Endometriosis No Longer Defines Me
It didn’t take long for Brittany Pierson’s gynecologist to deem her “infertile” and recommend IVF – just two office visits and a series of blood tests.
“I felt so overwhelmed, saddened and defeated,” Brittany remembers. “I went into a hole for the next year, avoiding doctors and leaning on God as we continued to try for a baby.”
Like so many other women, Brittany thought pregnancy would come easily. “I assumed it would happen right away for us, and I had so much hope as we began to plan for our little one,” she says.
Painful periods eventually forced her back into a doctor’s office. Although her struggles began in high school, her pain had become excruciating. “I had severe abdominal pain, dizziness, cold sweats, bloating and constant pressure. It was becoming too much to take,” she says.
An ovarian ultrasound revealed two large endometriomas, one on each ovary. She underwent surgery, but it was not a success. Adhesions still connected her ovaries, uterus and rectum. “The doctor tried to drain the endometriomas and cut out what he could see,” Brittany says. “It was only after the fact that he admitted that the disease was more complex than he was prepared for.”
Not only that, but her pain was just as severe as before. A few months later, the endometriomas returned. By this point, Brittany and her husband had been trying to conceive for three years. Answers seemed elusive. “All we knew is that endometriosis was present but likely too severe and complex to be treated; I felt so depressed, defeated and broken,” she says.
Dr. Yeung changed all that, she says. “Dr. Yeung performed a thorough consultation, answered all of our questions and prepared a team of surgeons and a game plan for surgery. He was so knowledgeable, diligent and kind, ensuring that all factors were considered.”
Using a specialized method called near-contact laparoscopy, Dr. Yeung was able to completely excise Brittany’s stage IV endometriosis and detach her organs. “For the first time in years, I had hope,” she says. “I no longer felt broken, and my body felt like mine again, healthy and whole.”
Dr. Yeung also worked with the couple to uncover and treat any additional causes of their infertility. He introduced them to NaProTECHNOLOGY and the Creighton Model method of charting cycles.
Eighteen months after surgery – and after 5 years of trying – Brittany conceived her son. Two years later, with continued support from Dr. Yeung, she conceived a daughter, followed by a surprise third child.
“I am beyond thankful that we met Dr. Yeung. If someone would have told me 7 years ago, before that surgery and first meeting with Dr. Yeung, that I would be the mother of three, pain free, with no evident signs of endometriosis, I’m not sure I would have believed them,” she says. “But I thank God every day that He led me on this journey.”
