Introduction to Amy Schuch

I arrived here this evening (or should we say early morning?), via a simple question typed into Google: How To Become a Professional Blogger. After a few short paragraphs from a certain site, here I am in mid-blog already. It was a long, difficult, and interesting road that led me here over the last year and a half, but I hear that everything happens for a reason, so let's hope this is it. I used to work as a receptionist/personal assistant/travel coordinator/Ebay lister/a lot of other things, and for the most part, I really enjoyed my job. What I did not love, was who I worked for. I will spare you the horrible details, but as you may have guessed, I am no longer there and have been unemployed since. I have a lot of very good skills that would suit many other job positions, however, I suffer from chronic pain, so job hunting hasn't been in my forefront. That's why I'm here. Too many people suffer from chronic daily pain, and must do so in silence. I want to be a voice for them, and a place to come to know they are not alone.

I suffer from a disease called Endometriosis - a condition in which the tissue that behaves like the cells lining the uterus (endometrium) grows in other areas of the body, causing pain, irregular bleeding, and possible infertility. The tissue growth (implant) typically occurs in the pelvic area, outside of the uterus, on the ovaries, bowel, rectum, bladder, and the delicate lining of the pelvis. However, the implants can occur in other areas of the body, too.

I was diagnosed at eighteen, but back then it didn't debilitate me as it does today. Over the years, it has worsened and made my life very difficult. I feel pain every day; pain that feels like someone is stabbing me in the abdomen and twisting and pulling. The pain worsens with any physical activity - even something as simple as walking down my hallway. I spend many hours in my bed or on the couch crying with a heating pad, but most of the time I try not show how it truly affects me. In fact, most of my family is only partially aware of what I live with, which is ironic, since my mother and oldest sister have also been diagnosed. However, the difference between the three of us is that my mother doesn't feel her pain as often since menopause, and my oldest sister didn't know she had Endo. until she went through some fertility concerns. With as much pain as I am in, though, I'm glad they don't have to endure the constant and daily reminder of our condition. I wouldn't want them to have to hurt like this.

I suffer in silence. I don't have to, but I'm not the type of person that handles sympathy very well. I don't like people knowing I'm in pain, but in turn, it makes it pretty impossible for them to understand what I am going through, which has caused me some friction in the past. I think people may sometimes mistake me as lazy or that I simply don't care, which is definitely not the case. I feel very limited by my condition, which is why I find blogging to be a perfect outlet. I usually spend my days in front of my computer anyway, so this will give me the opportunity to write about my condition and all the aspects of my life it has changed, for better or worse.

I hope that you will join me on this journey of self discovery and understanding. Perhaps through this blog, I will learn to accept myself for who I am - chronic pain and all.