Often, we wear a facade of smiles, masking our pain with the precision of ancient gods. We appear flawless, adorned with impeccable makeup, and exuding optimism to the world. Yet beneath the surface lies a tapestry of hidden struggles, pains, and fears, concealed behind meticulously crafted masks that rival the most sophisticated computer-generated graphics.
We are the women with endometriosis. Over time, we have mastered the art of using charm not to captivate but to conceal: pain, discomfort, sorrow, worries, and fears. Most of us do this unconsciously, driven by a mentality ingrained in our very DNA.
We unknowingly construct masks for various occasions. One for home, whenever our spouses or loved ones begin to question if we’re shirking responsibilities, blaming it on pain. Another for the workplace, donned for the boss who holds our financial well-being in their hands, and for colleagues who express solidarity but gossip behind our backs during smoke breaks. Yet another for social gatherings, where we attempt to socialize with laughter while silently drowning in tears.
One of the saddest yet most finely crafted masks is that of the strong woman, the accomplished professional who needs nothing. It’s a perfect disguise to conceal the inability to bear children, the countless nights spent in tears, the failed IVF treatments, the hormone therapies wreaking havoc on our bodies, or even a potential hysterectomy performed at a relatively young age. All gifts bestowed upon us by endometriosis. Surprises in a life we neither desired nor built, reacting chaotically to extremes.
We are the women with endometriosis, who have learned all too well to conceal these sufferings to lead as normal a life as possible in a society rife with prejudices.
“Three kilometers” beyond the borders of our country, many of these prejudices would cease to exist, and we would no longer be confronted by them. And even though we have chosen to remain here and face them head-on, it’s time to look ourselves in the mirror and remember who we truly are!
We are women who wear endometriosis as a badge of honor, every time we step into a doctor’s office, every time the grimaces of pain etch themselves onto our faces at work, and every time we choose to recuperate in bed instead of spending time with family or friends.
It’s time to stand tall, first in front of ourselves. Let’s remove these masks and realize that the power we’ve built comes from within. It’s time to use this power not to hide our suffering but to make it known: to family, friends, bosses, colleagues, and especially to the doctors from whom we expect proper treatment.
It’s time to talk about endometriosis and our lives as they truly are: affected daily by this suffering. We can do this because no one knows better than us what it’s like to fight this battle. We won’t fight the external world, nor will we seek revenge on those who, out of prejudice, label us. Instead, we will choose to gradually pave a path toward a better quality of life.
It’s solely within our power to do so. We have it! Endometriosis helps us wield it! And when we’re unsure, when our self-esteem falters and we struggle to believe in ourselves, it’s time to turn to specialists ready to guide us toward this power!
We are women with endometriosis! And that is one of the hallmarks of our strength, meticulously crafted alongside expert trainers, built step by step. Because we finally choose to change our lives with endometriosis! From today, we have a new goal: to bring goodness into our lives and make those around us understand what this goodness means for a woman with endometriosis!
Are you ready to see yourself as you are and change your life with endometriosis?
The photographs and article are part of the marketing strategy of the “Faces of Endometriosis” Campaign initiated by Asociația Eu și Endometrioza.
Photo Credits: Mihaela Gartone and Clarisa Iordache