Mary Pomroy, from Canada, is finally on the first leg of her journey - via Marinette, Wisconsin - to have surgery in Germany!! On her way to Germany, her first stop will be to spend about a week getting acquainted with her American friend, Beverly Doucette ( bnb@cybrzn.com ). Mary and Bev. have never met before - except by email and telephone. In the middle of July she and Beverly will travel together to Dusseldorf, Germany - and finally to their destination, Duisburg, Germany.
Mary is scheduled to have surgery with the same surgeon who performed Joanne Butman's surgery in March 2000. His name is Dr. Matthias Korell. Dr. Korell is not only an adhesions specialist, but he also has done considerable research on adhesions. If you are interested in learning more about surgery for adhesions in Germany with Dr. Korell as your surgeon, you have my permission to email me.
In January 2000 we learned that the gel adhesion barrier, Intergel, was not approved for use in surgical procedures in the United States; whereas in Europe surgeons are able to use Intergel at the conclusion of surgical procedures. When Mary has her surgery, Intergel will be used. Following her surgery, Mary will be required to stay in the hospital for five days - to be sure that she is well enough to travel back to the United States. Bev will be with Mary all this time.
Bev. has asked me to encourage International Adhesions Society members and friends - that's all of you - to welcome our Canadian IAS sister, Mary, to the United States!! In Bev's words " Would you inform our members that they can welcome Mary to the USA here via my email ( bnb@cybrzn.com ). I had never realized this before, but Mary was NOT getting the postings through the IAS up in Canada!! Anyone can send a welcome and best wishes to her via my email. We will be picking her up at 2pm our time...TV crews will be there. I have a small contingency of " children " from my daycare / pre-school - who will greet her with American flags, Welcome to the USA signs, and Flowers - and the cutest stuffed " American " bear! "
Beverly continues: " I talked with Mary by phone last night and she was crying...so filled with emotion about her dreams of getting help for her disease, that it is overwhelming to her! She has suffered alone for so long; and this last year has been such a battle, that she has not been able to really feel like her life will be saved until last night when she sent her dog, " Waggy " to her son's house, turned off her " life line " ( the computer ) and placed her suitcases at her door...she broke down crying as she realized that the words she and I closed with in every communication we shared, be it email, letters or via phone..were coming true, " We will never give up our quest to get you better; and the day IS going to come when we are looking into each others eyes and without saying one word, we will know that day has come...and you will live!! " That day is TODAY....and it IS overwhelming!!"
Let's all give our Canadian International Adhesions Society member and friend a royal welcome to the United States!!!!!!!!!
WELCOME, MARY!!!!