My journey with IC began in June 2013. One morning, I woke up with excruciating bladder pain just days after undergoing a laparoscopic procedure. My gynecologist initially assumed I had a bladder infection and prescribed antibiotics, but I found no relief. After further examination, he referred me to a urologist who performed a cystoscopy and confirmed the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis (IC). At that moment, I had no understanding of IC or how I was supposed to live with this condition for the rest of my life.