Endometriosis was diagnosed. It had coated her bowel.
“It was devastating,” Gill recalls. “I wondered if I’d ever be a mom.”
But she refused to be defeated. After surgery to remove part of her damaged bowel, she began IVF. It was a case of third-time lucky and two years ago her beloved boy Josh was born.
But when he was just five months, the endometriosis returned with its intolerable pain.
Gill’s choices were stark. “My specialist said I’d end up with a colostomy bag if I didn’t have a hysterectomy to stop the disease once and for all.”
She had the operation a year ago and her ovaries were removed along with her womb. She’s now fully recovered and on hormone replacement therapy. “Finally, I’m well enough to enjoy my son,” she says.
Some women may shudder at the finality of Gill’s decision. Martha certainly does. “I want to go down the alternative route if possible,” she says. “I hate the idea of being unnatural.”
Homeopathy, herbs, acupuncture and nutrition are all on Martha’s to-do list. And although there’s a distinct lack of clinical evidence to support the effectiveness of complimentary therapies, some women swear by them.
No matter what type of treatment you choose, staying tuned into your body will help you determine if your particular treatment is helping…or if it’s not.
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