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Christine Layton
WA
“Your vaginal wall is glued to the end of your bowel… essentially your vagina is stuck to your rectum.”
My name is Christine Layton — I’m a wife, Mum of 2, lindy hopper, avid native gardener and presenter/reporter at ABC Radio Perth.
Because this is meant to be a bio, I’ve hosted national and statewide programs, celebrated local heroes with our audience and kept WA company during COVID.
I’ve also had the privilege of interviewing changemakers such as actor Dame Emma Thompson, Missy Higgins, Colin Hay, film director Darren Aronofsky, Damon Gameau, composer Hans Zimmer and Keith Potger from The Seekers to name a few.
But while all of this was happening, stage IV deep infiltrating endometriosis was obliterating my Pouch of Douglas. So how can a nodule the size of a Malteser destroy what is essentially an empty space with a fancy name?
It was 2016, I’d just married my husband before moving to our south coast for work adventures. I came off the pill in the hope we could try and start a family… but any attempt to make a baby came with sharp, tearing pain.
Bowel movements had me squealing like a pig. Sneezing hurt?! I felt like I was being ripped apart on the inside. IBS, PCOS, adenomyosis, depression/anxiety, ovarian cysts and stress had all been named as causes for my period pain but I knew this was different.
After multiple appointments to my local doctor, she suggested I “take some annual leave and relax more” during intercourse. I eventually asked for a referral to the gynaecologist who visited a neighbouring town once a month.
One 30-minute drive and an internal examination was all it took for this specialist to say — “I suspect you have endometriosis.” I cried all the way home. It wasn’t all in my head.
All was confirmed via high definition sonovaginography and months later, my laparoscopy was performed with a colorectal surgeon present.
Whilst they couldn’t remove all the endometriosis without rupturing my bowel wall, the tearing pain disappeared.
7 years later, my endo has returned but this time, there’s a hysterectomy on the horizon. If you’ve made it this far, I hope you have a GP who is keen to help you get the answers you’re looking for.
As ambassadors, we’re here to help. If you’re in Perth or WA and need a chat, drop me a line.