The Unspoken Identity: The Woman with Two Vaginas

By Elizabeth Amoaa

What will you do upon waking up and discovering that you have two vaginas, two cervixes and two wombs? How would you feel? How do you explain it to your friends and family?

 

This and many other questions led to the story you are about to read. Elizabeth a young vibrant lady, full of life was just like many of you. However, she never knew that her challenging health journey as a young woman growing up was all part of the big discovery that would unfold later in her adult life.

 

Elizabeth, curious in her nature, decided to seek answers for her chronic pains, fatigue and recurrent infections. She knew something was not quite right but could not confirm what it was. Read her story to discover how she was diagnosed with this rare biological abnormality and her quest to share her findings with the rest of the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Nov 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781398405387

Elizabeth Amoaa

Elizabeth Amoaa is the founder of Speciallady Awareness. She is a woman reproductive health advocate. Elizabeth has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Master of Laws (LLM). She was nominated for UK Women of the Year Awards 2020 and Ghana Outstanding Women of the Year 2020 due to her philanthropy and her advocacy in gynaecological conditions and menstrual poverty. She is the first black African woman to share her story on a global scale as a woman born with uterus didelphys and suffers from several gynaecological disorders.

Book preview

About the Author

Elizabeth Amoaa is the founder of Speciallady Awareness. She is a woman reproductive health advocate. Elizabeth has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Master of Laws (LLM). She was nominated for UK Women of the Year Awards 2020 and Ghana Outstanding Women of the Year 2020 due to her philanthropy and her advocacy in gynaecological conditions and menstrual poverty. She is the first black African woman to share her story on a global scale as a woman born with uterus didelphys and suffers from several gynaecological disorders.

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my mother, Doreen Adwoa Boatemaa, who unfortunately departed on 25 March 2002 at a hospital in Lagny-sur-Marne (France). I believe she is watching me from above, smiling and grateful for the journey I am embarking on.

She taught me to be very generous and never stop caring for people.

Her forgiveness and kind nature always help me to pursue my purpose on this earth.

Hence, I shall forever be the voice of the voiceless, for women suffering in silence with gynaecological conditions.

In addition, this book signifies a symbol of love and joy for being the mother of such a beautiful, intelligent and a wonderful daughter called Rashley.

Having you has brought so many miracles and blessings to my life.

Moreover, I dedicate this book to my husband, for having you by my side, and accepting me as I am. I am very grateful for every step we have taken together to reach this far.

Copyright Information ©

Elizabeth Amoaa 2021

The right of Elizabeth Amoaa to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

All of the events in this memoir are true to the best of author’s memory. The views expressed in this memoir are solely those of the author.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398405370 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398405387 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.co.uk

First Published 2021

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

20231123

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to Ghana National Chief Imam Sheik Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, Maame Adjoa Cann Peprah, Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey Santana, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Oheneyere Gifty Anti, Martin Osei Kwaku Brobbey, Freda Bediako Puni, Boaitey Mensah, and Simon Anthony Saoud, Elorm Richards, Mustapha Nii-Okai Inusah, Hawula Shaban Farl and Hajia Katumi Ibrahim for their able guidance and support in helping me pursue my advocacy work.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to all the media houses and platforms, nationally and internationally, who have shared my story to inspire their audience, especially many thanks go to Bacrotft TV, Mirror (UK), Daily mail (UK), Metro News (UK), Health Magazine (US), Castledown Radio (Andover), Omega live TV (UK), Trinity Radio (Canada), Premier Gospel Radio (UK) and all leading Ghana media platforms such as 3fm, Okay FM, Joy FM, TV3, TV Africa, GHOne TV and Radio XYZ.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge with gratitude, the support and love of my family, friends and all the women and young girls who are inspired by my story and motivate me to carry on being the voice of the voiceless; this book would not have been possible without them.

Introduction

Many challenges and setbacks we face in life always serves as a motivational tool for us to become the best version of ourselves. Everything that happens to us, happens for a good or bad reason, so we must learn to focus on the good side of each situation and bounce back stronger and wiser. Because, no one can predict what the future holds but as long as we are mentally strong, positive and with faith, we can overcome everything that is thrown at us.

Writing this book has been a long-awaited ambition of mine.

Many have heard, read, listened, and watched my health journey on social media, newspapers, radio programmes, television shows, etc. The question that comes to me whenever I read my story in the newspapers is how many people have heard about the story of a woman with various women reproductive health issues.

On Thursday, 21 November 2019, it was an afternoon after finishing work, many thoughts raced through my mind. The thought of questioning myself whether I have managed to accomplish my dreams of being the voice of the voiceless.

Many questions went through my mind; some were regarding my purpose on this earth, why I chose to be the founder of Speciallady Awareness, and my vision on this earth kept drifting through my mind.

It was on this day I realised my existence on this earth was more than just being who I thought I was.

Although I have started the journey to be the voice of the voiceless, for women and girls suffering from gynaecological conditions, I realised that putting my life in a form of a book will be a more effective way of reaching out to the audience globally.

I believe this book’s objectives are to encourage other women and young girls that irrespective of their medical conditions, their social background, their age or educational background, they must never suffer in silence rather, they must seek adequate medical care and support.

In addition, this will not only be a source of motivational tool for many women and young girls undergoing gynaecological conditions, but also it will be a legacy for my generation to know who I am and why I decided to be the voice of the voiceless. This book will emphasise women or girls who go through uncertain health journey to be inspired and understand that they are special and born to make an impact, irrespective of their conditions.

Chapter 1

A Child’s Misery

It was another dreadful night, experiencing one of my episodes of insomnia. However, I have a good way of dealing with my insomnia episodes. Hence, I started to memorise all the praises, achievements, flashbacks of the work Speciallady Awareness has been doing. Reflecting on all these activities gave me unexplainable joy; this immense joy for being the voice of the voiceless for many other women or girls who are suffering in silence. This prodigious joy of being able to use my story to encourage other women to get appropriate medical care and support felt like a worthwhile life spent on this earth.

Somewhere in August 2019 was the day Barcroft studios agreed to shoot my documentary for Born Different Episodes. Prior to this day, it had been a long three months of telephone conversations, interviews, and providing pieces of evidence to Tom Midlane, the producer of their show. Just a few weeks before I got in touch with Barcroft TV, I approached the Daily Mirror UK to give me a platform to share my story.

I sent a request via their Facebook messenger and I received a message with an email address where I can send my story. I did a short video recording, and I wrote an email pleading to share my story and experience as a patient with various gynaecological conditions. I waited for a long time to receive a response from Daily Mirror, but I didn’t receive one. I sent the email again. One of the editors replied and asked for my contact number, which I provided. However, another two weeks flew by rapidly, and I did not receive any calls or emails. I searched the editors on Google, and I got her office telephone number. I called the media company, and I was asked whether she was expecting my call. I replied confidently no, but I was expecting her call for an interview. The call was transferred, and she picked it. My words were short but I was quick to introduce myself and told her that I was expecting her call regarding my story. She apologised for not getting in touch due to a tight schedule and some emergency news headlines. She arranged a telephone conversation; however, on the due date I did not hear from her. I said to myself, you have to try many times if you do not succeed. Hereafter, I emailed her again after a few days and she rearranged for a telephone interview. We had a long interview where I spoke about all my health journey. My story was featured on their online news. This phenomenal opportunity encouraged me to contact reputable media houses and platforms.

Although I initially contacted a few, who regrettably turned me down.

It never stopped me from trying to get a well-known media platform to share my story.

So, when Barcroft TV agreed to carry out a documentary on my story, I was very excited.

On the day of shooting the documentary, it was very exhausting but nonetheless amazing day, since it was a chance to share my story on a global scale. The documentary shooting started at 10 am in the morning and went on till 6 pm in the evening. The documentary consisted of answering questions regarding my health, my life, my daughter’s birth, my daily activities, visiting the local parks, speaking at a local youth group meeting, and discussing my gynaecological conditions. The documentary was intended to focus on my health journey; being born different as compared to most women, and I was so excited to be able to share my story globally and with a much wider audience.

After shooting the documentary, Tom informed me that it can take up to eight weeks, or even more, for them to screen the documentary. I was looking forward to the documentary and kept praying till the day of the release.

The eight weeks flew by very quickly, and I was waiting impatiently for the documentary to be out, so when it finally came out, I was hectically over the moon.

The day Barcroft studios screened my story on YouTube, the video got over a hundred thousand views within twenty-four hours, then one million views within three weeks; this was absolutely a dream come true. On the day my documentary was viewed by one million people, I was upstairs in our three-bedroom house in Andover; a town in Hampshire in England, where my niece and my daughter were playing, and I was chatting away with them. I checked the YouTube link for an update about my documentary. To my surprise, the video had hit one million views the previous night. I screamed erratically and the girls joined in. My sister, who was downstairs, hurried to check on us, thinking her daughter was up to some mischief, as always. She was a very beautiful, clever two-year-old girl who was mostly up to her mischiefs.

When I broke the news to my sister and my husband, who were watching television downstairs, they quickly checked the link, and we all celebrated.

My husband looked at me with a delightful smile and told me how proud he was of me. Just after twenty minutes, I went upstairs, sat on our bed and burst into tears, not knowing the reason for my instant cry, but I knew they were tears of joy. I started recalling all the struggles, challenges, and uncertainty health journey I have had over the years.

I took my phone and started going through all the pictures of Speciallady Awareness work carried out in Ghana, my country of origin. Reflecting on my background and identity hit me dramatically.

Coming from an African background and growing up in Ghana, West Africa, as an African child, I had many dreams; dreams to make my family proud, dreams to be rich, dream to have a beautiful perfect life when I become an adult, dream to live a life like in heaven, as my Sunday school teachers preached about paradise. There were so many unanswered questions going through my mind. Especially, every day during bedtime, whenever I closed my eyes, I started to anticipate the perfect picture of my life in my adulthood and pain-free life.

I had a good childhood education and lifestyle as compare to many other Ghanaian children during that era. These prospects were the wish of many of the children in my neighbourhood. Hence, I felt very lucky to have had all the beautiful clothing, footwear, toys, and access to good education and resources. Upon all the foundation I was given, I still felt empty because something was bothering me constantly. Endless thoughts on my identity, about who I really was, and why I was not happy with life. Most of these uncertain questions I asked myself were about my life and my health;

Why was I the odd one?

Why was I always ill?

Why was I always in and out of hospitals?

These questions felt like a persistent voice in my head.

I remember how every week or two, I had to be treated for cold sores, vaginal infections, anaemia, etc.

It all started from the age of six; as far as I can remember, I was in and out of hospitals, being prescribed several painkillers and multivitamins, ceaselessly.

They were like a daily meal to me; a day will not go by without me taking these medicines. My stomach-ache kept getting more painful and associated with feeling dizzy and fever. I needed regular health assistance and anyone who looked after me became very worried about my health.

In fact, I started to think I was born with a disease that my family was hiding from me. I remember, at one point, I was told I had a very low immune system, and therefore I was anaemic. I was known to have recurrent vaginal infections and cold sores.

On one particular day, I clearly remember that I was admitted to 37 Military Hospital; one of the very known hospitals in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, with cold sores and thrush all over my vagina and anus area. I noticed some cheesy thick discharges coming from my vagina, but then again at the age of eight or nine years, it felt strange and odd to see such things coming out of my genital area.

All I could think of was crying assertively and asking myself why was I going through that misery? Having spent a few days at the hospital, feeling miserable and lost in my thoughts, I was discharged to go home with medications.

Even though I did look like a normal happy child, there were so many thoughts going through my mind constantly. It was not easy for me to open up and tell someone what really was going on mentally with me. Especially, in our African communities, issues relating to unspoken topics are seen as taboo. Also, whilst I was growing up in our African society, whenever a child constantly questioned about their life, identity or health, they could get into trouble and be punished. Therefore, we learnt to bottle up inside and pretend everything was fine.

When people talk about their childhood with pride and joy, all I can think of mine is a childhood journey of recurrent infections and hospital admissions.

Although I was always questioning my existence, I went through my childhood being very tolerant of my circumstances. Many people who knew me at the time thought I had a wonderful childhood experience because I went to good private schools, was dressed in beautiful clothes, wore the most expensive shoes, etc. However, the inner emotions were always hidden from the public.

Aside from the inner emotions and doubts of who I really was, I was also teased for being the sick child among my friends at school and at home. Because of this experience,