Bindi Irwin Opens Up About Health Battle With Photo From Hospital Bed
Irwin hopes to help other women by sharing her story.
Bindi Irwin is getting candid about her recent health struggles.
The 24-year-old took to her Instagram on Tues. March 7 to reveal that she has been diagnosed with endometriosis—a condition where cells similar to the lining of the uterus grow outside of the uterus.
The disorder affects the pelvic tissue and can envelop the ovaries and fallopian tubes, with the possibility of affecting nearby organs including the bowel and bladder, according to Mayo Clinic.
"Dear Friends, I battled for a long time wondering if I should share this journey with you in such a public space. It came down to the responsibility I feel to share my story for other women who need help," Irwin wrote alongside a photo of her laying in a hospital bed with an IV in her arm.
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Irwin revealed that she has been struggling with pain for the past ten years. She took "many tests, doctors visits, scans, etc." and just recently found out what has been ailing her, adding that some doctors dismissed her condition entirely.
"A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman & I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain. I didn’t find answers until a friend @lesliemosier helped set me on a path of regaining my life. I decided to undergo surgery for endometriosis," she wrote, adding that the doctors found thirty-seven lesions and an ovarian cyst.
Irwin went on to show her gratitude towards her family and friends who helped her along the journey and for "encouraging me to find answers when I thought I'd never climb out." She also thanked the doctors and nurses who believed her pain was real.
Irwin also noted that she had to cancel plans due to "pouring every ounce of the energy I had left" into caring for her 1-year-old daughter, Grace Warrior, whom she shares with her husband, Chandler Powell.
"Things may look fine on the outside looking in through the window of someone’s life, however, that is not always the case. Please be gentle & pause before asking me (or any woman) when we’ll be having more children," she wrote.
"After all that my body has gone through, I feel tremendously grateful that we have our gorgeous daughter. She feels like our family’s miracle.I’m aware of millions of women struggling with a similar story. There’s stigma around this awful disease. I’m sharing my story for anyone who reads this & is quietly dealing with pain & no answers. Let this be your validation that your pain is real & you deserve help. Keep searching for answers. www.endofound.org," she concluded.
We're grateful that Irwin decided to open up and wish her the best in her recovery.
