036 - Stage 4 Endometriosis: “They Told Me It Was Anxiety” - Kate Ann Smith

For 13 years, Kate Ann was told her pain was normal.In this episode of The Survival Project, Jonathan Healy sits down with Kate for a deeply emotional and eye-opening conversation about living with Stage 4 Endometriosis and bowel endometriosis.Kate shares the reality of growing up in severe pain, being dismissed by doctors, told her symptoms were “just anxiety” or IBS, and spending years trying to convince people that something was seriously wrong.Eventually, after fighting for answers and advocating for herself, Kate was diagnosed with Stage 4 Endometriosis so severe that her organs had fused together.Together, Jonathan and Kate discuss:• Chronic pain & invisible illness• Medical gaslighting• Fertility fears & egg freezing• The emotional impact of chronic illness• Body image, bloating & femininity• Mental health & self trust• Surgery & fear of the future• Women’s health inequality• Nutrition, fitness & holistic healing• Learning to advocate for yourselfThis episode is not just about endometriosis.It’s about what happens when people stop listening to women’s pain.And it’s about finding strength, identity, and purpose in the middle of chronic illness.A huge thank you to Kate for her honesty and vulnerability throughout this conversation.If this episode resonates with you, please follow, share, and leave a rating for the podcast.#Endometriosis #Stage4Endometriosis #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #TheSurvivalProject