On May 21st, Brandi Rhodes publicly shared her story following surgery for Endometriosis, a disease in which tissue similar to the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside the uterus and in places where it shouldn’t. Her experience was that of a cautionary tale, as this common disorder could have been identified quickly if any of the numerous doctors she appealed to had conducted a routine ultrasound and pelvic exam. Instead, it took 3 years.
The powerful social media posts gained tons of attention, adding to the larger conversation of how women often feel dismissed or taken seriously by doctors. Recently, the former Chief Brand Officer of All Elite Wrestling spoke with TODAY.com, where she detailed her frustration and further emphasized the need for women not to be afraid to speak up.
During her interview, Brandi Rhodes detailed the many doctors’ appointments she arranged to try and uncover why she had been experiencing the “internal pain,” along with other troubling symptoms she had been struggling with since her pregnancy.
“The biggest shock was postpartum, when this was supposed to be going away, it definitely was not going away… That was the point at which I gave up. I just said, you know what, maybe this is in my head.”
Shortly after this, Rhodes was inspired by Maryse Mizanin, a fellow member of the WWE family. In February, the former WWE Divas Champion openly talked about her own health struggle. She revealed that she had been diagnosed with a rare pre-cancerous condition and needed laparoscopy surgery.
Brandi Rhodes detailed her immediate reaction following doctors finally identifying Endometriosis as the source of her pain.
“It’s been three years. What took so long?” [To husband, Cody Rhodes]: I’m so mad. I’m so worked up because I knew something was wrong. And the way that I felt so dismissed in so many different ways… This is so wrong.
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The former in-ring competitor concluded her interview with an appeal to women everywhere to be their own best advocate, urging them not to hesitate to speak up if they sense something is amiss.
“Feel empowered by your own feelings…It can feel really discouraging, and you can start to second guess yourself and feel like maybe this is (your) fault. But it’s not. You just haven’t met the right professional yet.”
As expressed by TODAY.com, Rhodes is currently recovering from her surgery and is receiving support from her husband, mother, and the staff of her Naked Mind yoga studio.
The last time Brandi Rhodes was seen on WWE TV was at WrestleMania 40 when she joined her husband Cody Rhodes for his entrance ahead of his main event match for the WWE Undisputed Championship. She would later join him in the ring following his epic and historic victory.
On behalf of everyone at SEScoops, we wish Brandi Rhodes a speedy and full recovery and encourage our readers to take her advice: “listen to your body” if you think something is wrong, advocate for yourself and be persistent.