The Endo Diary: How Printing a Coloring Page Means I Can't Go to Church Today

Soooo, I am still a bit derailed from my endometriosis story, but I figured I would use this pause to add a new recurring feature to the Pain In The Rear Endo blog: The Endo Diary. This occasional segment will provide a glimpse into a day in the life of someone living with endometriosis and chronic pain. Because we don't always 'look sick," people don't understand how every choice we make affects the remainder of our day and possibly subsequent days/weeks/months. If you haven't yet, you should familiarize yourself with the Spoon theory by Christine Miserando. Basically, she sums up each day as having a limited number of spoons available and every activity costs you a certain number.

The Endo Diary segment of this blog will highlight the everyday choices (spoons) that we take for granted when we are feeling healthy and well and exemplify how one choice can impact the rest of a day filled with chronic pain from a disease that we are unable to control. And so, I bring you the very first Endo Diary entry:

HOW PRINTING A COLORING PAGE MEANS I CAN'T GO TO CHURCH TODAY

First, a little context: I have only been able to go to church twice in the past two months and am leaving on Tuesday for 4 nights away from my kids and home to have surgery with an endometriosis specialist 6 hours away. I had a couple not-so-bad days on Friday and Saturday.

This morning, I woke up in excruciating pain.

Worse than I have had in several days.

Of course.

Why?

Because I have some place to go today.

I wallow in bed for an hour as I wait for pain medication to kick in.

Coffee.

Drag myself upright and brush my hair.

Thankful the brush is within arm's reach on my nightstand...

and that I took my shower last night.

Get dressed: Two words, but 30 minute process for pants, shirt,

socks and earrings...must have the earrings.

Back on heating pad - 45 minutes until we leave.

Feel like I ran a marathon.

Doze off for 15 minutes.

Husband needs print-out of coloring sheet for children's church lesson.

Printer is "offline."

Printer is "processing."

Printer is "realigning."

Printer is going to die today.

10 minutes sitting upright in office chair.

0 print outs of coloring sheet.

Stabbing abdominal pain.

Sharp, shooting groin pain.

Back on heating pad.

Not going to church.