What I’ve Been Watching

I’m the type of person that needs a lot of alone time to relax and unwind and I like to do that by watching TV shows. It helps me escape from reality for a little bit and  have time to relax during this stressful time. Today I thought I’d tell you all the shows I’ve been watching during quarantine and maybe help you if you need any suggestions!

• One Tree Hill (Hulu): I started watching this show while still at college then finished it after being sent home. It’s a great coming of age, teenage drama if you like those! 
• The Secret Life of the American Teenager (Hulu): I always remember seeing commercials for this when I was younger, but I wasn’t old enough to watch it. It’s another great coming of age drama featuring a young Shailene Woodley.  
• Veep (Hulu, HBO): This show is a hilarious comedy featuring the amazing Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the Vice President of the United States. This is a great show if you like politics (like me) and want a really good laugh (it is a little raunchy though)!
• Big Little Lies (Hulu, HBO): At the beginning of quarantine my mom ordered the Big Little Lies book and loved it so she recommended it to me. I’m working on reading the book right now, but I’m pretty far into it so we started watching the first few episodes of the show. This show has a rockstar cast of amazing A-List actresses that are perfect in their roles!
• The Wonder Years (Hulu): My family was looking for an old sitcom to watch since all of the current TV shows were we watching had to stop filming. My parents watched this show when they were younger and loved it and now my siblings and I love it too! This show proves to be a great choice for all ages to enjoy! 
• Seinfeld (Hulu): My parents and I started watching this after my little brother goes to bed and it’s a great comedy! My parents watched this show when it was on TV, but I love that I get to watch it for the first time with them. 
• How I Met Your Mother (Hulu): I’ve already watched this show many times, but it never fails to make me laugh and lift my spirits! 
• Grey’s Anatomy (Netflix): Last but not least, the show I’ve been most obsessed with during quarantine. My mom has been watching Grey’s for years and I’ve seen a lot of the of the more recent episodes, but I recently got a Netflix account and this was the first show I wanted to watch. I started watching Grey’s last Thursday and I’m already half way through season four, so you could say I’m obsessed and I 100% recommend! 

Good Things About Quarantining with Endometriosis

This may be an unpopular opinion, but quarantining with Endometriosis is not that bad. Having a chronic disease makes you miss out on a lot of things because you never know when you're going to have a bad day. To lift spirits during this hard time, I put together a list of positives to focus on rather than negatives when it comes to having a chronic illness during a global pandemic:

• You get to work or do school from home!
• Many people with Endo have to miss work or school because they are in too much pain, but now it's a lot easier since we don't have to leave our houses.
• You can take a break whenever you want!
• I'm not sure about those who are working from home, but as a college student doing school at home, I can pretty much take a break whenever I need it which is really nice.
• You get to wear whatever you want!
• Having Endo, I hate wearing restricting pants like jeans or work pants, but even if you're on camera, no one can see you're wearing pajamas on the bottom!
• You don't have to feel bad about not making/canceling plans with people!
• I always feel terrible when I can't do things with my friends, but no one is supposed to be doing anything right now so I don't have to worry about it!
• You can do your work laying in bed!
• I don't know about the rest of you, but I have done a lot of homework in bed recently (which isn't necessarily the best thing) but it is definitely nice when sitting in the same position all day causes you a lot of pain.
• You don't have to feel pressure to have your hair and face all done up every day!
• I don't know about you, but I have barely worn makeup at all during this time at home and my skin loves it!
• You don't have to feel bad for taking time for yourself!
• For me, I always feel bad when I take time for myself to relax and destress, but I know that is something my body needs dealing with a chronic illness, so this is a great time to focus on yourself, whatever that entails. 

I know it's hard to not focus on the negatives and hardships during this time, but maybe this was meant to happen so everyone can slow done and appreciate the little things in life and take care of themselves. 

My Favorite Endometriosis Bloggers

Today I wanted to share my favorite Endometriosis bloggers with you so you all can see the women I look up to in this crazy world of Endometriosis. These are in no particular order, but I really encourage you all to check out these amazing ladies!

1. Lara Parker- @laraeparker on Instagram and Twitter (Lara also has a book coming out later this year which I totally plan on buying and reading! https://read.macmillan.com/lp/vagina-problems/) 
2. Kelsey- @endostrong on Instagram (I have been following her the longest and she is just amazing)! 
3. A.W.A.R.E.- @awarecauses on Instagram (this account raises awareness for all types of chronic diseases including Endo and they have real people sharing their stories every week)! https://awarecauses.com
4. Lena Dunham- @lenadunham on Instagram (one of the many celebrities advocating for Endo)!
5. Endo Girls Blog- @endogirlsblog on Instagram 
6. My Life with Endo- @mylifewith.endo on Instagram 
7. My Endo Journey- @myendojourneyxo on Instagram 
8. Karina Wilson- @chronicallyclassy on Instagram (her blog- https://karinawilsonx.wordpress.com) 
9. Endo Warriors- @endowarriors on Instagram (they share lots of facts and information) 
10. Endo What?- @endowhat on Instagram (website- https://www.endowhat.com)

Those are just some of the hundreds of Endometriosis bloggers I follow and of course, as always, follow my Instagram account @endoisnottheendblog! Let me know if you check out any of these amazing and informative accounts!

Immunocompromised During COVID-19

This pandemic is a scary time in the world for everyone, but please take a second to think about those who are immunocompromised, like people with Endometriosis. On the outside, I look like a healthy young woman, but on the inside, I have Endometriosis and asthma that both cause my immune system to be weaker than the average healthy person. If you have the mindset that you are safe from COVID- 19 because you are young and healthy, then you need to stop thinking that way. Yes, you yourself may not get it, but what about your grandparents, your uncle with cancer, or your friend who has Endometriosis or some other chronic disease, what about them? By not staying inside, you are putting everyone else in danger. I know this is not ideal, no one thinks that it is, but this will be over a lot sooner if everyone follows the rules and stays inside. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but this isn't about you. This is about doing what is right and safe to benefit the greater good. This is bigger than all of us and the least we can do is listen to the doctors in charge of this pandemic and stay home. People like me shouldn't have to be scared to go outside and take a walk. We should have comfort in knowing that everyone is following the rules, but unfortunately, we don't. So please, the next time you want to go hang out with your friends, think about all the immunocompromised people in the world, and hopefully, you'll make the right decision to stay home.

Day in My Life

Today I wanted to share a day in my life. I think a lot of people wonder what life is like living with a chronic illness. Well, my life is probably very similar to yours, so this is a typical Tuesday for me...

1. Wake up at 7:30 
2. Get ready for the day
3. Make shake for breakfast
4. Go to work for 8:30 
5. Work at my awesome job for the President of my college
6. Go to my literature class 
7. Grab some lunch after class (normally a salad or sushi)
8. Do homework for a little bit or relax if I'm really tired or not feeling well
9. Go to my psychology class 
10. Do some more homework for a little bit 
11. Go to chapel choir rehearsal starting at 5
12. Get a quick sandwich with my friend before our a cappella rehearsal 
13. Have a cappella rehearsal for two hours 
14. Go back to my dorm
15. Get ready for bed
16. Go to sleep (I like to get to bed early because I need a lot of sleep)

So there it is a typical Tuesday in the life of a busy college student with Endometriosis.

Easy Exercise Routine for Chronic Pain

Exercising is always something I have struggled with. I always get in a good routine, then have a flare-up and stop going to the gym. Recently I have been trying to balance college, work, extracurriculars, and exercise. So, I have created a mixture of high-intensity exercises mixed with yoga that I can do in my dorm room! If I can do this workout, then anyone can. You don't need any equipment except a yoga mat if you want one.

1. Warm-up: arm circles and 30 high knees 
2. Squats- 60 seconds
3. Donkey kicks- 60 seconds 
4. Push-ups- 60 seconds
5. Squat and side crunch- 60 seconds
6. Plank-ups- 60 seconds
7. Standing crossover toe touches- 60 seconds 
8. Cool-down: quad stretch- 30 seconds each side, rhomboid stretch- 30 seconds each side

Here is the link to the website explaining all these exercises:

https://dietprogram.club/8-minute-workout-before-bed-and-see-what-happens-in-a-month 

Below are 15 yoga poses you hold for one minute each as a good cool down and stretch after your workout. For all of the exercises and yoga poses, you can choose which ones to do if some are hard for you. You can always work up to the harder ones as you get more comfortable. If you have any questions, feel free to comment!

Myths and Misconceptions

Myth: Endometriosis is just a really heavy period.
Women with Endo may experience a really heavy period, but that is just one of the many symptoms.

Myth: Heavy bleeding means you have Endometriosis.
Again, it could be a sign someone has Endo, but it is not the only reason for heavy bleeding.

Myth: Extreme pain is normal during your period.
Extreme pain is NOT normal during your period, but many women are taught that it is. If you have extreme pain, you might want to talk to your doctor about Endo.

Myth: Young people cannot get Endometriosis.
This is completely false, I was diagnosed with Endo when I was 14. Yes, it is more common in older women, but that doesn't mean younger women can't have it.

Myth: It's all in your head.
IT'S NOT ALL IN YOUR HEAD AND DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT!!

Myth: The amount of Endometriosis you have corresponds with your pain level.
This is not true for Endo. Some women can have a lot of Endo but have no pain and are only diagnosed when she starts having infertility issues. On the other hand, one can have only a little bit on Endo and still experience extreme pain.

Myth: Something you did caused your Endometriosis.
Doctors don't know the cause of Endo yet, but they do know it runs in families.

Myth: Endometriosis means you cannot get pregnant.
This is not necessarily true if Endo is caught early enough, women are still able to get pregnant.

Myth: Pregnancy cures Endometriosis.
This is false because there is no cure to Endo. The only thing pregnancy does is eliminate one's period, so that could cause a little less pain than usual.

Myth: Hormonal treatment cures Endometriosis.
Again, there is no cure for Endo, but hormonal medications are used for treatment (meaning they can take away some of the pain, but not all of it).


https://www.webmd.com/women/endometriosis/myths-facts-endometriosis#2
http://endometriosis.org/resources/articles/myths/