Bindi Irwin’s name is not familiar at first glance. However, when she is recognized as the daughter of the famous ‘crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin, she who died a few years ago from a deadly stingray.
Despite the risks involved in being so close to animals that led to Irwin’s death, his daughter Bindi followed in his footsteps and Nowadays she is a recognized animal activist who fights for the preservation of animals, especially those that are in danger of extinction.
But a piece of news did not go down well with her followers, when she herself revealed through her social networks that she has been suffering from endometriosis for more than ten years and that for this reason she had to undergo surgery.
“For a decade I have battled insurmountable fatigue, pain and nausea. Trying to remain a positive person and hide the pain has been a long road.”Irwin confessed to his more than five million followers on Instagram.
He added that “these last 10 years have included a lot of tests, doctor visits, scans, etc. A doctor told me it was just something you deal with as a woman and I completely gave up trying to survive the pain.”
Specialists explain that when endometriosis affects the ovaries, cysts can form and cause severe abdominal pain. The surrounding tissue can become irritated and eventually develop scar tissue and adhesions, that is, bands of fibrous tissue that can cause pelvic tissues and organs to stick together.
Irwin decided to undergo surgery and revealed what the doctors found inside his body.
“They found 37 lesions, some very deep and difficult to remove, and one chocolate cyst. The doctors first words when I was in recovery were: “How did you live in so much pain?” The truth is, the pain that I lived through for years is indescribable,” the Australian confessed.
He added: “I thank my family and friends who have been on this journey with me, thank you for encouraging me to find answers when I thought I would never get out of this.”
Although the exact cause of endometriosis is not clear, Experts estimate that it can occur in some women due to an immune system disorder, unable to recognize endometrial tissue that is growing outside the uterus.
Irwin is now recovering satisfactorily from the surgical procedure and appealed to women suffering from this disease.
“I am on the path of recovery and gratitude […] For those who question canceled plans, unanswered messages, and no-shows, I had been putting all my energy into my daughter and family. I am aware that millions of women struggle with a similar story.” wrote on that social network.
He pointed out that “there is a stigma around this terrible disease. I am sharing my story for anyone reading this who is quietly dealing with this pain and still has no answers. Let this be your proof that your pain is real and that you need help.”
Among the symptoms of this disease is pelvic pain, which is often associated with menstrual periods, but is much worse than usual and can increase over time.
– Strong pain (Dysmenorrhea): Pelvic pain and cramping can start before and continue for several days following the menstrual period begins. Pain can also occur in the lower back and abdomen.
– Pain when having sexual intercourse. These pains are usually common during or following sexual intercourse.
– Pain when defecating or urinating. It occurs especially during a menstrual period.
– Excessive bleeding. Sporadic heavy periods or bleeding between periods (breakthrough bleeding) may occur.
– Infertility. It may happen that this is diagnosed first in those people who seek treatment for infertility.
Specialists have pointed out that this disease may be accompanied by fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or nausea, especially during menstrual periods.
Likewise, some factors have been defined that put a woman at risk of developing endometrisis such as: not having given birth, starting the period at an early age, going through menopause at an advanced age, short menstrual cycles, (for example, less than 27 days) and heavy menstrual periods lasting more than seven days.
In addition, having higher levels of estrogen in the body or increased lifetime exposure to estrogen produced by the body, low body mass index, one or more family members (mother, aunt, or sister) with endometriosis, any medical condition that prevents the normal passage of blood from the body during menstrual periods, and disorders of the reproductive system.
Endometrosis can lead to a woman’s fertility being affected. According to studies, it has been established that between one third and one half of women with endometriosis have difficulty getting pregnant.
However, due to endometriosis the tube can be blocked and prevent the egg and sperm from uniting. It might even affect fertility in less direct ways, such as by damaging the sperm or egg.
However, they have warned that many people with mild to moderate endometriosis are able to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. Therefore, doctors recommend that women with this disease do not delay in having children because the condition can worsen over time.
Likewise, they have indicated that there are higher rates of risk of ovarian cancer in women with endometriosis, although some studies have indicated that the number of women who present this type of cancer is not associated with the disease.
In other cases, although it is not frequent, the cancer known as adenocarcinoma can occur and that it would be associated with endometriosis. This might develop later in life in people who have had the disease.
Steve Irwin: Bindi’s father
Bindi’s father, Stephen Robert Irwin, better known as Steve Irwin was a zookeeper, conservationist and became an Australian television personality who rose to fame as The Crocodile Hunter.
He was born on 22 February 1962, Upper Ferntree Gully, Australia and died on 4 September 2006 when the stingray he was following, a normally harmless animal, attacked him with its harpoon-like tail and pierced his heart. .
“I am not afraid of losing my life. If I have to save a crocodile, a koala, a kangaroo or a snake, I will.” used to say.
This world-renowned man, following his death, left orphans not only his children but to the 150 crocodiles and the other animals in the reserve and rehabilitation center to which he gave a home and dedicated his life to protecting them.
Irwin had become world famous with his shows on the Animal Planet channel. Viewers and zoo visitors alike will miss his overzealousness, his quirks and his khaki shorts.
He was also recognized by expressions such as “Isn’t this friend a beauty?”, when referring to any animal. In his program he regularly used the word “crikey”, with which he referred to contrary situations such as fear or emotion.
At 44 years old and following 35 in the trade, only one injury had caused him a knee operation. No one expected him to die the way he did, not in the jaws of a ferocious animal, but by a sting from a tame manta ray, a species of fish he almost never attacks.
“It’s ironic,” said Phillipe Cousteau, grandson of the legendary Jacques Cousteau, with whom Irwin was making a documentary. regarding the deadliest animals in the ocean.
“We had been filming sharks and that day we mightn’t go out because of bad weather.” So Steve decided to shoot some safe footage in shallow water for a show project by his 8-year-old daughter Bindi.
Those who witnessed the scene, which was recorded on camera, say that Irwin was simply swimming on top of the animal, without any contact, when it flung its tail at his chest.
The crocodile hunter reacted instinctively, pulled out the huge stinger and seconds later collapsed. The video and the witnesses made the authorities hypothesize that the animal felt cornered. In Australia, only three deaths from this cause have been recorded since 1945.
