Lyvia Stagg

At three years old I vividly remember being held down kicking and screaming, I remember pushing my legs together so they couldn’t put anything in me and then forcing my legs apart. I had numerous catheters put in me because they couldn’t find the right size for an extended period of time. I was screaming and fighting so much that after 20-30 mins they finally stopped, and scheduled me for a later date where I was put under anesthesia. After years of being told that my pain was not caused by this procedure, a specialist finally confirmed that I was right and I wasn’t crazy. This trauma impacted me mentally but also physically, it made my body create more tissue and my muscles super tight to where I can’t even wear a tampon. At 19 I’m scared to be in a relationship because I’m embarrassed to have to explain that I can’t have intercourse because it’s so painful. Whenever anything touches that area it hurts, my pants, my wash cloth, anything it hurts. For years I felt crazy and for years I went unheard, and now to finally feel heard makes it seem like there is a solution, while it may take awhile, I don’t have to live in constant fear of my trauma.