Singer Halsey is only 22-years-old. She is a lovely, newly-famous, talented woman who is somehow managing to navigate the complicated waters of fame with grace and kindness. All while suffering through the symptoms of a painful condition. Hopefully no longer. Halsey just opened up about her surgery for endometriosis, because she clearly wants her story to inspire others to overcome their own challenges of living with chronic pain.
According to the Mayo Clinic, endometriosis "is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis. Rarely, endometrial tissue may spread beyond pelvic organs." Symptoms include painful periods, pain during intercourse, painful bowel movements, excessive bleeding, and infertility. It's clearly no walk in the park, and the medical community has yet to pinpoint exactly what causes endometriosis. It's also difficult to manage, and can cause complications like infertility (approximately one-third to one-half of all women suffering from endometriosis have difficulty becoming pregnant), as well as ovarian cancer.
Halsey, whose real name is Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, underwent several surgeries recently to treat her own endometriosis. She took to Instagram to share her battle with endometriosis with her fans, even as she was in a hospital bed in "total agony."
Editor's Note: The Instagram post has since been deleted.
The "New Americana" singer wrote:
Today I braved multiple terrifying surgeries. The most important of which being the surgery that would hopefully treat my endometriosis. For those of you who have followed this battle of mine or who may suffer with it yourself, you know the extremes to which it can be mentally exhausting and physically painful.
Halsey first opened up about her struggle with endometriosis in January on Twitter, when she hoped to connect with fans who might be suffering from the same condition.
Now that she has undergone "quite the cocktail of procedures", her thoughts have turned to her fans, who "give me the strength and stamina to power through and prosper." She also shared an inspiring message with followers who might be in the same boat:
If you suffer from chronic pain or a debilitating disease please know that I have found time to live a crazy, wild, rewarding life AND balance my treatment and I hope so much in my heart that you can too. I'm gonna be off the map for a few days but please know even if I'm not on social media I am thinking of you.
An estimated 176 million women worldwide are affected by endometriosis, and yet there is very little concrete information available about the condition. A diagnosis of endometriosis is hard to come by, particularly for young women and teenagers. Many doctors still believe that endometriosis is uncommon in young women, and look elsewhere when treating symptoms.
Which is why it's especially important for young celebrities like Halsey to share their experience and shed a little light in the darkness.
