A woman with endometriosis has decided to launch a retreat for individuals living with the condition with the aim of changing their perspective into a positive one. Michaela Rowlands, who is originally from Abergele but lives in St Clears in Carmarthenshire, was diagnosed with the condition in 2020.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. It affects one in 10 women in the UK and at the moment there is no cure for it.
Each month these cells react in the same way to those in the womb, building up and then breaking down and bleeding. Unlike the cells in the womb that leave the body as a period, however, this blood has no way to escape – causing chronic and sometimes debilitating pain as well as affecting fertility and other parts of the body such as the bowel or bladder.
Michaela, 33, suffered with pain and other symptoms for 15 years until she finally received her diagnosis at the age of 30. Speaking about her journey to diagnosis the hygiene consultant said: "After you are diagnosed you start thinking back.
"I always knew I had really heavy, really painful periods. I had lots of the other symptoms as well but didn’t really think too much about it. Obviously your mum is the first person you talk to about it and it turns out she had endometriosis but didn’t know so she would tell me that it was normal for her as well – that she also used to faint and feel sick with her period.
"I just assumed that if it was something my mum had then it was something I had as well. I would tell people that I had bad period pains and they'd get it but I never had anyone tell me: 'Hang on, it's not like that for me'."
She added: "Three years ago I went through a stressful period in my life and the stress of that I think exacerbated my symptoms. Now I know that stress has a huge impact on endometriosis.
"I have a friend and she happened to be an endo-blogger. And she said: 'Michaela, your symptoms do really sound like you’ve got endo. I think you should get yourself checked out.' I had never even heard of endometriosis before I met this girl so I went for a check-up."
After various check-ups, ultrasounds, blood tests, and two laparoscopy surgeries – the first one of which was unsuccessful – Michaela was finally diagnosed with endometriosis. Although Michaela struggled to come to terms with this chronic illness she realised that having a diagnosis helped legitimise her feelings.
"I was so relieved that I wasn’t crazy," she said. "It was absolute relief because it legitimised everything for me. It was a real thing and there was something actually wrong. I had my second laparoscopy in July of this year where my surgeon managed to get rid of all of it. It was wrapped around my bowel, my urethra, and my bladder but my surgery went really well.
"They then told me that they would probably need to see me again in three to five years’ time and to call them when the pain was unbearable. I couldn’t believe it. I think the hardest part of coming to terms with it is the fact you've got to accept it’s not going away."
In order to come to terms with living with the condition and to learn more about it Michaela started looking into social media support groups but found that there was little focus on overcoming struggles of living with the condition with a positive attitude. She said: "There were plenty of Facebook groups. I found there was definitely a place for people to be heard and there was a safe place for them to share their journey, which is so important.
"But I was looking for a positive angle to it. I wanted someone to tell me that I have endo but it doesn't have me. I wanted someone to tell me that perhaps we were dealt with these cards but we wake up every morning. I wanted someone to tell me that perhaps you are having a bad day today but tomorrow you are going to do this and it will be better."
Michaela, who enjoys the outdoors and fitness, decided to look for alternative options instead and decided to look for yoga retreats. But yet again she stumbled on another obstacle. She said: "I love yoga and I was looking for a retreat where I could learn more about endo, surround myself with other women, and do meditation but there was nothing.
"There was plenty of yoga weekends but for me there was no point of having a lovely, relaxing time if there was not an opportunity to learn about coping strategies that would work for me. And I thought: 'Well I’m quite solution-based – let’s make one.'"
Michaela then decided to launch her own yoga retreat specifically for individuals who live with endometriosis. The aim of Hold retreat is to enable women to feel part of a community and to gain insight into how to move forward and actively tackle the condition with a positive attitude.
An event will take place in early March of next year, which has garnered a lot of interest according to Michaela. She said: "I took a completely dive into the deep end with organising and hosting it. But I’m only organising and hosting it – I’m not professing to be an expert in anything to do with endometriosis.
"That’s why I’m getting my surgeon to do a talk, a nutritionist from Australia to do a talk, and then a pain management and happiness coach to do a talk as well. I don’t want to force an idea down people’s throats – I want to give people as much of knowledge and education as possible. They can then choose things they have found interesting and useful and then incorporate into their lives."
According to Michaela it is now more important than ever to start a positive discussion around living with endometriosis. She added: "I remember feeling quite alone in my diagnosis. I was told that suddenly I have this incurable condition and it was quite overwhelming.
"Your friends, family, and support group are so important – sometimes they are the only people that can help. Talking about things is so powerful, normalising things are so powerful, and I think we are at a time now where women supporting women, women feeling empowered, and talking about issues affecting women are so important.
"It makes people feel heard – it makes people feel a part of a community and that you are not alone. I don't think 'woman-up' is the right attitude but that feeling of empowerment and that feeling that you are in control are."
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