I have always loved helping the kids I taught, navigate their way through life. The PE Office was always a safe space to chat in any of the schools I taught in. Before school, breaktime, lunchtime, afterschool - there were always girls in the office having a little chitchat about something in their life!

In 2023, I was 'forced' out of teaching due to the severe pain I had with Endometriosis. I had already had several surgeries on the NHS before a Junior Doctor introduced the word Endo-metri-osis (I couldn't even say the word to start with!) to me in 2018. Looking down the list of symptoms, I was like ✔️✔️✔️ - I had all the symptoms! Heavy periods, painful intercourse and constant pain!

As the Endo continued to get worse and worse, we opted to go Privately to the Endometriosis Clinic in Birmingham (2 or so hours from where I live) to see if they could help. And in December 2020, I was officially diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometriosis - in amongst the covid pandemic, so I had to do this on my own!

It wa 6 months post-op when I started getting the same pain again, in my lower right abdomen and pelvis - exactly the same spot as before! So after trying to get help on the NHS now I had a diagnosis, we went back to the Endo Clinic as we knew that worked last time. Same result as before, straight after surgey - 0 pain! But 6 months later, it came back yet again!

I was trying my hardest to stay in teaching as I had just achieved by dream job of Head of PE in the Cotswolds! Beautiful setting, wonderful kids and a huge network of teachers who worked their butts off - and I wanted desperately to be a part of that world. But Endo was having none of it!

So 2023, I made the difficult decision to leave teaching and WFH as a Netball Coach/Admin, helping ladies to get back on the court. Another job I loved - but again Endo took over! By 2024, I had reached my limit - I was reliant on max amount of codeine every 4 hours plus morphine on top. I tried everything! Holistic approaches such as Kinesiology, Women's Health Physio, Pain Management, Medical Menopause, New drugs being trialled... you name it, I had tried it!

May 2024 was the changing point in my life, as I literally begged my Endo Surgeon for a Hysterectomy. As I was only 34 years old at the time, it was a difficult decision to make as I didn't have kids, and ideally I wanted them. Looking back now, Mr Affifi, my surgeon, was great - but at the time, he was telling me to exhaust all options before he would do the surgery - but I was desperate! So back in Birmingham, I had a full hysterectomy that so far has cured my pain and given me a life back.

I was pain free straight away, but getting out of the hospital bed 24 hours after my surgery, I struggled to walk. The doctors and physios said it was because I had just had major surgery, and that the numbness and tingling I was experiencing, was probably due to Endo being on my nerves, or them being startled from the big surgery. I was told to wait a year, work hard in physio, and I should get full mobility and feeling back.

But in May 2026 (my story likes the month of May for some reason!), I was diagnosed with FND - Functional, Neurological Disorder. This diagnosis brought us new challenges, and I'll be honest - I'm still learning and finding my ways of managing the leg tremors, brain fog, and loss of words on occassions. I have a fabulous team of specialists around me, amazing friends to rant to, and the best famalam you could ask for!

So whilst I continue to lean on my own Life Coaches, I want to start helping the younger generations, so they don't have to go through what I did! When I was in schools teaching, I helped several girls who ended up with Endo and I know there are more girls out there needing my support! The traditional excuse of "I'm on my period Miss", rung alarm bells to me, and eventually to other teachers I worked with.

If you know someone or somewhere that I could offer my story and support to, please do get in touch!

✨ charjadelifecoaching@gmail.com