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Endometriosis is a condition where the lining of the uterus grows outside of it and attaches to other parts of the body results in excruciating period pains. And 33-year-old Shanette Cooke can attest to this.

She has been suffering from the condition for the past 10 years, and was recently diagnosed with adenomyosis; this is where the inner lining of the uterus breaks through the muscle wall of the uterus and causes menstrual cramps, lower abdominal pressure, and bloating before menstrual periods.

"The pain is really terrible. It's every day. Every single day," she said.

Cooke, a single mother to a 14-year-old daughter, told The STAR that she had to quit her job as a store clerk because of the constant pain she had to endure.

"I used to work but because of the pain I couldn't manage. When I go on the road, I'm scared to drink water, because if I drink, I'm gonna have to be urinating frequently. If I sneeze, I have to bend down, because if I stand up and sneeze, there is a dragging pain over my right ovary. Very painful. It's just a lot of pain," she said.

This affliction has also caused her to miss out on moments in her daughter's life.

"Sometimes when my daughter wants me to take her out on Fridays and so on, I can't go. I'm always telling her that I'm in pain, but she can't really understand. I'm always anaemic because of it, so I have to be trying to build back my blood count," she said

NO HEALTH INSURANCE

Cooke said she wants to do surgery to relieve her of some of this pain, but she cannot afford to fund it.

"This surgery is called the endometriosis excision. This is like deep excision which will extract the endometriosis instead of burning it off. The fee for the surgery ranges from $400,000-$600,000," she said

Adding that she has no health insurance.

"Getting this surgery done, would mean a lot to me, I know it's going to be the best thing. Because I know what I'm feeling, but you know sometimes when people don't see you crying, they don't think that you're going through alot. It's almost like you get used to the pain," she said

*** Persons willing to assist Cooke, can call her at 876-439-9242, or donate to her GoFundMe account ***