My Journey with Endometriosis, Infertility and Motherhood by Mel

I have lived with endometriosis since I was a teenager, although I wasn't officially diagnosed until 2016.

In my early twenties, I was put on the contraceptive pill because of the pain I was experiencing. Despite this, I continued to have symptoms that affected many areas of my life. At the time, I didn't fully understand what was happening or why I was experiencing so much pain.

It wasn't until I met my husband, Michael, and we began trying to have a baby that I started to discover the answers I had been looking for.

Michael and I met in 2009, and after six years together, we began our journey towards becoming parents. We started IVF, and in 2016 I met Dr Kee Ong. I underwent laparoscopic surgery, and it was through this process that I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis.

What followed was a long and emotional journey. I went through three rounds of IVF and eventually used an egg donor, but sadly, this was not successful.

After eight years of trying to have a baby, we were incredibly fortunate to have my amazing sister-in-law, Rachel, offer to carry our baby.

While Rachel was pregnant with our baby, I underwent my fifth surgery for endometriosis — a hysterectomy. By this point, I had already undergone four previous surgeries.

Then, on 10 May 2023, our beautiful son Zion was born.

It is difficult to put into words what that moment meant to us. Our journey to becoming parents had been filled with heartache, uncertainty, hope and perseverance. It was one of the hardest and most joyful experiences of our lives.

It truly took a village to bring Zion into the world, and I will always be grateful to every person who supported us along the way.

Our beautiful boy was worth it all.

But becoming a mum and having a hysterectomy didn't mean that my journey with endometriosis suddenly ended.

I still experience pain and symptoms today. I've learnt that living with endometriosis can be complicated, and that having surgery doesn't necessarily mean everything you've experienced simply disappears.

Looking back, there are things I wish I had known when I was younger. Most importantly, I wish I had felt more comfortable being open and honest about what I was experiencing.

I wish I had understood that I didn't have to simply accept pain as part of my life.

My journey has taught me so much — about resilience, hope, grief, uncertainty and the importance of having people around you who listen and support you.

I'm incredibly grateful for the life I have today, for my family and friends, and especially for my beautiful son.

My experience is one of the reasons I'm passionate about supporting others who may be going through their own difficult journey.

I know how isolating it can feel when you're dealing with endometriosis and infertility. I know the emotional ups and downs, the uncertainty and the feeling that sometimes nobody quite understands what you're going through.

If sharing my story helps someone else feel less alone, feel heard, or gives them the courage to speak openly about what they're experiencing, then sharing it is worthwhile.

This is my story. And it's a story I hope can help others know that they don't have to navigate their journey alone. ❤️