1 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: Rube. 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 2: I wasn't willing to risk being held back in boot camp, 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 2: so I just kept pushing through. The pain got so 4 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 2: bad within an instant, it just kind of went black. 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: In this letter, she wrote, when I woke up and 6 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: I woke up to a crime scene and physically dying. 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 3: Only now that we're certain to have these conversations and 8 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 3: talk about how a lot of women face dismissal and 9 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 3: having their complaints ignored. 10 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 2: She had like turned the screen away from me, the 11 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 2: energy and the room shifted. The radiology department, they all 12 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 2: turned their head and looked at me. I walked out 13 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: of that ultra sound thinking I had cancer. I was 14 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: terrified of the unknown. 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 4: How terrifying would it be to fight an unknown enemy, 16 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 4: one you didn't recognize and didn't see coming. What if 17 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 4: that enemy was coming from within a disease that even 18 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 4: doctors couldn't identify. Nearly half of americ can suffer from 19 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 4: some chronic illness, and many struggle for an accurate diagnosis. 20 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:20,199 Speaker 4: These are their stories. I'm Lauren Bray Pacheco, and this 21 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 4: is symptomatic. 22 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 2: I grew up in southern California, the High Desert area. Specifically, 23 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: it's just me and my mom my brothers. We have 24 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,040 Speaker 2: a really, really good relationship. 25 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 4: That's Haley Griffith. Hally radiates quiet positivity and genuine warmth. 26 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 4: She is deeply creative, authentic, and a naturally born mentor. 27 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 4: This quality showed up early in life when she harnessed 28 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 4: her passion for dance into teaching. 29 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 2: I grew up doing competitive dance for basically my entire life. 30 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 2: I went into teaching when I was around fifteen. That 31 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 2: was my first job, actually. 32 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 4: And you spent a lot of time in the dance studio. 33 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 4: I could explain the fact that you actually got your 34 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:13,239 Speaker 4: period while in dance class, correct, I did. 35 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 2: Yes, that was a crazy time. I was about eleven 36 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 2: years old. I was in ballet class and I had 37 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 2: started my cycle and it was unexpected, and my friend 38 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 2: had given me a tampon, and I had no idea 39 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 2: how to use a tampon, so I was just using 40 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 2: what I thought was common sense because I inserted the 41 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:40,239 Speaker 2: tampon the way that you should. However, immediately I started 42 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 2: noticing that I was still bleeding, and so I tried 43 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 2: my best to get through that situation and kind of 44 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,360 Speaker 2: just wrote off tampons for a few years and I 45 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 2: didn't use them anymore, and that was actually the first 46 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 2: time that I can recollect recognizing that there was an 47 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 2: issue regarding my reproductive health before I even knew what 48 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 2: reproductive health was. It wasn't until a couple of years 49 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 2: later that I was talking to some girlfriends at school 50 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 2: regarding just our period, just girl talk, and they had 51 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 2: brought up the topic of tampons, and I went into 52 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 2: detail regarding I thought there's something wrong with me because 53 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 2: I couldn't use them, and they told me, like, hey, 54 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 2: that's not normal to be bleeding. Still, that is kind 55 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 2: of what pequed my curiosity, and that I was as 56 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 2: young as like thirteen years old. 57 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 4: I can't imagine. First of all, eleven is young to 58 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 4: get your cycle and to have to kind of navigate 59 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 4: that in an environment where it's really obvious if you're 60 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 4: using something that's bulkier than a tampon, right, that must 61 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 4: have been difficult to process at that age. 62 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 2: It was really hard because for the longest time, I 63 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 2: really just thought that there was something wrong with me. 64 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 4: Already trying to navigate health challenges starting at only eleven 65 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 4: years old, Hally was also carrying the momentous weight of 66 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 4: having a terminally ill parent. My first question was going 67 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 4: to be didn't you go to your mother and did 68 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 4: you discuss your period with your mom? But your mom 69 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 4: had her hands full with something else. Can you talk 70 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 4: to me about what was happening with your father around 71 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 4: that same time? 72 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 2: My dad he had a rare form of cancer called paraganglioma. 73 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: He discovered that he had cancer when he was a teenager. 74 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 2: He beat it, and it resurfaced when I was really young. 75 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 2: I was like maybe seven eight years old, and the 76 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 2: cancer had spread to his brain and unfortunately it just 77 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:48,799 Speaker 2: fantastasized and just took over his entire body. Around this time, 78 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 2: I was really diving headfirst into dance. That was my outlet. 79 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 2: That's what I used to cope with a lot of 80 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 2: the trauma of what was happening at home. And I 81 00:04:58,200 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 2: could have gone to my mom a course, and I 82 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 2: think I I did in many instances, but I didn't 83 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 2: want to burden her. I didn't want to bring this 84 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 2: up and ad extra stress to her. And again I 85 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 2: thought that I'm a girl, I'm a woman, you know, developing. 86 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 2: So I just kept it to myself for the longest 87 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 2: time that there was something occurring. 88 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 4: Because it wasn't just a question of tampons not working. 89 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 4: Your cramps were exceptionally painful. 90 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 2: Oh, for sure, it was debilitating. But I thought that 91 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: I was dramatic. I thought that I was just a 92 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 2: baby with a low pain tolerance, and talking to friends 93 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 2: and peers and people in dance class, people at school, 94 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,279 Speaker 2: they would complain about cramps. But the way I was 95 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 2: feeling is that it was it was unbearable. I couldn't 96 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 2: get through my everyday life of school and dance and 97 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,799 Speaker 2: normal things that my friends were able to do, no problem. 98 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,600 Speaker 2: I was not able to do. And it was quite 99 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 2: embarrassing because I didn't know how to ask for help 100 00:05:56,320 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 2: and I didn't know how to get through the situation. 101 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 4: So you internalized all that I ignored it. So how 102 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 4: are you handling the pain during those teenage years in 103 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 4: late high school? Are you just taking over the counter 104 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 4: pain meds? 105 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 2: Yes, a lot of thailand all and ibuprofen, heating pads, 106 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 2: the works. I think that during this time in my life, 107 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 2: I was trying to figure out what was working best 108 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 2: for my body because I didn't know. And most people 109 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 2: are able to just take tilanol and keep going about 110 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 2: their day, and I didn't understand why I felt the 111 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 2: need to sit in the shower for five hours a day. 112 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 2: I was chronically fatigued. I couldn't keep up in my 113 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 2: dance classes. I was falling asleep in school. I really 114 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 2: didn't understand, but I was being told this is normal, 115 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 2: this is what you have to do. I didn't know 116 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 2: any better. 117 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 4: I can't imagine how that impacted you physically and emotionally 118 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 4: at that age, at a time when you were also 119 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 4: experiencing the trauma of watching your father fight that way. 120 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 2: My with dealing with it was just pushing it down 121 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: and ignoring it until it just bubbled over and it 122 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 2: got to a point where I couldn't take it anymore. 123 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 2: And it took many years of coming to a realization 124 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 2: that I needed help. 125 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 4: I know that before you got to that point, your 126 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 4: father eventually went into hospice. 127 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 2: He did. 128 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 4: And how old were you at that point, I was fourteen. 129 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 4: That must have been so painful on so many different levels. 130 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 2: It was really hard, and looking back, I didn't know 131 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 2: how to understand the situation as a life or death. 132 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,239 Speaker 2: I mean, what kid can't like how do you explain 133 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 2: death to a child? Your dad is going to pass 134 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 2: away and you'll never be able to talk to him again. 135 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,679 Speaker 2: And he's not going to be here for your wedding. 136 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 2: He's not going to be here for Bigie Bentz. So 137 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 2: I did my best with that, and I feel like 138 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 2: it made me and my family closer. 139 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 4: You were incredibly impacted by your interaction with the nurses 140 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 4: who treated your dad and house best. 141 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, that's realistically what has led me to wanting 142 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 2: to continue my education in the healthcare field. The way 143 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 2: that they cared for my dad and the impact that 144 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 2: they had on me and my siblings and my mom. 145 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 2: They were really incredible. I just wanted to go into 146 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 2: a field in which I felt that I was making 147 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 2: an impact on other people as well. 148 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 4: So you have a clear vision of your future goals. Now, 149 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 4: becoming a nurse takes years and the expense of medical schooling. 150 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 4: How did you approach that? 151 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 2: So I actually joined the military, and that kind of 152 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 2: came out of left field in that moment. It was 153 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 2: what was right for me because I was knocking two 154 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 2: birds of one stone. I was getting an education at 155 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 2: the same time as continuing to have an amazing job, 156 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 2: and college was expensive. I wasn't sure how I was 157 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 2: going to pay for it. I had a single mom. 158 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 2: I was between a rock and a hard place, and 159 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 2: so I joined the military. And it was one of 160 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 2: the best decisions that I've made to continue my education 161 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 2: in healthcare, and that is kind of put me where 162 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 2: I am now. 163 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 4: Around that same time, you had already crossed paths with 164 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 4: the dashing man who would ultimately become your husband. Tell 165 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:30,959 Speaker 4: me how you and Nick Mett. 166 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,199 Speaker 2: So, me and Nick met at the gym. I was 167 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 2: training to leave for boot camp. I was not looking 168 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 2: for a relationship whatsoever. There were a couple instances in 169 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 2: which he tried to talk to me, and I wasn't 170 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 2: having it. I was just worried about how many push 171 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: ups I can do. And eventually we had a really 172 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 2: good conversation and I knew, like, this guy's gonna change 173 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 2: my life. And he did. 174 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 4: And like many lasting love stories, Haley and Nick find 175 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 4: out that they have the same dreams for their future, 176 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 4: including their professional goals. And you you also are a nurse, 177 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 4: I am yes. When did you realize that you guys 178 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 4: had so much in common? 179 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 1: Honestly, right off the bat, everything was just amazing from 180 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: the get go. You know, we just had great conversations, 181 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: had similar morals, ideas of what we wanted to do 182 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: in life, and just everything was, you know, kind of 183 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: almost perfect. She's one of the most warm, loving, intelligent, 184 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 1: she's focused, so she's just an overall an amazing person. 185 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 4: And you fell fast and furiously in love, very very fast. 186 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 2: We only dated for a few months before we got married, 187 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 2: and I know that's very controversial, and we got a 188 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,319 Speaker 2: lot of pushback from family and friends who thought that 189 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:52,959 Speaker 2: we were crazy, but truly, when you. 190 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 4: Know, you know, and no they did. Freshly wed, Haley 191 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 4: leaves her life behind. Tell me about your first night 192 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 4: at boot camp. 193 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:12,959 Speaker 2: I think everybody's first night is really hard. It's very emotional. 194 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 2: You don't know what's happening. You're scared, and you're thrown 195 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 2: into this completely new situation and have no idea what 196 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:27,319 Speaker 2: to expect. It was a bay of like thirty other 197 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 2: women and we all just got in our little beds 198 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 2: and we cried the first night. And I think anybody 199 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 2: who goes through boot camp can relate to that, because 200 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 2: you kind of regret what you sign up for the 201 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 2: first few weeks because it's a lot. It's a lot 202 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 2: to take in. 203 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 4: Tell me about how you navigated your cycle and your 204 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 4: pain during boot camp. 205 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 2: Up until this point, I had gotten a really good 206 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 2: self care during my cycles, and I really knew what 207 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,199 Speaker 2: to expect it. I knew how to prepare for it. 208 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 2: I used to prep my body the day before I 209 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 2: was supposed to start my cycle, or a few days 210 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 2: before I would start my cycle, I would be taking 211 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 2: I'd be profen around. 212 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 4: The clock, because that would help you get ahead of 213 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 4: the pain. 214 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 2: Exactly. I had to get ahead of the pain to 215 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 2: be able to even function. I had sat down with 216 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 2: my recruiter a few weeks before leaving, and I remember 217 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 2: he had stated that I couldn't take any over the 218 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 2: counterramification with me, that anything I needed or wanted would 219 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 2: have to be prescribed by a medical professional when I 220 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 2: get there. So when I had got my first cycle, 221 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 2: I was brought to my knees in pain. It was horrible. 222 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 2: It was awful. It was one of the heaviest cycles 223 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:48,560 Speaker 2: I've ever had. I was at a loss because I 224 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 2: didn't want to speak up, because when you're in boot camp, 225 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 2: you don't bring up your medical issues because you get 226 00:12:55,960 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 2: looked at like you can't hang. You're trying to be 227 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 2: a part of the military if you're crying about mental crops, like, 228 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 2: what are you going to do during war? 229 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,239 Speaker 4: So what did you do? How did you manage? 230 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 2: I was trying to get through the pain by rationing 231 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 2: my protein bars, and I was trading them with other 232 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 2: girls to try and get their doses of tailanol. I 233 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 2: had a friend who had twisted her ankle a couple 234 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 2: weeks prior, and she had tailan al just in her locker. 235 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 2: But we're not allowed to share things, like you could 236 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 2: get a really big trouble for giving your medication to 237 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 2: other people. So I was slipping her my protein bars 238 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 2: and she would give me doses of thailand all. My 239 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 2: biggest fear was being sent home, especially over something that 240 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 2: I learned to manage. But I was put in a 241 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,599 Speaker 2: position that all my resources were taken away from me 242 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 2: and I couldn't manage. 243 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 4: Unable to rely on the pain medication she so desperately 244 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 4: needed to function, Hallie is suffering more than ever and 245 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 4: under the scrutinizing eyes of her superiors and peers alike. 246 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 4: She writes to Nick every day while away at boot camp, 247 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 4: detailing her daily struggles. 248 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 1: In this letter, she wrote this May thirtieth of twenty twenty. 249 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: It states that when I woke up and I woke 250 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 1: up to a crime scene and physically dying, You see 251 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: me dying with Thailand hall, lots and lots of tile 252 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: hall right at four forty five. When NTI came in, 253 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: I immediately asked for a medical appointment to get some pain medicine. 254 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: They said I would have to go to the emergency 255 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: room an ambulance and they probably am making to spend 256 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: the night in the yar. Trust me, I'm dying a 257 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: slow death right now. I've been debating on just going 258 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: because they didn't sleep at all last night. I'm an 259 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: exhausted them in so much pains. 260 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 4: So when she said she woke up to a crime scene, 261 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 4: that meant that she had led all over typically. Yeah, 262 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 4: what was it like to be on the receiving end 263 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 4: of that though? 264 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 1: You know, getting the letter and reading it afterwards, it 265 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: makes you really like think and wonder, like, Wow, she 266 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: was going through hell during those time periods and she 267 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: just had to push through it. And I thought that 268 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: she's a strong and amazing woman, and honestly, I'm. 269 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 2: Very proud of her. 270 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 4: Haley, like many young women, was operating without a manual 271 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 4: when it comes to their own reproductive health, a far 272 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 4: too common phenomenon. Doctor Lucky Sekhan, fertility expert and intochronologist, 273 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 4: sees it all the time. 274 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 3: It's just been ingrained in the fabric of our society. 275 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 5: Women just needing to grin and bear it. 276 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 4: That's what was happening to Haley at boot camp. She 277 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 4: knew something was wrong, but her doctors kept prescribing pain 278 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 4: medications or telling her to soldier through it. Does that 279 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 4: surprise you And why do you think in general women 280 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:02,119 Speaker 4: are used to having their pain dismissed. 281 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 3: I think it's only now that we're certain to have 282 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 3: these conversations and talk about how a lot of women 283 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 3: face dismissal and having their complaints ignored, and they themselves 284 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 3: are dismissing their own complaints. Sometimes people when I speak 285 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 3: to them, I'm like, tell me about your periods, And 286 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 3: a lot of women are like, yeah, it's fine. 287 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 5: What do you mean you miss school? What do you 288 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 5: mean you've missed days of work? 289 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 3: Because you're a period that's not normal? And so I 290 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 3: think it starts with early education. I think there's been 291 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 3: a lack of proper education there's just this focus on 292 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 3: avoiding teen pregnancy, and that's really what health class is 293 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 3: all about. I don't remember anyone really telling me an 294 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 3: irregular cycle, a really painful cycle, a very heavy period, 295 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 3: what is normal? What is abnormal? And what is a 296 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 3: red flag? And why is it important? There was none 297 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:56,000 Speaker 3: of that education. 298 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 4: Having dealt with immobilizing menstrual pain since she was eleven, 299 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 4: Haley had normalized this as part of her life. Now, 300 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:08,439 Speaker 4: eight years into this chronic battle, Halee is forced to 301 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 4: suffer through symptoms at boot camp without access to the 302 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 4: pain medication she's become reliant on to make it through 303 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 4: her cycles. That must have been psychologically grueling. 304 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, my options were to speak up and look weak 305 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 2: or to get the help that I needed in that moment, 306 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 2: and it was hard. I wasn't willing to risk being 307 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,400 Speaker 2: held back in boot camp, so I just kept pushing through. 308 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 2: The pain got so bad. We were running in the 309 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 2: morning and I felt so fatigued, so I knew just 310 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 2: that cycle was just going to be really bad. I 311 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 2: remember we were standing in line getting ready to leave 312 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 2: the dorm and the cramps were getting unbearable. I remember 313 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 2: I was sweating, I was shaking. My vision started to 314 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:06,160 Speaker 2: get very blurry, and I felt my knees were going 315 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 2: to give out. I pressed up against the wall and 316 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 2: just kind of slid down, and I remember within an instant, 317 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 2: it just kind of went black. 318 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 4: We'll be right back with Symptomatic, a Medical Mystery Podcast. 319 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 4: Now back to Symptomatic, a Medical Mystery Podcast. Halle is 320 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 4: fighting every day of boot camp with near incapacitating menstrual 321 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 4: cycle symptoms, heavy bleeding, intense fatigue, and indescribable pain, all 322 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 4: without access to pain medication. After weeks of discomfort, pile up, 323 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 4: Halle's body gives out. Take me to the moment you 324 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 4: passed out and when you came to. 325 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 2: I just kept pushing my body and I knew eventually 326 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,719 Speaker 2: it was just going to give out. I remember we 327 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 2: were standing in line getting ready to leave the dorm 328 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 2: and the cramps were getting unbearable. I was sweating, I 329 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 2: was shaking, and my vision started to get very blurry, 330 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 2: and I felt like my knees were going to give out. 331 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 2: I pressed up against the wall and just kind of 332 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 2: slid down. Within an instant, it just kind of went black. 333 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 2: I lost consciousness for a few seconds. I remember looking 334 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 2: up and the dorm chief was there. She was really concerned. 335 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 2: She was just trying to, you know, give me some 336 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 2: space and getting everybody away from me. And she eventually 337 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 2: told the MTI Military Training instructor that something was wrong, 338 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 2: and they were already pushing me through to go to 339 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 2: the emergency room. 340 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 4: And what advice were you given? 341 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 2: They just kept passing the buck and I was there temporarily, 342 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 2: and I had started to open up about the painful 343 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 2: periods and how heavy that they are. Right away, they 344 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 2: always just say, oh, painful periods, It's normal. But once 345 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 2: I tried to open up more and express this is 346 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 2: getting to be a little bit too much, like it 347 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 2: just passed out because I had period cramps. 348 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 4: Was it a male doctor or a doctor? 349 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,679 Speaker 2: He had told me, wait until you get to your 350 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 2: next duty station, which for me would have been tech school, 351 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 2: because I was going to be there just a little 352 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 2: bit longer. So his only advice was just to wait 353 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:31,159 Speaker 2: until I saw somebody more permanent. And I think he 354 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 2: was looking out for me because he didn't want me 355 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 2: to get held back for medical reasons. So I can 356 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 2: look back and think this doctor, But at the same time, 357 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 2: it just reinforced the idea that nobody's taking me seriously. 358 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 4: It is a different level of pain to be told 359 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 4: by a male doctor that being incredible pain is just normal. 360 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 2: Yeah for a woman. Yeah. The entire time I was 361 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 2: in was if you cannot push through, then you shouldn't 362 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 2: be in the middle terry. And as much as I 363 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 2: would agree with that to a certain extent, it's agonizing 364 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 2: to have to live through it constantly and constantly being dismissed. 365 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 2: It just scared me, and it scared me into staying 366 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 2: silent for a long time. 367 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,919 Speaker 4: Silently suffering, but feeling sure at this point something was 368 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 4: truly a miss. Haley took it upon herself to try 369 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:24,199 Speaker 4: to get to the bottom of her symptoms. 370 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,439 Speaker 2: For many years, I started to put puddlesle pieces together, 371 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 2: and I started to, I guess, like doctor Google. I 372 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 2: was googling my symptoms, googling some of the manifestations that 373 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 2: I had found dealing with my heavy periods. It kind 374 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:41,440 Speaker 2: of pointed me into the direction of this really rare condition. 375 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:45,920 Speaker 2: But it is so rare that anytime I brought it up, 376 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 2: I was immediately dismissed. 377 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,160 Speaker 4: Although Hally feels certain that doctors should be looking into 378 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,919 Speaker 4: this rare condition she believes that she might have. She 379 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:57,879 Speaker 4: is dismissed. 380 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 3: People have hunches about their bodies, but they are lay 381 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 3: people and they're trusting the doctors and the experts. And 382 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 3: I think our healthcare system is set up to have 383 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 3: doctors fail. 384 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 5: It's not necessarily of doctor's faults. 385 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 3: It's the system that they're in that they only have 386 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,400 Speaker 3: fifteen minutes with each patient, and that does not lend 387 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 3: itself to these complex discussions and the education that is 388 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 3: really needed, especially when people are coming in completely blind 389 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 3: and naive. 390 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 4: What are some of the clear symptoms that would show 391 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 4: up in someone with a reproductive anomaly. 392 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 3: If someone says something along the lines of I've always 393 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:36,400 Speaker 3: had a hard time with sex or with using tampons. 394 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 3: If someone says they have really severe, painful periods that 395 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 3: don't respond well to medication, I mean that could mean 396 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:46,400 Speaker 3: a lot of things. But a lot of these anomalies 397 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 3: can lead to a higher incidence of abnormal pain with MENSIS, 398 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:54,360 Speaker 3: because you can have obstruction of the outflow that leads 399 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 3: to back pressure. 400 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 5: And that could be really extremely painful. 401 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 3: And I would say it's just anything unusual that doesn't 402 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 3: sound like a normal menstrual outflow pattern where you normally like, okay, 403 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 3: I have a period for five to seven days each month, 404 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:10,959 Speaker 3: but if someone's like, no, I'm kind of bleeding all 405 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 3: over the place, I think that could be much more problematic. 406 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 4: All of these symptoms that doctor Lucky describes, Halle had 407 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 4: been living with now for almost a decade without any 408 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 4: answers or support. After a harrowing couple of months in 409 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 4: boot camp, Halle completes her training. So where were you 410 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 4: stationed Las Vegas? Just explain the stress of that position 411 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 4: and what a typical day looked like that you had 412 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:43,119 Speaker 4: to get through even when your symptoms were in full flare. 413 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 2: The unit that I worked on was an impatient unit, 414 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 2: so we were a combined unit of ICU, Medsarge and 415 00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 2: Labor and Delivery, and so it was very stressful. I'm 416 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:58,120 Speaker 2: currently I primarily worked in the Medsarge section of this unit. 417 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 2: I was working twelve to fourteen hour shifts like it 418 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 2: was insane work. That's the hardest I've ever worked in 419 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 2: my entire life. I was mentally exhausted, I was physically exhausted. 420 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 2: So the days that I had my e mentional cycle 421 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 2: on top of it, I couldn't do it. There was 422 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 2: multiple instances where I felt like I was being targeted 423 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 2: because I needed time off. I got the worst assignments. 424 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,640 Speaker 2: I was getting looked at differently, I was getting treated differently, 425 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 2: and so I did my best to push it down 426 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 2: and to push it aside and to deal with it. 427 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 2: But I broke. There was many times I would have 428 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:39,119 Speaker 2: to just lock myself in this ply room and just 429 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 2: cry because going to the emergency room, they're not going 430 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 2: to do anything for me. I have period cramps, like 431 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 2: I've done that before. I've gone to seek help and 432 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,919 Speaker 2: I'm just pushed aside. 433 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 4: And to have all of that while you feel like 434 00:24:55,800 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 4: people are rolling their eyes, yeah, every single time you 435 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:02,439 Speaker 4: reach out for help. 436 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was heartbreaking and it really made me question myself, 437 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 2: especially because I didn't have full access just to take 438 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:13,160 Speaker 2: the day off and call off work and take care 439 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 2: of myself. Like I had to learn how to push 440 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 2: through and learn how to suppress these feelings and emotions 441 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 2: and not complain and just do whatever I could. You 442 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 2: take care of yourself, then you sacrifice your job. You 443 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 2: take care of yourself, and there's consequences. 444 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 4: How did this pressure to always act like you were, okay, 445 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:36,880 Speaker 4: make you feel. 446 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 2: That really caused me to have anxiety for a lot 447 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 2: of my time in service, and especially because I didn't 448 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,760 Speaker 2: have the answer yet. I was terrified of the unknown. 449 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,920 Speaker 4: Right, And that anxiety comes from a really a very 450 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 4: real place, because you had already passed out while at 451 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 4: boot camp, which must have always been on the back 452 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 4: of your mind, and then one day you were in 453 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:06,439 Speaker 4: so much visible agony that a colleague of yours was 454 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 4: really worried. Take me to that day. 455 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 2: So me and the specific coworker, she's a registered nurse, 456 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:14,680 Speaker 2: she was one of our element leaders in the unit. 457 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 2: Me and her were working on a project together for 458 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:21,200 Speaker 2: Nurse Tech Week. She saw I was like sweating and trembling. 459 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 2: She didn't know what was wrong. I just told her cramps, 460 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 2: and she asked a lot of follow up questions because 461 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 2: I think that she had struggled with bad mentional cramps 462 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 2: as well, asking what a my cycles look like. And 463 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:37,680 Speaker 2: once I divulge him the information, she was like, yeah, 464 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 2: that's not normal. 465 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 4: What did you think when she said that? 466 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 2: I think having somebody just like validate that it's not 467 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:48,720 Speaker 2: normal kind of was like, Okay, no, it's not normal. 468 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 4: You're right, and how old are you? At this time? 469 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 2: I was twenty two, so I've been dealing with this 470 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 2: for over ten years at this point. Just trial and 471 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 2: error of trying to figure out what works and what 472 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,840 Speaker 2: doesn't work can led me there. 473 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 4: And for the first time since she started experiencing debilitating 474 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 4: period cramps, heavy bleeding, and all around crippling menstrual cycles, 475 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 4: Hally was able to convince a doctor to agree to 476 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:20,880 Speaker 4: an ultrasound. That's a medical imaging technique that uses high 477 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 4: frequency sound weaves to create detailed images of internal body structures. 478 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 4: What was it like getting that ultrasound? 479 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:35,399 Speaker 2: The ultrasound texts, I knew we're making small talk, chit chat, 480 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 2: talking about work, talking about life, and I noticed that 481 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:42,680 Speaker 2: she had turned the screen away from me. I felt 482 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 2: that the energy in the room shifted. She got just 483 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 2: quiet and told me we're done. You can get dressed. 484 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:55,000 Speaker 2: So as I was leaving, the radiology department had one 485 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 2: big room with a bunch of computer screens where all 486 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 2: the radiologists in rad tech sit to like review. All 487 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 2: of them were all surrounding like one computer, and as 488 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 2: I walked out the room, they all turned their head 489 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 2: and looked at me. I walked out of that ultrasound 490 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 2: thinking I had cancer because the family history with my dad. 491 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:18,919 Speaker 2: I was convinced, did you think you were dying? 492 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 4: I did. 493 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 2: I thought I was dying. Every possible scenario went through 494 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 2: my head during this moment. 495 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,919 Speaker 1: Hailey's father passed from cancer. And I think that was 496 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:36,640 Speaker 1: a really great concern. There's clearly something wrong occurring. Could 497 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: it be linked? And I think it was scary. I 498 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: think that's the biggest thing to say. It was a 499 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:43,479 Speaker 1: scary conversation to have. 500 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:48,640 Speaker 2: And yeah, it was a Friday, so I was not 501 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 2: expecting to get my results and I was terrified that 502 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 2: I would have to sit with that during the weekend. 503 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 2: Another primary care doctor, another doctor actually worked as She 504 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:58,920 Speaker 2: ended up calling me at like eight thirty at night 505 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:01,720 Speaker 2: to give me the result on a Friday, on a Friday, 506 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 2: because I don't think anybody was expecting what they found. 507 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 4: Tell me exactly what she told you over the phone. 508 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 2: When I picked up the phone, she was like, I 509 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 2: wanted to tell you that we found that you have 510 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 2: uterust idelphis. I remember just sinking in my chair. I 511 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 2: knew it. I knew that that's what it was. That's 512 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 2: the only thing that made sense. 513 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 4: Uterist idelphus is a rare congenital condition where a person 514 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 4: is born with two uteruses, a condition so rare that 515 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 4: it's estimated to affect only zero point three percent of women, 516 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 4: so uncommon that many obstetrician gynecologists may never encounter a 517 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:46,520 Speaker 4: case in their careers. 518 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 2: She had told me that on the ultrasound they had 519 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:55,640 Speaker 2: saw that I have two complete sets of reproductive parts, 520 00:29:56,200 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 2: that I had two uteruses, two cervixes, and two vaginal openings, 521 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 2: and then each uterus each had their own ovary. My 522 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 2: next question was where do we go from here? 523 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 4: And what did they say? 524 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 2: She was really concerned about my kidneys because a lot 525 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 2: of people with malarium duct anomalies have issues with their kidneys, 526 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 2: So that was our next step. But other than that, 527 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 2: I don't think they knew enough to be able to 528 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 2: walk me through what this was going to look like 529 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 2: the rest of my life or moving forward trying to 530 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 2: start a family. And even though I got this diagnosis, 531 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 2: it just opened so many other questions up can I 532 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:45,320 Speaker 2: have kids? Like is there a cure for this? Is 533 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:46,520 Speaker 2: there a treatment for this? 534 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 4: After over a decade, Hallie finally has a name for 535 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 4: the condition that has made her life so painful at times, 536 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 4: but the condition is so rare that she'll need to 537 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 4: seek out a specialist in the field, someone like doctor 538 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 4: Lucky Scon. 539 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 3: When we form as embryos and as a fetus, we 540 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:11,920 Speaker 3: don't just magically appear in a uterus overnight. There's a 541 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 3: very specific way that we go from a ball of 542 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:17,959 Speaker 3: one hundred to two hundred cells into a fetus and 543 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 3: eventually a human being, a live born being with all 544 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:25,400 Speaker 3: of our organs. And the way that our uterus forms, 545 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 3: it actually forms from two ducts that kind of come 546 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 3: together in fuse, and when that process is interrupted, which 547 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 3: can happen anywhere from late first trimester to mid second trimester, 548 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 3: your uterus may end up forming in a way where 549 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 3: there's an anomaly. It doesn't form a single cavity, and 550 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:52,240 Speaker 3: so there's a very wide spectrum. There's like incomplete fusion 551 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 3: is having a uterine didelphus. You end up with two 552 00:31:55,920 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 3: separate uteruses and two separate cervixes, and you may even 553 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 3: have almost two separate vaginal canals because you can have 554 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,680 Speaker 3: like a septim a wall of tissue dividing the vaginal 555 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 3: canal in half. 556 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 4: Even armed with an explanation, the rarity of the condition 557 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:15,840 Speaker 4: presented new challenges for Haley and Mark, especially as a 558 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:17,880 Speaker 4: young couple hoping to start a family. 559 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 1: There wasn't a lot of research. That was the scary part, 560 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:26,080 Speaker 1: because it's so rare. We won't have exact answers. 561 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 4: What changed for you, guys once you had the diagnosis 562 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 4: Several things. 563 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:39,480 Speaker 1: I think mindset. I think that's been the biggest thing 564 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:43,520 Speaker 1: is that now it's like, Okay, now we have a diety, 565 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: we know where we're going towards, we have direction. 566 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 4: Were you tempted to call every single doctor who dismissed you? 567 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:55,600 Speaker 2: I was angry for sure, because it went from you 568 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:58,560 Speaker 2: have painful periods and I'm sorry, that's part of being 569 00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 2: a girl, get over it, to more, Wow, this is 570 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 2: so rare, this is so crazy. Can I bring in 571 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:09,640 Speaker 2: the students. Can we do a pelvic exam? They actually 572 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 2: want to know my experience versus trying to dismiss it 573 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 2: and minimize my experience. I feel like, especially regarding my 574 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:20,520 Speaker 2: fertility and what I know now, I feel like if 575 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:23,680 Speaker 2: I had these answers years earlier, I could have planned 576 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 2: our future differently and so of course I was angry, 577 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 2: but I was more upset I was treated so poorly 578 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 2: the entire time based off of the research that I found. 579 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 2: It's really hard to have kids because it's so high risk. Luckily, 580 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:43,400 Speaker 2: I've been working with some really good doctors. They're fully 581 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:47,240 Speaker 2: on board with helping us conceive and getting us to 582 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 2: our goals, but they're not beating around the bush with 583 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 2: the fact that it's going to come with its own challenges, 584 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:58,160 Speaker 2: and it has. We've had four miscarriages, so that's where 585 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 2: we're at right now. Sorry, Yeah, it's hard. It's really hard. 586 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:08,480 Speaker 2: Infertility is something that a lot of women don't talk 587 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:11,720 Speaker 2: about enough. It's more common than you think. 588 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's terrible. It's like it's one of the artist 589 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:25,520 Speaker 1: pains to go through, especially when you are trying for 590 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:31,759 Speaker 1: a family, and that's the biggest thing. It's it's difficult, 591 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:35,839 Speaker 1: and we want to make sure that you know that 592 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:40,560 Speaker 1: other people understand that it's okay to talk about it occurring, 593 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:43,880 Speaker 1: and I think it brings together a sense of community. 594 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:47,000 Speaker 1: At the same time, you can find groups of people 595 00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 1: that you know, you're able to communicate the same situation 596 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:52,360 Speaker 1: and grief with one another. 597 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 4: Women often describe the experience of infertility as isolating. Do 598 00:34:58,640 --> 00:34:59,399 Speaker 4: you feel that way. 599 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 2: It's hard because people want to understand and they want 600 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:06,399 Speaker 2: to support you, but until you've been through it, like 601 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:10,359 Speaker 2: you just don't understand. It makes me feel like less 602 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:14,880 Speaker 2: than a woman that I have trouble conceiving, feeling like 603 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,640 Speaker 2: not enough in the way that society is built, in 604 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:20,880 Speaker 2: the way that society looks at women as mothers, and 605 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 2: they paint this label that being a mother is one 606 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:25,879 Speaker 2: of the most rewarding things that you can do as 607 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:29,160 Speaker 2: a woman. It's devastating to know that that's going to 608 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 2: be a challenge for me. 609 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 4: How did things change for you once you finally had 610 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:43,279 Speaker 4: a diagnosis. 611 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 2: I think it definitely gave me more of a voice 612 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:51,000 Speaker 2: to stand on and to advocate for myself, saying, no, 613 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:53,400 Speaker 2: there's something wrong, Please do your job, and please do 614 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:55,960 Speaker 2: it well, because this is my life and this is 615 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 2: something I've been struggling with for for too long, and 616 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 2: I don't put up with it anymore. I'm not afraid 617 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 2: to stand up for myself. 618 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:08,680 Speaker 4: As an expert on navigating infertility, doctor ccon offers this 619 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:12,080 Speaker 4: advice to women struggling with reproductive health issues. 620 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:16,360 Speaker 3: I think it's always helpful to write things down. I 621 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:19,480 Speaker 3: think a menstrual diary, which is probably a term that 622 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:21,840 Speaker 3: a lot of you have not heard of, is a 623 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 3: brilliant thing to have, whether you're dealing with a didelphus 624 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:30,440 Speaker 3: uterus or endometriosis or irregular cycles. Having objective tracked data, 625 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 3: no one can dispute that this is right in front 626 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:36,040 Speaker 3: of you. Now here's a pattern, and this is not normal. 627 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 3: I think you have to be willing to get second opinions. 628 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 3: If something sounds like you're getting a BS answer, go 629 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 3: see someone that isn't going to make you feel insecure 630 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:48,640 Speaker 3: about their answers, and that's going to make you feel 631 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:52,440 Speaker 3: like this person knows what they're doing. Knowledge is power, 632 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 3: regardless of what your goals are. I think understanding your 633 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:57,480 Speaker 3: body is going to bring you a sense of relief 634 00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 3: and validation, and it can help you plan the future. 635 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,279 Speaker 3: It can help change the trajectory of what you might 636 00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 3: have done otherwise. This is a shared experience of many 637 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:10,080 Speaker 3: many women, and we have to help each other. And 638 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:13,239 Speaker 3: we should also pay it forward and welcome conversations with 639 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:16,200 Speaker 3: our friends and our family members and speak openly about 640 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 3: our bodies and the things we're experiencing because you never 641 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:19,520 Speaker 3: know who it's going to help. 642 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:22,040 Speaker 4: How do you feel when you were able to give 643 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:25,680 Speaker 4: a patient who has clearly been shuffled through the system 644 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 4: without answers some kind of clarity or direction. 645 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:32,279 Speaker 3: When someone walks through my door and you can just 646 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:35,720 Speaker 3: see it on their face, they're confused. They're not entirely 647 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,480 Speaker 3: convinced they're going to walk out with answers like they 648 00:37:38,520 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 3: are jaded. I used to think fertility treatment is so complicated. 649 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:46,840 Speaker 3: There's all these fancy tools and treatments. It's actually pretty simple. 650 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:50,160 Speaker 3: This is why this issue exists. Here are the potential 651 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 3: problems and here are the solutions and strategies as we 652 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:55,719 Speaker 3: move forward. And when you keep it simple and you 653 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:58,279 Speaker 3: lay it out like that, and someone walks out with 654 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:02,240 Speaker 3: tangible tools and they feel so in control after feeling 655 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:05,120 Speaker 3: so out of control for so long, that is, by 656 00:38:05,160 --> 00:38:07,880 Speaker 3: and large the most important thing that I. 657 00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:08,720 Speaker 5: Love about my career. 658 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:11,560 Speaker 3: That I will never get tired of doing what I'm doing. 659 00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:17,720 Speaker 4: Now, Haley has access to better pain treatment, personalized fertility planning, 660 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,880 Speaker 4: and a health plan made just for her. A specialist 661 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:23,680 Speaker 4: might even recommend surgery to help her conceive and carry 662 00:38:23,719 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 4: a child for the first time. She's looking ahead with 663 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:30,360 Speaker 4: hope and plans to use her experience to help others. 664 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:33,360 Speaker 4: And are you still pursuing nursing. 665 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:37,240 Speaker 2: I am. I graduate next year with my bachelor's in nursing. 666 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:40,279 Speaker 2: I am so excited to be done with school, but 667 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:44,960 Speaker 2: I am so excited for my future as a registered nurse. 668 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:49,400 Speaker 2: I hope to make an impact in the woman's health world. 669 00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:55,640 Speaker 2: My education, my background, my diagnosis, everything combined has made 670 00:38:55,719 --> 00:38:59,799 Speaker 2: me more compassionate. My relationship with my patients is far 671 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:03,719 Speaker 2: to different than the relationships between other healthcare providers and 672 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,160 Speaker 2: their patients because I feel like I take the time 673 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:13,160 Speaker 2: to really sit down and validate their feelings. First and foremost, Nick, what. 674 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 4: Do you hope that people take away from your shared story? 675 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:24,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I want them to really look out and identify 676 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,560 Speaker 1: that they may not be the only ones who are 677 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:30,800 Speaker 1: going through something, and if they do have a health condition, 678 00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:34,560 Speaker 1: that they should try and seek out. Further answers to. 679 00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:38,759 Speaker 4: That nobody should ever get comfortable with being dismissed in 680 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:41,560 Speaker 4: terms of health concerns under person. 681 00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:42,680 Speaker 1: I agree. 682 00:39:44,360 --> 00:39:48,080 Speaker 4: And finally, what do you want people to take away 683 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:48,960 Speaker 4: from your story? 684 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:52,240 Speaker 2: I want people to know that it's okay to advocate 685 00:39:52,280 --> 00:39:57,040 Speaker 2: for yourself. Sometimes you are your only advocate, and when 686 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:00,560 Speaker 2: you know something is wrong, something could be wrong. Don't 687 00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 2: take no for an answer, and don't let them tell 688 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:06,840 Speaker 2: you your symptoms are normal and minimize it and minimize 689 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:10,120 Speaker 2: your experience, especially if you are a woman, because I've 690 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:13,279 Speaker 2: seen how hard it is to fight the fight trying 691 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:17,280 Speaker 2: to get the care that you need and that you deserve. 692 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:21,920 Speaker 2: My name is Haley Griffith, and for twenty two years 693 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:28,520 Speaker 2: I struggled with being diagnosed with uterist idelphis. 694 00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:34,600 Speaker 4: You can find Haley on TikTok at Haley Underscore Griffith. 695 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:38,840 Speaker 4: You can follow doctor Luckysecon at Lucky dot c con 696 00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:41,880 Speaker 4: and look out for her new book, The Lucky Egg, 697 00:40:42,239 --> 00:40:46,759 Speaker 4: coming out January thirteenth, twenty twenty six. Coming up on 698 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:50,919 Speaker 4: next week's Symptomatic Ian Steadman suffered thirty two years through 699 00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:56,120 Speaker 4: whole body rashes, debilitating migrains, joint pain, and hearing loss 700 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:59,839 Speaker 4: without a clear diagnosis. His mother, Barb, had gone over 701 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:04,560 Speaker 4: sixty years with the same symptoms. After nearly two hundred doctors' 702 00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:08,960 Speaker 4: visits and decades of frustrations, they had resigned to believe 703 00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:13,000 Speaker 4: there were no answers, that is until Ian's daughter Leah 704 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:17,360 Speaker 4: was born, covered in that all too recognizable rash. 705 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:21,560 Speaker 6: One in three people untreated just don't wake up. My 706 00:41:21,640 --> 00:41:24,000 Speaker 6: mom's over thirty six, so she seems to have bucked 707 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:27,000 Speaker 6: the trend. I'm running up against it and now I've 708 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:30,520 Speaker 6: got a kid, so there's three of us. If it 709 00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:33,960 Speaker 6: wasn't for Leah being sick, I may be the one 710 00:41:33,960 --> 00:41:34,359 Speaker 6: in three. 711 00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:39,840 Speaker 4: Ian reignited his search for answers and saved his family. 712 00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:44,160 Speaker 4: As always, we would love to hear from you. Send 713 00:41:44,239 --> 00:41:46,960 Speaker 4: us your thoughts on this episode, or share a medical 714 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:51,480 Speaker 4: mystery of your own at Symptomatic at iHeartMedia dot com, 715 00:41:51,920 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 4: and please rate and review Symptomatic wherever you get your podcasts. 716 00:41:56,480 --> 00:41:59,680 Speaker 4: We'll see you next time, and until then, be well. 717 00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:06,000 Speaker 4: Symptomatic a medical mystery podcast, is a production of iHeartMedia's 718 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:11,040 Speaker 4: Ruby Studio. Our show is hosted by me Lauren Bright Pacheco. 719 00:42:11,440 --> 00:42:15,600 Speaker 4: Our executive producers are James Foster, Matt Romano, and myself. 720 00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:21,480 Speaker 4: Our supervising producers are Ryan Ovadia, Haley Aliah Ericsson, and 721 00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:26,239 Speaker 4: Daniel Ainsworth. This episode was written by Haley Aliah Erickson 722 00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:28,920 Speaker 4: and edited by Daniel Ainsworth,