“At what point is my situation considered an emergency?”

Aubrion Rogers, a young American woman who dedicated herself to raising awareness about endometriosis, tragically passed away at the age of 30. She received a diagnosis of endometriosis just last August.

Being a member of the Facebook endometriosis group, Aubrion shared her frustrating experiences of not being taken seriously by her medical practitioners.

In her posts, the 30-year-old recounted enduring excruciating pain daily for months. Even in the emergency room, she had to request an ultrasound, which ultimately unveiled multiple challenges: three fibroids, a cyst, an enlarged ovary, and an 11 cm focal point.

In utter frustration, she posed the vital question:

“At what point is my situation considered an emergency?”

Last Saturday, Aubrion’s husband posted an update on her behalf in the same Facebook group, revealing the dire situation:

“At this moment she is fighting for her life in the intensive care unit. For the past three weeks she has been in constant extreme pain, and yesterday morning her condition worsened. In an emergency surgery, her ruptured right ovary, right fallopian tube, appendix, and some endometriosis lesions and cysts were removed.”

Appealing for prayers, her husband shared that Aubrion’s condition remained unstable, and her life was sustained solely by medical machines.

On Monday, the community received the devastating news of Aubrion’s death. At just 30 years old, she lost her life due to complications arising from surgery, triggered by an untreated large endocyst that caused her right ovary to rupture.

Fellow members of her Facebook group echoed stories of Aubrion’s pain being dismissed by doctors, leading to her being sent home without treatment.

Endometriosis activist Samantha (@endo.samantha) commented on Aubrion’s tragic demise via Instagram:

“Untreated endometriosis can have fatal consequences! We must intensify our efforts to raise awareness, persist in advocating for our health and pain, and unite with our endo sisters because this tragedy should not have occurred!”

Within our community, similar tales of emergency surgeries are recounted by sufferers.

Lydia, who drew my attention to an article about Aubrion Rogers, shared her experience:

“I myself faced life-threatening situations twice within a year due to endo, with no one believing me for months!

The pain was akin to enduring childbirth every day.

It took a year until I received help… Unable to function, work, or engage in life.

My initial visit to the endo center yielded no discoveries beyond a cyst; hormonal treatments exacerbated my agony.

I was eventually rushed to the hospital by ambulance, unable to walk due to excruciating pain and incessant vomiting. Subsequent laparoscopy revealed severe peritoneal inflammation and near-fusion of abdominal organs. Endo and adeno were identified, though not sampled. ?

Post-surgery, the pain intensified; 9 months of artificial menopause worsened the agony.

After a year, a different endo center validated my concerns.

The untreated abdominal cyst, now as large as an apple, induced unbearable pain. ?

Surgery two weeks later disclosed the cyst as trapped blood, endangering my intestines, uterus, and ovaries. A few days more and I’d have faced intestinal obstruction.

This surgery rescued me again, albeit limited in action beyond blood removal and collection of samples. Nothing more could be done. The subsequent surgery was canceled… because for further rehabilitation I would have had to get an artificial intestine and lose my uterus. ?

The journey continues, with lessened yet persistent pain ?‍♀️”

The question remains: Why must it reach such dire straits?

Do not let anyone dismiss your pain. Your body’s language is unparalleled, and your health is beyond measure.

How can we collectively amplify endometriosis awareness?

Spread the word: Share credible endometriosis content on social media and WhatsApp.

Converse with friends and acquaintances about your condition.

Even if your doctor lacks endo knowledge, request resources from the Endometriosis Association or display them in their clinic.

A member from our Instagram community recently (following news about France’s President Macron developing a national endometriosis plan) compelled her local radio station to address endometriosis, culminating in an interview opportunity.

Numerous paths allow us to bolster awareness collectively.

Have you discovered more strategies or undergone emergency surgery yourself? Share your insights in the comments!