Endo Battery

Hard Lessons, Hope, and Healing: Alanna's Endometriosis Journey Revised

• Alanna • Episode 90

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Living with chronic illnesses like endometriosis and adenomyosis can feel like a constant battle against societal expectations, and Chelsea and Alanna, know this struggle all too well. We've discovered that managing our lives with these conditions often resembles trying to fit the contents of a 10-inch dinner plate onto a 6-inch one—an impossible task that only invites stress and anxiety. Join us as we share our personal journeys of setting boundaries and being realistic about what we can handle. From prioritizing staples like faith, family, and community to learning how to communicate our limitations effectively, we explore the delicate balance of maintaining our health and well-being amidst the pressure to always be productive.

Navigating the healthcare system can be daunting, especially when living with complex conditions like endometriosis. Chelsea and Alanna open up about their experiences with medical professionals who dismissed our concerns, and how finding the right doctor who truly listens can be life-changing. We discuss the importance of advocating for oneself and the systemic issues plaguing women's health care. With the power of community support, we aim to empower others, encouraging self-love and growth through shared stories of grief, anger, and perseverance. Discover how embracing these challenges can be a catalyst for personal growth and change, and how serving others can offer profound healing on our journey together.

Website endobattery.com

Speaker 1:

Welcome to EndoBattery, where I share about my endometriosis and adenomyosis story and continue learning along the way. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis, but a place to equip you with information and a sense of community, ensuring you never have to face this journey alone. Join me as I navigate the ups and downs and share stories of strength, resilience and hope. While navigating the world of endometriosis and adenomyosis, from personal experience to expert insights, I'm your host, Alana, and this is EndoBattery charging our lives when endometriosis drains us.

Speaker 2:

Welcome back to the table for part two of me taking over endobattery. My name is Chelsea and I'm sitting down with Alana today to continue learning more about her endometriosis journey. This is where we left off.

Speaker 1:

We often say I have so much on my plate, I can't do all this. The correlation I make with this is that a person that doesn't have a chronic illness maybe has like a 10-inch dinner plate. Right, you go to a buffet, you get your 10-inch dinner plate, you fill it with all the things and you still you're able to enjoy it, you're able to fill yourself up with it. A chronically ill person really only has a 6-inch dinner plate and if you try to shove everything from a 10-inch dinner plate onto a 6-inch dinner plate, it's going to overflow, yeah, and it's going to overflow, yeah, and it's going to get contaminated and the food's going to touch. It's going to touch.

Speaker 1:

And you're not going to be able to, like, savor what's on your plate. You're not going to be able to enjoy it in its purest form, right, and it's not going to be nutritious in that standpoint, because it's going to create more anxiety. It's going to, you know, all those things for us ADHD or autism spectrum people, the more we try to pack on, the less fulfilling it is. Yeah, and so the thing that I've learned is that my chronically ill plate needs to be managed, and so I have to choose what I want to put on my plate. Yeah, and is this? Is it? Am I just sampling it just to try it, or is this something that I feel like is actually going to be nutritious to me? Is it going to fuel me? Is it going to give me life, right.

Speaker 1:

And then the other part of that, too, is like we talk about the spoons theory, which is really how this kind of this podcast kind of started with its name. If you're sampling all these different things on your plate using a new spoon, you're going to run out of spoons if it's too full and you're going to contaminate it. Yep, right, and so I just feel like knowing how big your plate is and what you can put on it before it runs over and becomes overwhelming is key. Yeah, and I think that we try to live in a space where we get the 10-inch plate but we only have capacity for a 6-inch.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I think we get really used to pretending like we have it all together with the 10-inch plate, when in reality, like, the gravy's spilling over the edge and the mashed potatoes are falling off and the bread roll, you know, is off the plate and rolling across the floor, and but we pretend like we have it together and we just don't. And setting boundaries and setting expectations for ourselves that are reasonable is so important.

Speaker 1:

Well and I think that's like for me in doing this podcast, I love getting the information out I've had to step back and say I don't have the capacity to do a whole YouTube channel with video right now, like, and I will maybe get there one day, but I don't have that right now, I don't have the capacity for that. And I think that for those of us who have trauma from missing out on things, that when we feel equipped to do something, we overfill and it kind of sets us back and I think, just understanding that you can't just continue piling things on because you think you can, because you will burn out and your body doesn't recover the same as someone who doesn't have any chronic illnesses, and so that's something that I've learned and I've had to continue learning. And there's those staples on our plate, right? So for me, my staples on my plate are the faith, family, friends and how to help serve those in the community yeah, and the podcast is definitely a big part of that.

Speaker 1:

But if I continue to add things onto my plate that don't fuel me and don't feed me, those other things don't get the attention they need, right. I just know that I have to take less on and I have to be okay with that, and I think that's something that is really hard for us, because society has told us that we need to be go-getters, we need to be able to do the B's and C's of life, when we're barely surviving an X, y and Z, yeah, you know, yep, and so I feel like that's kind of something that I've learned, because I put that expectation on myself to be able to accomplish all this stuff, but my body cannot handle that.

Speaker 2:

Right, yeah, no, I'm almost 40 years old and I'm just now figuring out how to establish boundaries, how to communicate clearly with people and be like hi, I need you to understand that I don't feel well and if that's too much for you, then sorry, but that's not my problem. Like I'm not going to make it and I'm sorry if I'm canceling on you or I'm sorry if I'm not willing to set plans with you right now. Right, because I just don't have. You know, I am hour to hour on how I feel sometimes and it's like I could feel great in the morning and then, by the time dinner rolls around and I'm supposed to go meet people, I feel awful and I like can't even get out of bed, and so I think, setting those boundaries and learning this, you know, and a lot of it has just been over these last few years where it's like you know, it's okay, going from being this go-getter and doing all of the things to doing the things that serve you only.

Speaker 1:

And I think that's.

Speaker 2:

I think it's healthy. I think it'd be good even for non-chronic illness patients to do that and just take a step back and really prioritize. You know, and this disease kind of makes you prioritize what's important to you.

Speaker 1:

It does. And I didn't realize that, I didn't realize how whole body consuming it is. And even still, there are days that I think I can manage more than I can. And what I realized is that my body takes more recovery time. Yes, before I would think, oh well, this is. You know me being lazy, because this is what I heard. Right, you're always tired, you're always, you just don't want to do it. You just, you know, like all those things that people kind of throw shade at you for.

Speaker 1:

And there's proof to back this up. There's scientific evidence that points to the fact that endometriosis brains have a harder time with fatigue, have a harder time. Their brain, the mapping of their brain, changes compared to those who don't have it. Yeah, it's scientific, right. So, yes, I'm not functioning the same as you, but that's okay. Yeah, and it's not to make excuses, I don't, because it's not an excuse, no, it's a reality, right. And I think that if we can shift our mindsets from an excuse to reality and do what you can when you can, then we might be able to feel more fulfilled. Yes, and not sitting in a space of but I wish I could, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

I would agree, cause I think that we spend a lot of time sitting there thinking about the what ifs and what could have beens in our lives when we look at what this disease has taken from us.

Speaker 2:

You know, I mean it's still most of my late twenties and most of my thirties at this point, and it's it's hard to you know not mourn that and dwell on that type of thing where it's like, oh, I could have been doing this, I could you know. Instead of that, we got to focus on the what is happening now, where we're at right now, and what?

Speaker 2:

we can control right now and guess what? I can control how full my plate is. Yeah, I have the control over that. You have the control over that Exactly. It's just so hard to not go with societal norms and do all of the things and be the boss, babe, and be all of those things that society wants us to be. No, we're tired and we're sick and we need naps.

Speaker 1:

Yes, Lots and lots of naps and we need to be okay taking those naps and if the house doesn't get cleaned one day, it doesn't get cleaned.

Speaker 2:

It doesn't, and I think you and I are lucky that we have really supportive partners. Like my husband is so supportive, like and you know I'll be like I'm having a rough day and he's like go take a nap, go lay down, go put your feet up for a little bit, go do whatever you need to do to feel a little better, like I've got this and I know your husband is the same way, which is such a blessing because there's a lot of I've been in other relationships where it's not that way.

Speaker 2:

Not that way at all, not that way.

Speaker 1:

But I do think like it's interesting to sit back and observe our support systems and how they've shifted and changed, because now that my girls are old enough to kind of understand some of what I'm up against, they have more questions and the thing that this podcast has given me is the ability to answer some of those questions. I can't answer all of them and I've been really honest with my girls and saying sometimes I get mad at my body, Sometimes I'm mad with the hand that I've been dealt, but I'm really grateful on the other end and I love hearing when my girls tell me, mom, are you helping someone? And I always say I hope I am, I hope I'm helping people.

Speaker 2:

You are.

Speaker 1:

And they're like, okay, good, I want to do that too and know and I think that I'm able to now show my kids through example what it can look like to serve others and find joy in that without overdoing it. Yeah, but they're also seeing me grieve and I think that's really something that I didn't understand. I always associated grief with death and now I associate grief with anything that we have a sense of loss for.

Speaker 2:

And we have a lot of loss with this disease.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely. But there's also things that it brings you. It can bring you community, if you let it. It can bring you work wives, if you let it.

Speaker 2:

Great relationships with people. Yeah, I've met people all over the world since I've been diagnosed with this and they are some of my favorite people I've ever met, like wonderful, great friends, people that we can reach out to at any time of the day. They'll answer our questions, they'll support us through stuff. It's really amazing. Yeah, the community that we've built and worked our way into, yeah, we've kind of shoved our way. We did shove our way in.

Speaker 1:

It might've been prompted by a shot of tequila, but we are there. It might have been prompted by a shot of tequila, but we are there. Yeah, we are there. That's not true, but I think too there's that sense of belonging when you are surrounded by people who understand you and who have been there, and although you have other friends who are fantastic, it's not quite the same.

Speaker 2:

No, no, my unchronically ill friends do not understand what I'm going through at all, and it's not quite the same. No, no, my unchronically ill friends do not understand what I'm going through at all, and it's not their fault, I mean, I'm glad they don't, because I don't want them to feel the same way that I've felt over these last few years and but a lot of them just don't understand. You know, and and that's fine, they don't have to. But I also have to set firm boundaries.

Speaker 1:

But I also think that we it's important for us to give space to that too yeah, and understanding and grace, because they don't understand it and until you live in this space, it's really hard to understand because it is so invisible. Most of the time it's not like they can see a cast on our arm or they can see us hooked up to tubes, although some people are and have all the bags.

Speaker 2:

Right, you know.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, there are those people and I just wish that we could convey to others effectively the extent of which this disease ravishes our bodies. And that's something I didn't realize in starting this podcast, or even part of my story is how much it affected my whole bodily system. And now I look at it and I see so many patients who are like my back is hurting, my hip is hurting, I can't pee, or I pee too much, or you know, I'm constantly pooping or I'm not, I'm never pooping, or, and it's like there's an underlying reason for that, and I think that we have become so complacent in society to just take doctors at their word as, oh, you just have IBS or you just are depressed. We're so used and I'm guilty of this. This is why I was with the same doctor for so long was because I felt this sense of loyalty and trust. But even with that, it is okay to explore more about who you are and what you're living with. It's not going behind their back, it's understanding your disease.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and it's your right. Absolutely their feelings are not your responsibility, and if your doctor gets their feelings hurt because they're not qualified to handle the issues. It's not your fault, not your responsibility. No, let them cry themselves to sleep at night when they see you took yourself off the schedule.

Speaker 1:

so right, the other part of that too, is we pay their bills right, especially in the us, oh yeah, but everywhere, I mean oh, I've a few like ski trips and stuff for doctors over the last few years right. So if they're not serving you, it's time to look somewhere else. Yeah, and you have to kind of break up. And it doesn't mean they're any less of a person, right, it just means that they aren't meeting that need where it needs to be met.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, no, I mean, you know my story with my most. I had a GP a few years ago that I was seeing, really liked her for a while and then my symptoms started coming back and I just wasn't feeling great and I mentioned, you know, hey, I really think it could be my endo, I'm not sure and she spent a good solid five minutes arguing with me about how it couldn't be endo, cause I don't have a uterus, and I was like that is not how this works, not even a little bit, even a little.

Speaker 2:

And she was unwilling to listen to anything that I had to say, any research I had to provide, and so I ended up ending that doctor patient relationship, moved on to somebody else. Absolutely wonderful experience, no issues. Do not have to explain things.

Speaker 2:

It's amazing, you know, and firing that doctor was one of the. I didn't go to the doctor for almost two years, Right, Because I was just like. I am so discouraged I'm never going to find a doctor that believes me. I'm never going to find a doctor that understands this minus the excision surgeons but they're not great long-term doctors. That's not their specialty, that's not what they do. So I think it's good that you have found a way to advocate for yourself, that you've taught other people. I mean, you taught me how to do that. So I know you're worried about making a difference, but you are the one that taught me. Hey, like there's an entire endobattery episode, you can fire your doctor. I'm pretty sure you have that in you already. Battery episode you can fire your doctor. I'm pretty sure you have that in you already?

Speaker 1:

I probably did. I'm a little feisty, you are real feisty. I thought I was feisty until I met you and I was like that's my soul sister. No, I could. I could get scrappy. You could real fast. I think that's the thing is. We have to count on each other to feel empowered, because we get stuck in our brains and on our heads and in our fatigue and in our pain and everything else. You need someone to say that's not okay, To validate the way that you are feeling yeah, or someone to say have you considered maybe doing this?

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I think.

Speaker 2:

I called you after that appointment. It was like this is awful. And she's like move on, like go find somebody else, find somebody that you don't have to convince that you don't feel well, Right?

Speaker 1:

You know, it's like that is such great advice that you gave me. I mean, gosh, if we held doctors to a higher standard, I question whether we would be in this situation that we are now.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I would agree. I mean, if there was better medical school education on this, if we actually actually if they actually researched women, if they actually involved us in like clinical trials right things right that affect women. That would be nice so and you know there's a lot of failures. It's hard to talk about that because you know there are so many great doctors out there that are fighting against the system and it really is the system here in the us at least. That just sets us up for failure.

Speaker 1:

I think everywhere. I think this is a worldwide issue that we face Yep.

Speaker 1:

And I would say the one thing that I've learned, and I continue to learn to do, is how to stop invalidating myself. Yes, yeah, because and it was only recently that this hit me how much I was actually doing that I went in to go see a provider and I was telling her all these and and and. Going into this provider, I was like I don't even know what to say to her, like I don't even know how she can help me. And so I went in and I kind of gave her the brief rundown, or whatever, of everything I was experiencing and she goes. She stopped me and she said I feel like you're trying to tell me something, but you're also really holding back from telling me something.

Speaker 1:

She's like there's something on your mind and something that you need to tell me, but you're putting up that wall and I lost my ever loving mind because I just started sobbing and I have never done that in a doctor's office After, yes, in my car, absolutely. I've never cried in a provider's office and I kept apologizing to her. I'm like I'm so sorry, I don't know why I'm crying, and she goes. No, this is a safe space for you to tell me everything. She goes. I can't help you if I don't know everything.

Speaker 2:

Well, and what a sign that is for how mistreated endopatients are, where it's like. All she said was just tell me what's going on and that is enough for you to feel heard, because so many other doctors just do not care. They don't care.

Speaker 1:

Right, and and I had to convince myself that I mattered enough and that my body mattered enough to talk about everything going on and that I wasn't going to be dismissed or invalidated by her, right, yeah, there's so much fear in walking into doctor's offices and not every doctor's office, I do it to some of the best doctors because there's that fear that they're not going to be able to help me, that there is no help for me, or that it's not that bad. Right, those are like the chief things for me. Yes, like I'm not worth having a better quality of life than what I already have because others have it worse. You know, the list goes on, and I just feel like we get stuck in this trap of comparison to other patients, which we have to get out of, because your story matters, your symptoms matter, your body matters, your feelings matter, your mental health matters, and they shouldn't be invalidated by a provider.

Speaker 1:

No, or yourself. Right, you're feeling what you're feeling. There's a reason for it. Do we need to sometimes get help on a psychosomatic spectrum? Yes, because we have so much trauma, right, we have to learn how to walk through it so we know what is really affecting us as opposed to what isn't affecting us, right?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and when you think of the statistics where you know it takes between, what is it? Seven to 10 years to get diagnosed and an average of eight doctors, is that right? Which is crazy to me because mine was like 30. I know, but I feel like those are really low numbers. Right, I do too, but even, but even there, you know, if you have eight doctors in a row, tell you that you're fine. Eight doctors, eight people who went to med school, I mean, that's a combined. What is that? 13 years in med school times, eight, I can't do them out that fast.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm not doing that fast, 104 years of schooling and they all told me you know and I don't know anything. You don't know anything we're not medical professionals. We're just like two girls that are nerds about endometriosis.

Speaker 1:

That I didn't know. I was a nerd about endometriosis until I started this. I had no idea how big of a nerd I was, until we started this, and I'm like, wow, I'm pretty nerdy when you can talk for hours about endo and our families are like are you done yet? Nope, we're not, we'll never stop talking so.

Speaker 2:

But when you hear it you know, over eight to 10 years, eight ish doctors on average, if that's if I'm remembering correctly. That's so damaging yeah, it is so damaging to your self-esteem, it's damaging, you don't. You can't trust yourself, you can't trust how you feel in your own body, you so you know there is a lot of mental health aspect that goes into this disease where it's you know, and it kind of falls into that hey, I treated, I had the hysterectomy, I had the excision, but I need pelvic floor physical therapy.

Speaker 2:

I need regular physical therapy. I need to learn how to poop again like a normal person. I didn't know how to breathe properly. I'm still working on the breathing. Oh, I'm still terrible about it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I don't.

Speaker 2:

My diaphragm does not work the way that normal people's diaphragms work and it's just like I cannot breathe normally. But you also have to address that mental health aspect and look at you know what, if you have depression, if you have anxiety over it? And and try to find somebody qualified to help you work through that, because it is awful and it is so bad for your self-esteem.

Speaker 1:

So bad. But I also think when you walk into a new provider's office, you're always afraid of what they're going to say. What's the new diagnosis? What's the new challenge? What's the this, what's the that? It's twofold right, because, like, either you want nothing or you want it all. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Like there's not a whole lot of in between to that, because you're like I want a diagnosis, I want to know why I'm feeling this way, but I also don't really want to know, because then I have to deal with it and that's like more time, more money, more lifestyle changes, more of all these things that feel compounding, which, again, is why talking to someone is important, because we can't carry this load alone, and that's why we started the support group, and that's why it's important to seek out mental health counseling, so that you don't have to carry the load alone. Other people can support you along the way and you don't carry it all by yourself, and they were amazing.

Speaker 2:

Hey, I saw this doctor and it was the worst experience I've ever had. Oh hey, have you tried this? Have you tried this type of therapy? Have you looked at acupuncture?

Speaker 2:

I found a great acupuncturist you know, I mean we share so many resources, you know, with the expectation where it's like do what you want with these, right, you know, if you want to make an't, have this group. You know, I mean, I would never be on the medications I'm on now if it wasn't for you guys, cause I, the whole reason that I'm doing a lot of the things I'm doing in order to fix myself is because I've seen you guys do it and it's helped you and it's, you know, been hugely beneficial for you and other people in our group. Yeah, without that support, we don't have that yeah, and I think, too.

Speaker 1:

I think there's something to be said. Something you won't get out of a doctor's office is lived experience. Yeah, and sometimes we need, as patients, to hear other patients talk about their experience, because I think that allows you the ability to take the next best steps for you. Yes, and and there's been a lot of things that I didn't really correlate with my journey until I talked to other people that experienced the same thing and then had a diagnosis or then had a way that they were helping solve some of the issues that they were facing. That lived experience is what can carry you to the next stage of healing, and I do feel like I have healed a lot in just being in community with others. Yeah, you know, which is why you know in this podcast, like I always talk about, we need to be part of this community, joining us at the table, because the table is where you share the most intimate meals, which goes back to my plate theory and my spoon theory and all the theories you see where my mind goes.

Speaker 2:

We're very food oriented here.

Speaker 1:

Even though we can't eat it half the time.

Speaker 2:

We don't eat most of the things, but we like talking about it. We'll talk about it. We make good analogies. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

But I mean, if you're like, oh, let's go meet for coffee and you have coffee at a table, you get to know more about these people. You get to know the more intimate aspects of who people are when you sit down at a table and have coffee with them.

Speaker 1:

Yeah absolutely that's. What we need as a community is to be able to feel safe enough to sit at the table with others and learn and grow and heal. I think, honestly, I didn't see that as a big element starting this, but now. Now that is like my whole takeaway.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so would you say like your goals have changed since you started endobattery? I feel like they have, but how? How do you feel like your goals have changed over the last three years?

Speaker 1:

Uh well, I think part of it is. I thought it was just for information and now I'm realizing it's about community. Yeah, and now I'm also realizing that I am right there with my community and my goals in doing this is to continue not only advocating but meeting people where they're at, in the space that they're at, and that's why, you know, when I have people on or whatever, I want to be able to try to help build that bridge. Because I don't know about you, but for me it was really hard to advocate for myself in the midst of all my pain.

Speaker 1:

And there have been times, even still in the discovery phase, of something else happening that it's hard for me to advocate, or it's hard for me to hear things, or it's hard for me to advocate, or it's hard for me to hear things, or it's hard for me to figure out my next steps. But if this is a tangible way to do that, I want to help do that and facilitate that way of healing or information gathering or whatever the case may be.

Speaker 1:

So my overall goal is not only to provide advice, good, evidence-based material, but also to meet people where they're at, and part of that is, you know, emailing me info at endobatterycom. If you have questions, if you want to hear about a specific topic, or if you just telling me a little bit about your story, you can email me and be like hey Alana, I just wanted to tell you this, and it fuels me so much when I hear things like that. But I really try to impress on people that this is not so much my podcast as it is theirs. I'm learning a ton. I'm learning a lot about myself, about the endometriosis community, about endometriosis as a disease, but also life past excision. When you're looking past the endometriosis and I think that's something that we don't often talk about enough is life after excision and the challenges that you can have, but also the good things that you can have. And so my goal with doing the podcast and in my own journey is just growth growth in community, growth in knowledge, growth and understanding.

Speaker 1:

Growth in community, growth in knowledge, growth and understanding and growing in loving myself more through this journey and showing myself grace, because that's a really hard thing for me to do, and I think when you have people surrounding you like you and I talk all the time but we've both come to one another and said I'm so mad right now and to feel validated in that is huge, yeah, and we all need that space. So I don't know, I think just showing each other grace but allowing space for grief and anger and frustration, but using that to fuel change, is important. It's beautiful. I think that's beautiful.

Speaker 2:

Well, I know I can speak for a good chunk of the endometriosis community when I say that you really are contributing in a huge way to the conversation. You're contributing to the information that's available. I've learned a ton from your podcast and I talk to you every day.

Speaker 3:

So, and I've learned so much, you know I mean you have incredible guests.

Speaker 2:

You do a really good job of balancing everything, of talking about the emotional side, the physical side, all of it, and I just I know you're making a huge difference and it makes me so proud to be your friend.

Speaker 1:

So why you're sitting next to me is to boost me.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know I'm here to make you feel good, so but I mean it, I really do, Like you've changed my life in such a positive way and I'm 100% certain that I'm not the only person that feels that way, so I know you have a lot of listeners that are grateful for the content you provide and the support you provide, even if it's just while we're just sitting at your kitchen table with microphones hanging out talking, drinking our Ziggy's hashtag.

Speaker 1:

Sponsor us hashtag, please. We're not sponsored yet. I am happy to do it and I you know I've said this before to so many people. I didn't know I needed this podcast as much as I do in some ways, because it's been part of my healing journey yeah it's been part of figuring out my purpose yeah and I also want to say that your purpose doesn't always have to be easy, no, and pain-free it doesn't.

Speaker 1:

And there are many days that I question certain things and I beat myself up in my own head about certain things and I question my ability. Why am I doing this? Am I? You know all these things right? Yeah, and I think that's only natural it is.

Speaker 1:

But I do think that if we allow doubt to fill our heads without motivation, then it's just that it's just doubt. But if we allow doubt to propel us into something more, to get us thinking outside the box, to get us thinking outside the situation, then that's empowerment it is. And that's empowerment it is. And I just want to encourage people like if you have doubt, even if it's in your own health, let it empower you to grow and change and to step outside the known box and into the unknown box, because I bet you anything, the colors are brighter they are. You will be unstoppable from that point. So that's kind of my mindset, and doing a lot of it too is like I have doubt all the time. But what's that doubt going to do? It's going to propel me, it's going to empower me.

Speaker 2:

So no, and I think there's a huge, huge benefit to service as healing. Yeah, and there really is. I'm sure there's science behind it somewhere.

Speaker 1:

Mel Robbins probably has something like that, Mel, if you want to come on please.

Speaker 2:

Oh my gosh, that would be my dream.

Speaker 1:

If she wants to come on and talk about that, that would be. Wouldn't that be impactful? Oh everyone get on Put in the messages to Mel Robbins.

Speaker 2:

Yes, because we love her. And she really is brilliant about this stuff and it helps so much to a step outside of your journey and be beneficial to other people on their journey.

Speaker 1:

And that in turn heals some of those broken pieces inside of us. Yeah, absolutely, I 100% agree with that. I would say 1000, but that's not an actual number.

Speaker 2:

It's okay, we like exaggerating, it's fine.

Speaker 1:

It's true Drama queens, according to all the doctors.

Speaker 2:

We're just exaggerating.

Speaker 1:

Exaggerating Loud drama. Queens, we're making things up.

Speaker 2:

Yeah Well, I really appreciate everything that we talked about today. It is so fun being on your show. I love when you have me on here and I appreciate you being such a good friend, such a great podcast host and such a fierce advocate for patients with endometriosis in our communities and around the world. There are people listening all around the world and it's really quite amazing for me to see what you have turned this into, and it makes me so proud to be your friend. So thank you so much for letting me jump in here today and chat with you.

Speaker 1:

I'd have you all the time if I could.

Speaker 2:

You know I'm too tired for that. I can't put that on my six inch plate but I'm happy to show up like once a month. So need me so I have enough energy for one podcast a month, maybe, or with the right guests, maybe I'd show up.

Speaker 1:

But everyone needs to tell Chelsea how much they love her.

Speaker 2:

Oh I, it would be good for my self-esteem. I am. I still have self-esteem issues, so I'm working through them. I've got a great therapist but don't say anything.

Speaker 1:

Mean about me, yeah I can't take it, I'm too fragile.

Speaker 2:

Oh no, thanks for sitting, making me sit down and talk about myself yeah, no, I feel like it was time for people to kind of get a recap from you and just learn about what you've learned on your journey, because you've changed so much over these last few years that I have, thank goodness goodness, I'm not a stagnant pond.

Speaker 1:

You were really annoying before.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for listening today. Until next time, please keep advocating for yourself and for others.