a woman who shared she had bowel endo surgery and came out with a colostomy bag. This is a bag that dumps out stool and you have to change it. You literally have a bowel movement in a bag!! This is typically placed when part of your colon is removed and needs to heal (as an example of a case). The messages I got after posting this, the shock and disbelief that Endo could do this. Yes, Yes it can!! You might be saying to yourself, “How the hell are there no treatments for this or research??” Your guess is as good as the rest of us. 

We women, have our theories. When I reposted that story, discussed above about the bowel endo, to my instagram I quoted the lovely Amy Schumer, who also suffers from endometriosis by the way. She is very public about this and helps to raise awareness with Endometriosis Foundation of America-Founder Dr. Seckin (Who did her endometriosis surgery!). She did a bit with Jimmy Fallon, saying how “Men have trouble swallowing a pill so they invented chewable viagra”. (She reposted my story!! by the way!!! ahhh!!) This is true that men have always been in higher ratios than women in research trials and there are more research trials for conditions that affect men. This is a fact. In my heart world, they are admittedly finally ensuring a balance between genders. I would love to see more research in the endometriosis field. I am raising awareness for this exact reason. We do not want to suffer anymore, we want help, we want good quality of life just like the kind I am able to give my heart patients every single day.

Please continue to share my story and help me raise awareness so that we may get the help we deserve for endometriosis.

See you soon, next post I will touch on my experience with thoracic endometriosis.

As always thank you for reading.

With Love,

Foxy

xoxo