Bridging The Gap To Stephanie’s Fertility
4 July 2020 – Patient Stories
“I had heard about RAD for years. I just never viewed it as a place that dealt with endometriosis symptoms. I had a lot of friends at church that struggled with infertility. Every single one of them went to RAD and every single one of them became pregnant.”
Endometriosis Patient & Career Pianist
Stephanie Jones
Stephanie encourages others battling endometriosis to consider RAD’s Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Center whether they are pursuing fertility now or in the future.
Music’s Role in Coping With Pain
As a young teenager, Stephanie would play piano for hours at a time, while simultaneously battling several health conditions and chronic pelvic pain. Music served as her therapy; an escape from long, painful cycles that increased in intensity. As Stephanie searched her memory for the exact moment when she realized that her body was betraying her, she shared,
“I think the first time I realized that something wasn’t right, was when I was with a friend at the store who was trying to get pregnant. She bought ovulation strips and I was like, ‘Oh, what are those?’ And she said, ‘This is how I can know when I’m ovulating.’ I said, ‘You don’t feel pain when you ovulate? You need a test? They have those?’ And she said, ‘Yeah nobody does.’ And I was like, ‘I do! I always know when I’m ovulating.’”
In an attempt to address the deep, burning pain, Stephanie sought help from a traditional OB-GYN and informed her about the trauma that was wreaking havoc on her body. Instead of seeking the potential cause of her debilitating discomfort, Stephanie’s doctor presented her with a NuvaRing and sent her on her way — never mentioning endometriosis.
“It [NuvaRing] didn’t help at all. There was no helping with something that simple.”
Seeing Different Specialists Became The Same Song On Replay
Seeking treatment for her ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, and anemia only made the discovery of her endometriosis more difficult due to pelvic pain being associated with these other severe conditions. After years of coping, Stephanie, now in her 20s, decided to take matters into her own hands and do some research. She quickly discovered the term endometriosis accompanied by a laundry list of symptoms of which she was a match.
“It wasn’t hard for me to find it and as soon as I read the first thing on the Internet, I was like, ‘Oh! This is me — this is real.’”
When asked how she first heard about RADfertility and the Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Center, Stephanie stated,
“I had heard about RAD for years. I just never viewed it as a place that dealt with endometriosis symptoms. I had a lot of friends at church that struggled with infertility. Every single one of them went to RAD, and every single one of them got pregnant. I only viewed RAD from the infertility perspective and thought, ‘Well, if endometriosis gets in the way of me and my husband having kids someday, I’ll go there at that time.’
Then a friend of mine told me about RAD’s Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Center. And I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ And she said, ‘They treat pelvic pain outside of pregnancy!’ I booked an appointment that night.”
The Beginning of a Whole New Tempo
When she entered RAD’s Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Center, Stephanie did not know how productive and hospitable her visit was going to be. Her first appointment consisted of a physical exam, and blood work to obtain a baseline for combatting her symptoms. Rhonda Wright, PA-C and Clinician Director, welcomed her with open arms, listened to her concerns, and evaluated her health as an introductory analysis for Dr. Barbara McGuirk. During that appointment, Stephanie explained to Rhonda what her lifestyle looked like.
“I was aiming for the best possible health through diet, exercise, and medication, but it wasn’t working for endometriosis.”
After conveying her thoughts and concerns to Rhonda, Stephanie received immense encouragement and a plan forward. Rhonda recommended the Whole 30 diet and diagnostic testing, alongside appointments with Dr. McGuirk for treatment options and preservation of fertility.
Within two months of her first appointment, Stephanie had her very first laparoscopic surgery to diagnose and treat her endometriosis at the source. When asked what the hardest part of the journey to remission and fertility was, Stephanie described the recovery from surgery.
“The challenge physically for me after surgery was the dysfunctional bleeding. For the first six months after surgery it was an issue, but RAD worked really hard with me through it. I went on Whole 30, different suppression medicines, and eventually, it was managed. I think the hardest part was when I started trying to have a baby. I always wondered if the length of time it took me to manage that post-surgery was going to be a showstopper for me. In the end, it didn’t end up being a showstopper which was wonderful.”
A Dream Score Made Reality
After her endometriosis surgery, diet modification, hormone suppression, and successful intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatment, Stephanie and Turner became parents to baby Alex, a beautiful, smiley ray of sunshine. “Even as severe as my situation was, I didn’t end up needing in vitro fertilization (IVF). The lower tech treatment option was successful. I found hope in this for myself and others battling endometriosis.”
“I have a beautiful little girl that we’re just enjoying every day with. I do still struggle with some endometriosis symptoms because there’s no cure yet. But I know that I have the best possible situation and life is awesome.”
Wanting to convey the importance of fertility preservation, the excision of pain, and bridging the gap to fertility specifically for endo patients, Stephanie closed with the following statement,
“I tell people that RAD’s Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Center is the only place they should look if they are struggling with endometriosis. It’s a place that treats women with endometriosis whether they are pursuing fertility now or in the future. Other laparoscopic surgeons need to learn what Dr. McGuirk is doing because that should be the true standard of care.”
*Stephanie and Turner welcomed their 2nd daughter, Elsie, in December 2019.
Stephanie at her diagnostic appointment at RAD’s Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Center
Stephanie & Turner getting the phone call from RAD they they were pregnant with their first child
Celebrating Easter 2020 together as a family of four – Turner, Stephanie, Alex & Elsie
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