Believe me, I am presently living this truth myself! But let me also be honest with you; We all know that living with PCOS is sometimes like living with a parasite inside of us. It steals everything from energy to fertility. We sometimes feel invisible and unattractive instead of feeling like divas and goddesses. It's awful! For me, there days when the symptoms seemed more than I could bear. That, in combination with the emotional aspects of dealing with such a syndrome, the effects began to rule my life and became so obvious, others began to notice...
About two years ago, a couple weeks before my 30th birthday, I'd pulled a co-worker aside to giver her a carefully packaged birthday present I'd bought for her (her birthday was a few days before mine). After she opened her gifts, I began to confide in her about how miserable I was feeling. The irregular periods, irritated skin and excessive hair loss were driving me into deep depression. Some days, I didn't even feel like getting out of bed! Her response to my concerns wasn't at all what I expected... but it changed my life forever. With no sympathy or understanding in her eyes, she said "Well, you need to start trying. People are starting to notice the way you look and though I'm sure PCOS is hard, it's no excuse. You're tall so you stand out more than women of average height, so you especially can not afford to look like that. We were having a discussion about you, and it's no excuse".
For the next ten minutes, I was attacked for everything from the way my clothes looked on me to the bags under my eyes. I was devastated! My eyes watered, my mouth fell open, and my face turned so red, it felt like the room temperature had suddenly gone up about twenty degrees. The rest of the day and week were one of the worst times of my life. I was angry and hurt. Needing comfort, I called my sister (who's also my confidante and friend) to explain the awful thing that happened. Her response? "LeAnne, is any of it true? As hurtful and irresponsible as it was for your colleague to say such a thing, were any of her words true? If they were, accept the truth and forget everything else. You're beautiful and you need to remember that. Be true to yourself above everything else".
From that moment forward, I've learned and lived these truths: First, we should ALWAYS believe the best about ourselves. Second, self-care is life-giving. And third, WE decide who we are; no one else! You're alive and you are a woman! You're irreplaceable. You're somebody's daughter, sister and friend. You're somebody's wife and mother, fighter and advocate. You're also human. And as wonderful as that is, it still means that you can sometimes forget who you really are. That's why you have sisters, friends, husbands, children, and even supportive groups like Power Up For PCOS to pick you up and remind you everyday of how amazing and cherished you are. We're here to help you find YOU. The real you.....the Beautiful You.
Next week, please lovingly "walk" with me on the road to self-care. I'll share simple yet effective recipes and tips to uncover the most gorgeous and magnificent you this world has ever seen! You and I are going to be great friends......Just follow me.
PLEASE NOTE: I am not a medical professional. I am not qualified to give out any medical advice. I am a woman with PCOS who is sharing her experiences in this blog and I advise you to consult a professional.
Written by: LeAnne Ebron, volunteer of Power Up for PCOS which provides support to women with PCOS through educational Power Up Groups, building connections with other PCOS women, calendar of upcoming PCOS events, professional referrals and reviews, PCOS store, and other specialized events to raise money for PCOS research. She can be reached by visiting http://www.powerupforpcos.com, emailing Beth@powerupforpcos.com or by calling 810-545-PCOS (7267)
Power Up for PCOS - emPowering Women to Manage PCOS
*Please note that I am not a medical professional. I am not qualified to give out any medical advice. I am a woman with PCOS who is sharing my personal experiences in this blog and I advise you to consult a professional.*
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