I sometimes draw about the physical feels attached to having Endometriosis and Adenomyosis
I use different things to describe Endometriosis and using weeds often works well. this is brambles that grow around everything and causes pain. I often find using weeds works best as its something everyone understands. I liked this image as its more anatomically correct and with the black brambles making it more shocking by the contrast.
These two images are representing the different types of ways I sometimes explain the type of pain I experience. I think explaining pain is a very hard thing to do especially when its different types of pain at the same time.
This is an acrylic painting with cuts in the canvas to represent the ongoing pain that surgery after surgery cause. Surgery is not always the answer as sometimes the scars left from surgery can give the Endometriosis more places to grow. it can also cause more adhesions and pain. It also represents when the pain of Endometriosis feels like your being cut open and ripped apart when you have a flare up.
Then the next type of images is representing the emotional side of having a chronic illness.
This image is the depression and loneliness that a chronic illness can make you feel. I sometimes feel very alone. I was diagnosed with Endometriosis 12 years ago but most of this time I kept it to my self and didn't really talk about this. I felt so alone and weird as I didn't know anyone else with it at the time. I have now met so many more women through social media and support groups.
I often feel like I wear a mask when out and about. I show a smiling happy person when inside I'm in a lot of pain and struggling just to get through the day and deep down I want to cry. I used to say I'm ok when people asked me how I am. I know say "its a good day" or "its a bad day," I think this choice of words makes people realise even if today is ok I sometimes have bad days.
This is Crampy a little character I created to lighten up some of what I do and think as sometimes it can get a bit dark in my mind. Crampy is a sad womb who has Endometriosis.
Then there are the Educational images.
The anatomical images of what adhesions, Endometriosis and adenomyosis look like. it shows the adhesions between the tubes ovaries and womb, the womb attached to the bowel. Then endometriotic cysts on the ovary, and Adenomyosis
These next few images are the different stages of endometriosis. I use weeds to explain how endometriosis grows and that just because you cut the top off the weed (the visible part of the endometriosis) doesnt mean you got it all, it will keep growing. there are 5 stages of endometriosis and each weed represents one of the stages.
This image goes with the one above. The leaf shapes represent the different levels of pain. With endometriosis, the stage you are does not link to how much pain you feel. there could be one woman with stage 1 and the highest level of pain. But then others have stage 4 and almost no pain. I designed this so you would take the size of the weed (stage of endometriosis) and then change the leaves to match the level of pain you experience.
This sketch is what I imagine Endometriosis would look like during surgery if it looked like it felt.
This image is just some of the things I experience as part of my Endometriosis.
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