On this episode, we welcome Courtney, a current PhD student at the Fletcher School of Tufts to talk about her ongoing reproductive health journey. Her long medical path, which began with life-threatening blood clots (DVT and pulmonary embolism) at age 17, leading to a diagnosis of Factor 2 and Factor 5 clotting disorders and resulting in significant medical trauma. She was later diagnosed with endometriosis at 23, after struggling with symptoms for three or four years. Courtney discusses the difficulties of being gaslit and dismissed by medical providers regarding both her blood clots and her reproductive pain. She describes how she was eventually guided toward proper endometriosis care by a friend and colleague who had also experienced endometriosis and adenomyosis, providing essential support and guidance through an isolating experience.
Courtney’s severe pain and the eventual diagnosis of adenomyosis, the “evil cousin of endo,” led her to the decision to pursue a medically indicated hysterectomy at 24. She explains that her clotting disorders meant that pregnancy would be dangerous due to the risk of increased clotting from estrogen flushes. She appreciated finding an endometriosis specialist, who respected her autonomy and supported her desire to reclaim her quality of life by rescinding the “ability to give life in a way.” While Courtney and her husband, Mark, aren’t quite ready to start growing their family yet, they plan to pursue international adoption.
Courtney has since channeled her experiences into advocacy, testifying at the Massachusetts State House in support of comprehensive bills aimed at improving endometriosis care. She has become involved in the Endometriosis Alliance of Massachusetts (TEAM), an organization bringing together providers, patients, and caregivers to improve the lives of those with endometriosis through education and advocacy, of which AllPaths is a founding member. This November, Courtney is also running the Cambridge Half Marathon as a fundraiser for TEAM and AllPaths Family Building to support endometriosis advocacy efforts in Massachusetts, showcase the resilience of the endo community, and demonstrate that life can improve with proper treatment. Ultimately, Courtney stresses that there is no “ideal” or “normative” family building process, realizing through her own journey to this point that “what works for you is what the ideal is.”
Courtney Rosani is a PhD student at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a fellow endo warrior. Her work focuses on the intersection of conflict, reproductive health, and humanitarian programming. She is also a volunteer member of The Endometriosis Alliance of Massachusetts (TEAM) and seeks to give a voice and empowerment to the endometriosis community.
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