I meant to have this page up for Gretchen 11 days ago, on December 1st, the one year anniversary when my friend took her life. Gretchen was weary of suffering everyday for 16 years with Persistent Genital Arousal Syndrome, or PGAD, the same disorder I have suffered with for 19 years.
I have had more trouble than I expected creating this page. I now realize that this is because the wound of losing Gretchen is still too fresh, the story too close, the reality a horror I can hardly bear.
So this is going to be it, my small offering of remembrance for Gretchen, my friend who wanted the world to know the truth about the unbearable burden PGAD had upon a her life, and she accomplished that by being interviewed by the Tampa Bay Times, and then shockingly taking her life the same day her story was released. You can read her story here, and you can watch her interview here:
I was recently interviewed as part of a one year follow up story by the original reporter, and the article is very insightful and worth a read.
As part of remembering and honoring Gretchen, I have posted a list of songs below that I hope you will listen to. Whenever I listen to them, I hear the sorrow Gretchen expressed many times to me, and I remember the desperation that she fought against daily. If you listen, I ask that you would try to understand, if only slightly, the sadness and hopelessness that Gretchen felt, and that many women with PGAD, including myself, often struggle with.
If after listening you feel lead to pray, I would ask you to please pray for all the PGAD sufferers around the world, because we want to live, just as Gretchen wanted to live, but she died because she had no hope and no help. Please pray God will somehow give us hope, help, and answers. Pray there will be no more suicides in the PGAD community, and please, remember Gretchen, who is dearly missed.
This final song is my personal prayer to God, and my promise to my family and friends, including Gretchen:
