Bindi Irwin, 25, has revealed new details about her gruelling journey with endometriosis.
After years of unexplainable pain, fatigue, cramping and nausea, the Wildlife Warrior finally underwent “extensive” surgery earlier this year which confirmed her endometriosis diagnosis.
Endometriosis is tissue similar to the lining of the uterus that grows outside of the uterus. The 25-year-old had 37 lesions removed.
“When I got out of surgery the first thing (the surgeon) said to me was: ‘How did you live with that much pain?'” an emotional Bindi told Good Morning America in her first TV interview following the surgery. “That validation meant so much to me.”
After noticing worrying symptoms in her early teens, Bindi visited different doctors. She was tested for cancer; she had ultrasounds; CT scans; and MRIs.
“The scariest thing was that there were no answers,” she said.
Bindi, who welcomed her first daughter Grace in 2021, also recalled the “severe, unexplained pain” throughout her pregnancy journey – to the point she thought she was miscarrying.
“I thought I was losing our beautiful daughter,” said Bindi, who shares Grace with her husband, Chandler Powell.
“We’re so lucky to have Grace. So many women can’t fall pregnant due to problems with endometriosis.”
Following the surgery, Bindi feels like a “completely new person”. The daughter of Steve Irwin described being able to run and play with her daughter and carry out conservation work like never before.
Bindi first revealed her journey to getting diagnosed with endometriosis in March this year.
“A doctor told me it was simply something you deal with as a woman and I gave up entirely, trying to function through the pain,” Bindi wrote on her Instagram at the time, eventually making the decision to have surgery.
“Going in for surgery was scary but I knew I couldn’t live like I was. Every part of my life was getting torn apart because of the pain.”
The 25-year-old ended the post by urging people to be “gentle” with the women in their life.
“Pause before asking me (or any woman) when we’ll be having more children. 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.”
