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Podcast Description:
What happens when cultural expectations collide with relentless chronic pain? When a 24-year journey to diagnosis reveals the deep cracks in our healthcare system? In this powerful reflection, we revisit the stories of Nathalie and Arligh—two voices that echo the struggles, strength, and resilience of the endometriosis community.
Nathalie shares the emotional toll of balancing familial pride with a body that refuses to cooperate, highlighting the unique challenges faced by the Latina community. Arligh’s journey reveals the heartbreaking reality of a 24-year diagnostic delay, underscoring the critical need for specialized care and systemic change.
These episodes aren’t just stories; they’re a mirror for anyone navigating the complexities of chronic illness. Dive into the raw honesty, hard truths, and enduring hope that remind us we’re never alone in this fight.
Recharge with us as we reflect on these unforgettable journeys—because every story moves us closer to understanding, advocacy, and change.
Website endobattery.com
Speaker 1
0:02
Welcome
to
EndoBattery
,
where
I
share
my
journey
with
endometriosis
and
chronic
illness
,
while
learning
and
growing
along
the
way
.
This
podcast
is
not
a
substitute
for
medical
advice
,
but
a
supportive
space
to
provide
community
and
valuable
information
so
you
never
have
to
face
this
journey
alone
.
We
embrace
a
range
of
perspectives
that
may
not
always
align
with
our
own
.
Believing
that
open
dialogue
helps
us
grow
and
gain
new
tools
always
align
with
our
own
.
Believing
that
open
dialogue
helps
us
grow
and
gain
new
tools
.
Join
me
as
I
share
stories
of
strength
,
resilience
and
hope
,
from
personal
experiences
to
expert
insights
.
I'm
your
host
,
alana
,
and
this
is
IndoBattery
charging
our
lives
when
endometriosis
drains
us
.
Welcome
back
to
IndoBattery
.
Grab
your
favorite
cup
of
coffee
,
tea
or
whatever
brings
you
comfort
,
and
join
me
at
the
table
as
we
take
a
moment
to
recharge
together
.
Today
we're
diving
into
our
Indoor
Year
Reflection
series
,
a
journey
that
will
fill
your
speakers
multiple
times
a
week
throughout
the
month
of
December
in
bite-sized
pieces
.
This
series
is
all
about
looking
back
,
reflecting
on
the
stories
that
moved
us
,
the
insights
that
opened
our
eyes
and
the
moments
that
brought
us
hope
,
inspiration
and
empowerment
to
our
community
.
Whether
it's
your
first
time
tuning
in
or
you've
been
with
us
all
year
.
I'm
so
glad
you're
here
to
share
in
this
space
.
I
hope
you're
enjoying
this
reflection
series
as
much
as
I
am
,
so
let's
dive
into
today's
episode
and
continue
finding
strength
together
.
Speaker 1
1:26
Looking
back
at
my
time
at
the
table
with
Natalie
in
episodes
68
and
69
,
I'm
struck
by
how
deeply
her
story
resonated
,
not
just
with
me
,
but
with
so
many
of
you
.
Her
story
mirrored
so
many
of
ours
the
doubt
in
our
pain
,
the
way
we
gaslight
ourselves
into
thinking
maybe
it's
not
that
bad
.
The
struggles
to
follow
through
with
our
education
or
career
goals
because
of
relentless
pain
and
,
of
course
,
the
complicated
relationship
we
have
with
insurance
.
We're
so
reliant
on
it
for
our
care
,
yet
often
left
out
in
the
cold
when
the
treatments
we
need
aren't
covered
.
This
wasn't
just
an
episode
.
It
was
a
mirror
held
up
to
so
many
of
us
.
You
could
hear
Natalie's
vulnerability
as
she
took
us
back
through
her
story
.
The
pain
she
carried
,
yes
,
but
also
the
validation
and
being
able
to
name
it
and
share
it
.
Speaker 3
2:17
I
just
couldn't
get
out
of
bed
in
the
morning
and
I
thought
that
it
was
like
discipline
and
something's
wrong
with
me
and
I
don't
care
.
Blah
,
I
don't
care
,
but
it
was
none
of
that
,
it
was
.
Nobody
tells
you
,
even
when
you
get
diagnosed
,
that
fatigue
is
a
huge
symptom
of
endometriosis
.
Speaker 1
2:31
Yes
.
Speaker 3
2:32
So
I
moved
out
when
I
was
18
.
And
I
lost
my
health
insurance
because
at
the
time
there
was
no
Affordable
Care
Act
,
so
I
was
insurance
lists
.
It
was
also
.
I
started
college
in
2007
.
And
you
also
.
I
started
college
in
2007
.
Speaker 3
2:46
And
you
know
,
the
recession
came
right
after
,
so
it's
not
like
I
could
get
a
job
that
would
give
me
benefits
and
also
I
just
I
was
a
kid
right
,
I
didn't
have
the
skillset
to
get
like
a
real
job
.
Quote
unquote
quotation
marks
.
All
jobs
are
real
jobs
and
college
was
rough
.
College
was
rough
because
at
that
time
,
just
period
week
was
the
worst
.
That
was
the
worst
week
of
the
month
,
and
then
the
week
after
recovering
from
the
pain
was
pretty
awful
and
I
was
just
relentless
.
So
when
I
was
20
years
old
,
when
I
should
have
been
finishing
college
,
which
I
didn't
,
I
didn't
graduate
until
I
was
24
because
I
couldn't
afford
some
semesters
.
I
was
on
my
own
.
I
was
paying
it
for
myself
.
I
started
experiencing
pain
all
the
time
and
then
the
Affordable
Care
Act
kicked
in
and
I
was
able
to
get
back
on
my
mom's
insurance
.
Speaker 1
3:34
As
Natalie
shared
her
deeply
personal
story
of
being
torn
between
two
powerful
forces
the
weight
of
familial
expectations
and
the
reality
of
debilitating
pain
.
For
Natalie
,
making
her
family
proud
wasn't
just
a
goal
.
It
was
deeply
tied
to
her
identity
and
sense
of
self-worth
.
Yet
her
body
,
overwhelmed
by
the
unrelenting
pain
of
endometriosis
,
often
refused
to
let
her
push
through
.
Her
vulnerability
highlighted
the
invisible
struggles
many
endure
,
not
just
physical
but
emotional
and
mental
battles
that
this
disease
amplifies
in
every
corner
of
our
lives
.
Natalie's
voice
resonated
especially
with
those
in
the
Latina
community
who
face
the
unique
challenges
of
balancing
cultural
expectations
with
the
isolating
reality
of
chronic
illness
.
But
what
truly
stood
out
was
her
message
of
hope
.
But
what
truly
stood
out
was
her
message
of
hope
that
love
,
both
for
oneself
and
for
others
,
surpasses
every
expectation
.
Natalie
reminded
us
that
,
even
in
the
face
of
overwhelming
hardship
,
we
are
not
alone
and
we
are
so
much
more
than
what
this
disease
tries
to
take
from
us
.
Speaker 3
4:38
I
was
the
first
one
in
my
family
to
go
to
college
.
I
was
the
first
one
to
navigate
the
college
system
to
begin
with
and
there
was
all
this
pressure
on
me
because
I
was
the
first
one
to
navigate
the
college
system
to
begin
with
and
there
was
all
this
pressure
on
me
because
I
was
the
first
right
and
I
was
worthy
.
As
long
as
I
was
in
school
and
working
,
as
long
as
my
body
was
producing
something
,
I
was
worthy
and
I
was
living
out
everybody's
dreams
of
why
they
hid
underneath
me
crates
and
a
truck
and
crossed
the
border
,
of
why
my
grandmother
got
student
visas
for
her
daughters
to
come
here
,
right
,
but
none
of
them
went
to
college
and
none
of
them
had
the
opportunity
.
None
of
them
spoke
English
,
but
Natalie
had
the
pressure
of
going
to
school
and
becoming
something
right
,
doing
something
,
bringing
the
family
honor
.
That's
what
people
love
.
Speaker 3
5:22
That
movie
,
I
think
it's
called
the
Encanto
from
Disney
.
Yes
,
it
gives
me
like
instant
PTSD
Because
that's
what
you
know
,
it's
cliche
.
But
I
was
like
,
oh
God
,
I
was
like
you
know
,
this
is
my
life
.
It's
hard
.
It's
hard
to
be
the
first
and
I'm
the
oldest
of
24
cousins
.
Speaker 3
5:44
So
I'm
not
only
an
example
to
my
sister
,
but
I'm
an
example
to
23
other
kids
.
It
was
a
nightmare
,
so
that's
all
I
cared
about
.
I
didn't
care
about
me
hurting
because
my
mother
worked
.
She
was
a
single
mom
.
She
worked
70
hour
shifts
a
week
.
I
never
heard
a
complaint
about
pain
or
being
tired
.
She
came
home
,
cooked
dinner
,
made
sure
we
had
food
If
she
was
going
to
work
on
the
weekends
and
clean
the
house
and
did
what
she
had
to
do
.
I
never
heard
her
complain
.
My
grandmother
works
standing
at
a
factory
,
also
60
to
70
hours
a
week
making
sweaters
.
I
never
heard
her
complain
.
Speaker 3
6:17
My
father
used
his
body
to
work
Still
to
this
day
.
He's
a
busboy
at
a
restaurant
and
is
on
his
feet
all
day
,
so
don't
hear
him
complain
about
it
.
And
so
for
me
to
complain
about
pain
to
my
family
was
ridiculous
.
Like
how
,
how
dare
I
,
when
I
have
all
this
privilege
and
all
this
opportunity
that
they
didn't
have
?
So
I
didn't
really
talk
too
much
about
how
the
pain
was
affecting
me
,
and
I
didn't
really
ever
want
to
talk
about
it
because
I
didn't
want
to
be
seen
as
weak
,
because
if
I
can't
tolerate
my
pain
,
then
I'm
weak
of
character
,
I'm
weak
as
a
person
and
I'm
not
worth
anything
.
My
parents
have
been
through
so
much
worse
than
I
.
How
dare
I
?
You
know
,
that's
how
I
felt
,
and
so
I
wanted
an
answer
to
the
pain
,
just
so
that
I
could
continue
being
worthy
.
Speaker 1
7:04
Much
like
Natalie's
powerful
testimony
,
arlie's
story
in
episode
87
brings
to
light
the
staggering
challenges
those
with
endometriosis
face
,
challenges
rooted
in
misconceptions
,
mistreatments
and
the
pervasive
lack
of
understanding
within
the
medical
community
.
As
I
listened
back
to
Arlie
recount
her
journey
,
I
couldn't
help
but
resonate
with
her
experiences
.
Like
many
of
us
,
she
encountered
well-being
but
misinformed
doctors
whose
lack
of
specialized
knowledge
led
her
to
years
of
unanswered
questions
.
Her
story
is
a
stark
reminder
of
the
importance
of
finding
true
endometriosis
specialists
.
Arlie
shared
how
her
path
to
diagnosis
took
an
unimaginable
24
years
and
two
surgeries
Let
that
sink
in
Two
decades
of
living
with
pain
,
uncertainty
and
dismissal
before
she
finally
found
answers
.
It's
infuriating
and
heartbreaking
,
but
unfortunately
it's
not
unique
.
Her
courage
and
opening
up
about
her
experience
underscores
just
how
critical
it
is
to
advocate
for
ourselves
and
seek
out
experts
who
understand
the
nuances
of
this
disease
.
Arlie's
story
is
a
testament
to
the
resilience
of
our
community
and
the
need
for
systemic
change
so
that
no
one
else
has
to
endure
what
she
did
to
finally
get
the
care
they
deserve
.
Speaker 2
8:26
It
took
me
24
years
to
be
properly
diagnosed
with
endometriosis
.
And
that
was
after
having
two
surgeries
,
one
for
what
was
suspected
cancer
and
then
two
was
a
hysterectomy
.
And
my
pain
and
issues
actually
became
worse
after
the
hysterectomy
because
I
did
not
see
a
specialist
.
I
really
didn't
know
very
much
about
the
disease
at
all
.
It
had
been
mentioned
to
me
in
my
early
20s
.
I
just
remember
somebody
saying
and
it
may
have
been
my
mom
,
because
she
also
had
endometriosis
,
but
after
she
had
a
hysterectomy
she
never
had
any
pain
.
So
I
think
somebody
said
to
me
along
the
way
you
know
,
you
might
be
,
you
might
have
trouble
getting
pregnant
,
but
that
was
really
the
only
thing
that
was
ever
mentioned
.
And
then
I
remember
being
pregnant
and
literally
in
labor
,
about
to
push
,
and
the
nurse
said
to
me
oh
well
,
now
you'll
never
.
You
know
,
you
don't
have
to
worry
about
endometriosis
because
you
had
a
baby
.
So
clearly
that's
not
the
case
.
And
it
wasn't
the
case
.
Speaker 2
9:45
And
my
issues
,
like
I
said
,
after
I
had
a
hysterectomy
with
an
oncology
gynecologist
,
it
got
worse
.
It
got
worse
because
it
was
burned
out
and
it
wasn't
excised
.
I
started
developing
other
sort
of
autoimmune
issues
and
my
inflammation
was
really
high
.
I
had
rashes
on
my
face
.
I
had
like
burning
in
my
eyes
constantly
,
obviously
like
the
abdominal
dissension
looked
like
six
months
pregnant
on
a
regular
basis
,
to
the
point
where
it
didn't
matter
anymore
about
what
I
ate
.
You
know
,
if
I
restricted
pasta
or
rice
or
bread
or
you
know
carbs
,
that
would
help
.
And
then
it
it
was
like
,
well
,
I
just
ate
a
piece
of
,
or
you
know
,
carbs
that
would
help
.
Speaker 2
10:31
And
then
it
it
was
like
well
,
I
just
ate
a
piece
of
chicken
,
you
know
,
or
I
just
had
a
tomato
.
I
removed
all
like
nightshades
and
inflammatory
foods
.
I
did
learn
a
lot
about
diet
and
how
that
can
worsen
symptoms
and
contribute
to
bowel
problems
,
but
I
knew
that
that
was
not
like
,
that
wasn't
going
to
fix
my
issues
.
But
it
did
definitely
help
.
But
it
was
so
bad
to
the
point
where
I
did
go
see
a
specialist
and
I
had
stage
four
deep
infiltrating
endo
with
frozen
pelvis
.
Speaker 1
11:07
So
many
of
us
can
resonate
with
this
story
and
so
many
of
us
have
been
in
similar
shoes
as
she
has
,
but
I
hope
,
at
the
end
of
the
day
,
her
story
leaves
you
with
more
insights
to
how
to
navigate
your
own
journey
.
Thank
you
for
joining
me
this
week
walking
down
memory
lane
.
If
you
haven't
listened
to
these
episodes
yet
,
I
encourage
you
to
do
so
.
Natalie
and
Arlie's
honesty
and
vulnerability
are
reminders
that
,
while
we
often
feel
alone
in
this
fight
,
we
are
anything
but
.
Stay
tuned
for
more
endo
year
reflections
as
we
look
back
at
stories
and
conversations
that
recharge
us
.
Until
next
time
,
continue
advocating
for
you
and
for
those
that
you
love
.