I signed a petition today, it is urging the Australian Government to put more funding into gynaecological care for women. Specifically, to help diagnose and treat endometriosis. For so long now women’s gynaecological health issues have not been treated with the care and respect they deserve, they are not considered disabilities and certainly not considered intensely painful, severe, and often incredibly debilitating. So, I am glad to see this awareness being spread on a popular news site with links to the petition.
I don’t suffer from endometriosis but I do suffer from adenomyosis. Whereas endo is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus, adeno is a disease where the endometrial tissues in the lining of the uterus grows into the muscular wall of the uterus, enlarging it and causing very heavy bleeds. It also can cause pain and fertility problems. I don’t really ever hear anything about adenomyosis and I myself had never heard of it before getting my own diagnosis years back. I cannot speak to the pain of endo because my pain is manageable, the bleeding not so much. I have needed iron infusions, have had anaemia and am constantly battling a low iron count and not to mention the thousands I have spent on sanitary products, despite the GST being removed in 2019. I am tired all the time, anxious as each cycle rolls around and really over it. So much so, in an effort to deal with my adenomyosis, I am headed to hospital this week to have an ablation, an ablation is a procedure where they burn the lining of your uterus to hopefully avoid future periods. I liken it to having a flame thrower delicately placed up your cervix. I tried other methods previously, such as a Mirena, but it didn’t stop the bleeding and I can’t take the pill due to my age, so off to hospital I go. Fingers crossed it works! I really wish the shame around women’s gynaecology would piss off. I remember hiding tampons and pads up my sleeve at school, or when out so no one would know I had my period. I think I still do that to some extent. It’s bollocks, it’s normal and natural and there should be no shame. I remember bleeding all over my school uniform and being laughed at because it was shameful. I remember when I got my first period, I rang my friend and she handed me a pack of pads through my bedroom window because I was too scared to tell my parents, how mad is that! But in my defense, they had never talked to me about periods, so I was clueless. Let’s talk about it, let’s farewell the shame, let’s take women’s health seriously. Let’s have free sanitary products in all schools and public toilets. Period poverty is also a real issue, women are struggling to afford to buy sanitary products and necessary pain relief. So come on Government, pony up with some extra dosh for women and their Vah-jay-jay’s and while you’re at it, be like Scotland and make period products free for those who need them! Let’s end period poverty. #periods #menstruation # noshame #tampons # endometriosis #adenomyosis #periodpoverty #genx #80s
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