(VIDEO) 'Jeanne's Endo Blog': Vlog #3 Endometriosis Awareness Month (Week One Recap) & Acupuncture Intro Video

It's March 9, 2009 and last night I recorded my third video. Vlog #3 includes a recap of Week One of Endometriosis Awareness Month. I also do a brief introduction about acupuncture. Acupuncture has helped me immensely for several years now! I'll be blogging more about acupuncture in the future because it deserves some "front and center" attention but I thought I'd touch on it today.

I didn't realize until today that 10 minutes is the maximum time allowed per video on YouTube. So the video this time is split into two parts. (Thanks goes out to my hubby for helping me get the video split apart and uploaded despite computer problems (some sort of malicious file had attacked my computer and probably has a great deal to do with all of the PC problems I've been having) and my not realizing the length would cause the video to get rejected by YouTube). I apologize... I'm still in the learning curve for making videos. So, please bear with the 2-part format for Vlog #3. I'm calling them both Vlog #3 (Parts A and B).





There are several people I mentioned in the Vlog #3 who I'd like to provide links to here:

Endochick of 'Endometriosis: The Silent Life Sentence'

Melissa Ralston of 'Endometriosis: Facing the Battle Head-On'

'My Journey with Endometriosis'

Steph of 'Living with Endometriosis'

Kelly Damron of 'Twin Peas Blog and Podcast'
(Infertility blogger)

Cassie Germsheid of 'Mamas On The Web'
(Amazingly supportive & talented blogger who is currently helping me redesign my blog in preparation for a transfer to Wordpress, supporter of the endometriosis cause who has helped us with our twitter campaign for endo awareness)

Rosalind Joffe of cicoach.com
(Generous supporter of the endometriosis cause who has helped us with our twitter campaign for endo awareness)

Alicia of 'Yaya Stuff'
(Amazing blogger and friend who advocates for patients dealing with infertility, endometriosis, miscarriages, and adoption)

By the way, you can still help Alicia with her Adoption Adventure Fund! There is another raffle (with cool prizes) going on now!

I have never in my life met anyone who wants to be a mother more than my friend Alicia.

For details about the raffle prizes, please see Alicia's site: Yaya Stuff. She has lots of cool prizes so go check it out!

Alicia & Josh's Adoption Adventure Raffle Ticket Giveaway.

Josh and Alicia are more than halfway through the adoption classes for the foster-to-adopt process they are pursuing now.

Let's fill this house!!



Finally, have you been tweeting endometriosis messages using #endo? I counted them last night and there have been 335 tweets in the 9 days since I sent out the first one on twitter. Those endometriosis tweets are really catching on!

If you are on twitter, please use #endo at the end of each endometriosis-related message you send out and help us create awareness for endometriosis plus make it easier for people to find endometriosis posts and other information.

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

Alicia's Adoption Adventure Raffle Ticket Giveaway # 1!

For a long, long time now I have been trying desperately to figure out how to help my friend Alicia in her quest to become a Mommy. Here is my chance to finally DO something to help her!!

Would you like a chance to win a $40 gift card to Target while helping my dear friend Alicia raise money for her adoption fund????

First, here is some background... I met Alicia through my local endometriosis support group. She is one of the sweetest people I know! She works as a nanny. That means she sees beautiful children all day while she dreams of having her own. Just try for a moment to imagine that!

See Alicia, Josh, and their beloved pets!

Alicia is an endometriosis patient who has had years of infertility. She has had multiple miscarriages as well. She is currently undergoing hormone treatment to try to get pregnant. She and her husband are also pursuing a foster-to-adopt method of adoption.

For months and months, I have wracked my brain trying desperately to figure out a way to help my friend! Offering words of comfort can only go so far. They don't change the fact that these two wonderful people and their pets would love to have some children with whom to share their love!

Alicia's friend Ashley had the brilliant idea to create an adoption fund. Apparently, adoption costs can range from $8,000 to $100,000. (See Alicia's blog for more information).

Finally, I have something I can DO to help my friend who has been through so much!

So, sadly, adoption is very expensive! Alicia and her husband desperately want to be parents and have so much love to give!!! To read more about Alicia's story, click below. (This will also tell you more about the Adoption Adventure Raffle Ticket Giveaway)...

Let's fill this house!!



I never do raffles. So bear with me because this is a special exception for my friend who I have been trying desperately to comfort/help in some way... I finally have a chance to DO something to help her become a mom!!

Alicia's Adoption Adventure Raffle Ticket Giveaway # 1!

Rather than just ask you to link to her site and check it out, I want to take it a step further and post her Adoption Giveaway here too. Whatever will give her raffle more visibility!

I should mention that I have never done a raffle like this before and very likely will not do so again. I am doing this for my personal (in-person, not just online) friend. (Hint hint... I would really appreciate if no one asks me to post their cause because I have no plans to do this for others)!! I am doing this to help a friend. If I ever do a raffle again, it will my something I initiate. So PLEASE do not submit any causes to me. I won't be posting them.

Per the instructions on her site, here is how you enter for the raffle for the $40 gift card to Target (plus some other surprises)...

Alicia's instructions say:

To enter you click below and donate $5. For every $5 you will receive one raffle ticket with your name on it put into the "hat". You will need a paypal account for this. If you don't have a paypal account you can email me (yayaorangenanny@yahoo.com) to find out about mailing check or cash.



For those who missed my recent post about Alicia, here is a reprint of that post. It will help you get to know Alicia a bit. She is helping so many infertile patients and has become quite an advocate!

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Here is the reprint of the previous post. I'm reposting her picture in the reprint and this story of her new Mommy Wannabe Club to remind you that we are talking about a real person here who has done so much to help other infertile patients!!

Some of you may know her by her nickname ("Yaya"). I first met Alicia through my local endometriosis (in person) support group. She is a fellow blogger and a strong, inspirational woman who works intently at advocating for patients with a history of infertility and miscarriages/pregnancy loss.

Alicia's passion, drive, determination, caring, humor, and compassion have attracted a flock of readers to her blog. She is helping great numbers of people. It is an honor to call Alicia my friend, to learn from her, to watch her advocacy efforts blossom, and to witness the multitude of ways she is helping others!

She is also becoming a great source of information on adoption and the foster-to-adopt process. Her blog covers all of these issues and much more.

Here is a brief biographical sketch about Alicia from her blog profile:

"Read along in my quest to become a Mommy, one way or another. It's been 6 years and several miscarriages, but I'm not giving up!"

My friend Alicia of the blog Yayastuff has launched a new venture!


Visit Mommy Wannabe Club


She has started a social network called the Mommy Wannabe Club.

Here is her blog post about it:

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 Mommy Wannabe Club

Alicia asked me if I would help her get the word out about her new club. I am honored to assist her efforts in any way I can!


View my page on Mommy Wannabe Club

Perhaps some of you reading this may be interested in joining?

Thank you Alicia for everything you do!!!

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

Endometriosis Blog: November Is National Prematurity Awareness Month

Today I was inspired to write a post after reading an excellent article posted by Kelly Damron!

Her blog is called Twin Peas Blog and Podcast: Infertility and Premature Birth resources and experiences.

I was just reading Kelly Damron's blog post regarding the fact that November is National Prematurity Awareness Month.

I didn't realize until reading Kelly's post that November 12th was National Prematurity Awareness Day because I hadn't heard about it until after the fact!

However, again, the entire month of November is National Prematurity Awareness Month

When certain conditions get more attention and research dollars than others, it's hurtful and damaging to those who have the "under researched" issues that are less talked about in public circles.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating graphic descriptions of laparoscopic surgeries at the dinner table. What I am saying is that if a bladder cancer patient can discuss his/her condition with family and friends... then patients with endo or patients with infertility/miscarriage history and/or adoption proceedings should be able to discuss their situations just as freely... if they wish to do so.

As Kelly alluded to in her blog post, relatively little attention is given to events honoring "infertility, loss, and premature babies" and that there is much more publicity given for other conditions. This simply should not be the case.

Here are my thoughts after talking with many women who have or have had infertility, miscarriages, and had premature babies...

1) Our society as a whole doesn't know how to deal with these issues. People may gave good intentions to be "polite" and to not be "intrusive". They may avoid discussing these topics for fear of upsetting couples dealing with these issues. However, this can lead to isolation of the couple and make the healing process harder for them than it would be if they felt they could talk openly about it. While patients who go through these emotionally draining and exhausting issues all have their own ways of dealing with their situations, most that I have met WANT to talk about it.

PLEASE NOTE: For open and candid discussion about infertility, miscarriages, and starting the adoption process, please see my friend Alicia's information-packed blog Yayastuff.

Alicia's candor about the wide range of emotions she has been through on her journey is a testiment to her strength and determination. Her courage is inspiring her many readers on her blog!

2) Illnesses or conditions that affect or are related to reproductive organs tend to be less openly discussed than others. For example, endometriosis is rarely brought up in casual conversation but if a person were to talk about asthma or diabetes, the conditions would/could just be discussed openly. There are people who are uncomfortable discussing issues that make them feel awkward. It has taken years for me to do a 180 degree turn from being quiet, shy, and downright mousy about my endometriosis (and other) symptoms... to being open, candid and comfortable talking about my illnesses as if they were any other. (It took me a few years to fully comprehend that I have nothing to be embarrassed about or feel awkward about. If others don't feel self-conscious discussing their conditions, why should I feel muzzled about my health issues)???

I'm not sure if my theories answer Kelly's question or not but I have seen in working with many women in endometriosis support groups that there is often a "stigma" or a level of embarrassment that women sometimes feel when discussing "taboo subjects" such as periods, cramps, hormones, etc. This is truly unfortunate.

How can we band together to make headway on these issues if people aren't talking much about it? If the people dealing with these conditions don't feel at liberty to discuss them with anyone but fellow patients, how will anything ever change for the better as far as awareness?
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Please see previous articles I have written about the other (related) awareness days and/or weeks that I heard about in time. Thanks to Kelly, I heard about awareness month in time to post about it for November!

Related articles:

Wednesday, October 15, 2008 Stillbirth Awareness and Research Act

Sunday, October 19, 2008 Endometriosis Blog -- RESOLVE: National Infertility Awareness Week Is October 19-25, 2008 -- Reminder

Tuesday, October 21, 2008 Endometriosis Blog: National Infertility Awareness Week -- A Personal Story

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

Endometriosis Blog: National Adoption Awareness Month

November is National Adoption Awareness Month.

My husband told me yesterday he had heard something about this on the radio but he didn't catch whether it was an awareness day or month.

I just saw this blog post on my friend Alicia's blog, Yayastuff.

Alicia's November 16, 2008 blog posts refers readers to another blog that features an adoption post by Felicia.

I would like to thank Alicia for bringing this post to my attention and Felicia of The Life Of A College Stay At Home Mom for writing about awareness month!!!

Alicia and her husband have officially started the adoption process. Please see her blog for more information about adoption: Yayastuff.

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.

Endometriosis Blog Announcement: New Feature On This Blog --- Infertility/Pregnancy Loss News Source Available In Right Sidebar!

I am pleased to announce a new feature available on this blog! This feature will serve as a means of connecting you with a superb blog (including a blogroll within) that you may find extremely helpful.

Many women with endometriosis are affected by infertility and miscarriages. I came across the outstanding resource I'm getting to in a moment on Pamela Jeanne's infertility blog:

http://www.coming2terms.com/

I thought this feature would be a fantastic addition to this blog --- that serves so many women experiencing infertility. (Several of my local endometriosis support group members have had at least one miscarriage as well).

If you are interested in accessing this new feature: "Lost and Found: News Source for the Infertility/Pregnancy Loss Blogosphere", simply scroll down the right sidebar of this blog until you reach the gray (vertical and rectangular) "Lost & Found" logo.

Once you see the gray "Lost & Found" logo, just CLICK ON THE LOGO ITSELF to get to a WONDERFUL blogroll of sites on these same topics and more! When the site it then connects you to appears on your screen it will say, Lost and Found and Connections Abound. "In the end the love you take is equal to the love you make".

This blog (Lost and Found and Connections Abound) may well be the most comprehensive source of blogs on --- infertility; miscarriage; adoption; "family building when single"; "gay and lesbian"; general helpful sites and support;"in the news", "IUI and IVF"; "Living Child-free After Infertility or Loss"; Pamela Jeanne's awesome blog http://www.coming2terms.com/ (which has been listed in my favorites for some time now); etc. and more! It's the most complete list of info that I have EVER SEEN on these topics. It's really astounding!

This article was posted by Jeanne via "Jeanne's Endo Blog" at www.endendoat.blogspot.com.