Re: TOO AFRAID TO SPEAK
From: Hchalm@aol.com
Mon Mar 12 08:58:21 2001
I do believe that the IAS Board will heal thyself. I have been at the board
for almost a year now and have offered to be an ARD volunteer, but I am not
writing as an ARD volunteer, but solely to express my own opinion. I would
like to explain "in my own words only," why those that entered the board
would possibly think it was only a promotional board for Drs. Redan & Reich.
At the time that I became a member, there were no other doctors that had the
expertise to perform an adhesiolysis procedure laproscopically with the
success rate that Dr. Reich and Redan were having. So when one would ask who
were the best doctors to see those were the names given. Now if asked, a few
other doctors names have been added to the list as qualified surgeons. The
members here welcome information about doctors that have the expertise and
specialization in laproscopic adhesiolysis. Dr. Korell and Dr. Redwine's
names are also given. The IAS members with the education and experience
were solely here to try to protect ARD sufferers from seeking surgery from
unqualified surgeons who would operate and leave those in worse condition
than before the operation. The horror stories are here, back in the
archives, of women being cut so horribly and so many times that they can't
even be operated on again and are turned away from surgeons, telling them
they can no longer be helped. That is why one would think that this board
only promoted certain doctors, was because at the time, they were the only
qualified surgeons to do this operation. Dr. Reich spends a lot of his time
now teaching other doctors how to perform this operation in the least
invasive way, and other names will be added. When one posts, "please help
me, I am scared to death of just being referred to just any surgeon who may
operate on me and leave me worse off then I am now." There were members here
that knowing the horror stories were only here to help protect you from this
happening to you.
Another question asked was, "my GYN never heard of these doctors." I find
that almost unbelievable unless these GYN's have never taken the time to read
the American Medical Journal, or did any research on adhesiolysis procedures.
My GYN heard of him in Baltimore when I said that I was going to see Dr.
Reich, he said, "Dr. Harry Reich."
Unfortunately, because of the money situation, many people after being given
the names of the surgeons that were qualified, felt helpless and frustrated
because they were not able to afford to see the most qualified doctors, and
sometimes their frustration was written on the board.
I do see part of the problem as being the health care system as it is today.
I see a Pain Specialist who will no longer take insurance. I was referred to
a Physical Therapist who no longer takes insurance, but who also asked for
payment up front, a PT, I couldn't believe it.
If you look today, you will see new members asking for the names of qualified
surgeons, Whose names would you give?
In Love & Friendship,
Helen Chalmers