The Adventure Continues!
13 August 2018 – Patient Stories
Endometriosis Patient
Christine C.
The Odyssey Toward Pain Free Living
“I had zero idea what it was, I just thought, ‘Great, someone has a name for this. Give me medicine and I’ll be out the door and back to school!’ I was definitely more shaken when the GI [gastroenterologist] explained that it wasn’t that simple and [I had to] learn more about it.”
Christine was committed to rescuing her health from the disease that held her captive in the Spring of 2013, when she sought out Dr. Barbara McGuirk for a treatment plan. This consultation took place approximately 7 months after her initial laparoscopic procedure in 2012, when it proved to be unsuccessful. When recalling her first memories made at the Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Center, she states,
“I felt like I was heard, which was my number one concern when I was on this journey. One of the things I appreciate about Dr. McGuirk, is that she listens to my concerns, is willing to have a conversation to figure out what’s wrong and what’s a good path forward, all while keeping in mind the rest of my life situations. I remember being put on one plan to ease the pain and when it didn’t work, I had said this wasn’t working and she immediately went to plan B. Fortunately, this plan has been keeping me pain free since!”
Charting a New Course
When asked about what her swashbuckling life looks like in 2018 and what she hopes to accomplish, Christine shared,
“I’m feeling great! I always have the time around Thanksgiving marked as my anniversary of the start of a pain free life! This year will be 5 years, a milestone anniversary, I’ve heard. Daily life, I’m still doing all of the stuff that seemed out of grasp before I came to RAD because of my pain — still married, just celebrated 3 years of marriage! I’m starting to build a career and can’t wait to see how far I’ll go! We also work with the teenagers at our church, who certainly keep our life interesting! Our most recent adventure, we knocked out states 9 and 10 out of our 50 states by 50 bucket list [Washington and Oregon]. I also knocked cage diving with sharks off of my bucket list! We also bought our first house together, and we recently got our first puppy (who is the biggest ball of energy!).”
Pearls of Wisdom
“Don’t be afraid to say, ‘Ouch this hurts!’ — don’t stop saying it until someone listens, and keep looking until you find someone who listens. You are your best advocate; don’t be afraid to be a loud mouth when it comes to your health. A good doctor is going to listen to your concerns and have a conversation about how to move forward.”
Newark Office
4735 Ogletown-Stanton Road
MAP 2, Suite 3217
Newark, DE 19713
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Eden Hill Medical Center
200 Banning Street, Suite #240
Dover, DE 19904
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