‘The decisional remedy to pain is to face it, listen to its message and take responsibility to fix it. Pain is a messenger, yelling that something is wrong. Facing pain and taking responsibility will empower you to fix it,’ says Megan Hugo.
As someone on a health journey, courtesy of stage IV endometriosis, I understand the world’s alluring answer to pain. It’s an antidote easily taken, but it creates more side effects than healing.
The world’s response to pain is characterized by avoidance and blame. For example, avoid the pain with painkillers, emotional eating, or alcohol. These options all offer me a temporary enjoyable escape. Another avenue for avoidance is blame. Perhaps, the doctors didn’t help you, and others don’t understand or appreciate your suffering?
Endometriosis bestowed me with a surplus of opportunities to avoid and blame.
Endometriosis bestowed me with a surplus of opportunities to avoid and blame. My endometriosis surgery in 2024 caused new, excruciating issues. Rather than exploring pain’s cause, the surgeon encouraged anti-inflammatories. My friends encouraged painkillers. I saw three more surgeons; two said they couldn’t help. The third said risky surgery was my decision. The experts don’t know what to do.
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Before my surgery, in 2022-2023, gynecologists and gastroenterologists tossed me back and forth like a hot potato. I had to coax my gynecologist to consider endometriosis. Although shared reasons for my endometriosis suspicions with two different gynecologists, they both dismissed it.
Then, after an ER visit for agonizing pain, I casually mentioned my doubt about the diagnosis (ovarian cysts) to the ultrasound technician. During the ultrasound, the technician noticed lack of movement, an endometriosis clue. The technician shared her observation with the gynecologist, who referred me to a surgeon. Even after my surgery confirmed stage IV endometriosis in multiple places outside the reproductive system, including organs stuck together, the gynecologist claimed my symptoms weren’t caused by a female issue.
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Many women endure worse - multiple years of misdiagnosis and surgeries. Endometriosis is a causally-unknown disease, usually hidden from standardized tests with symptoms such as “typical” female pain or “common” digestive issues.
When making decisions in response to pain, I’ve learned: pain is a highway to bad decisions, characterized by avoidance and blame.
When making decisions in response to pain, I’ve learned: pain is a highway to bad decisions, characterized by avoidance and blame. If I avoid and blame, I’ll prolong my pain. To clarify, I’m referring to pain caused by health problems, not by others. Avoidance and blame extend pain. Pain’s panacea isn’t more pain.
Instead, the decisional remedy to pain is to face it, listen to its message and take responsibility to fix it. Pain is a messenger, yelling that something is wrong. Facing pain and taking responsibility will empower you to fix it.
Why, as a follower of Christ, shouldn’t I respond to pain with avoidance and blame? Because, on the cross, Jesus chose pain and responsibility. On the cross, Jesus provided the ultimate demonstration of facing pain and taking responsibility for it.
How can we emulate Jesus’ response to pain in daily life? Here is the practical for consideration:
1. When you face pain, you can track symptoms. I’ve written down everything I’ve eaten and corresponding symptoms for over two years. One of the endometriosis clues was cyclical symptoms.
2. If the experts don’t help, don’t give up. When it’s not their responsibility, you’ll have more options. There may be natural remedies or individual health choices you haven’t tried. I now know all ingredients I put in, on and around my body to limit immune suppression and hormone disruption.
3. Take responsibility to ask others for their help and support. I know your friends want to help you. Good friends are the best medicine.
But, wait. What if you faced your pain and took responsibility? You’ve tried everything. What if pain still rules your life, and it seems hopeless? Again, I look to the Cross. Jesus chose to come down to this ugly world and suffer for me. When the world thought his story was over, he had another ending in mind. I don’t know the ending to your story, but the One who conquered death is with you. Based on the Cross, when all you have is a choice, don’t give up. Jesus’ final ending to pain will be better than anyone expected.
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