Quote of the day: Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. "Walk beside me and be my friend."
>----- Original Message -----
From: "suzanne" <living@nwlink.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS" <adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2001 10:28 PM
Subject: Back Home - No Endo, Only Adhesions
I have returned from my trip to Bend, Oregon and Dr. Redwine. The surgery was a huge success!
I had no more endometriosis, only adhesions. The awake lap (aka pain mapping, patient assisted lap) was a fantastic experience - to see inside my own body. The anesthesiologist was able to keep me sedated enough to not feel pain. The most amazing part was when Dr. Redwine "twanged" the adhesion that was stretching from the top of my left round ligament stump to the top of my left leg and my colon was adherent to my left psoas muscle at the top of my left leg - I was able to relay the information to Dr. Redwine. I have an excellent memory of this part of the surgery, yet I don't recollect the pain as intense. I only remember the image on the screen and the relay of information between Dr. Redwine, the anesthesiologist, and myself. My rectosigmoid colon was also involved in this scar tissue and was firmly adherent to the left sidewall and over the left ureter. I also had right quadrant adhesions. All was sent to pathology, the best news being no endo (which I knew (believed) before surgery, THANKS TO DR. REDWINE'S PREVIOUS SURGERY after my hyst) I am an adhesion person, and this havoc wrecked in my abdomen is the aftermath of 26 years of misdiagnosis and improper treatment by doctors.
I knew as soon as I awoke the chronic pain was gone! I was anxious to get up and go dancing (that was the drugs talking!). My first surgery was 2/1. I recouperated well and was really feeling great when it was time for the 2nd look lap on 2/6. When Dr. Redwine re-entered my abdomen, he found that the colon/sidewall area adhesions had reformed. The round ligament adhesion was not involved, but the psoas muscle/colon adhesion was and he excised that. The round ligament & right quadrant adhesions had not re-formed. Something wonderful happened after the 2nd surgery, I feel even better after this 2nd look, than I did on the first surgery. Dr. Redwine was concerned that I really was going to go dancing, or skiing, or fly-fishing after this 2nd look that he admitted me for observation that evening just to keep an eye on me I think!
I am now almost 4 weeks post op from these surgeries and feeling better and better each day. I do not know if these adhesions will reform, but I am going to remain positive and at least I know what I am dealing with. I can bend, move, twist with no pain and best of all - I can have a bowel movement without pain and I am no longer on any pain medication whatsoever.
And above all thank you to Dr. Redwine and his belief in my pain and suffering, all of his support and especially his god-given gift for superb surgical skills and undying committment to women with endometriosis and laparoscopic surgery! All my local doctors thought I was crazy and did not believe in me. I am also extra thankful for this website and the support and strength of all those here who helped me forge on and find the relief I was looking for.
-- Suzanne Livingston living@nwlink.comVeni Vidi Velcro I came, I saw, I stuck around