Lisa and Kel are right......there is nothing that should hold us back from getting the proper treatment for our disease. It was shown at the seminar in Detroit that the only hope for ARD sufferers lies with Dr. Reich and Redan. Why do we allow ourselves to suffer thru the pain of this disease? Why do we go from one doctor to another searching for answers....often searching for the one thing that will cause us even more problems....more surgery. Hey, I've got to be the slowest one around at this game! It took me allowing myself to be butchered by the same doctor 26 times in about 6 years and ending up in worse shape after it all to finally stand up for myself and say NO MORE! I was naive enough to put my total trust into these doctors....after all they worked at a teaching hospital...and no one else would touch me.....or was it that no one else wanted to put their hands into someone else's mess? I even became so desperate to put an end to the situation I was in, that I visited this doctor again and almost subjected myself to his knife again. It isn't worth it....nothing is.....not even the biggest case of pride in the world would stop me from seeking care from the only doctors in the world that I feel can help me.....Drs. Reich and Redan. Unfortunately in my case there are other surgical issues that must be dealt with before these great doctors can deal with my adhesions.
With the passing of my grandson three weeks ago I had decided that I would heed my daughter's pleas to not undergo the first surgery which was scheduled for April 2nd. I told myself that I would not put my daughter through the pain that I must have caused her this past summer when I suffered the cardiac arrest...she has suffered enough with the loss of her son. I did not tell her of my decision not to ever have surgery again. Good thing, because with the passage of time I have realized that there is no way my body can endure the pain, the depression, the humiliation. My surgery has been rescheduled for July 30th now. I will be going to Florida for two weeks on April 10th to spend some much needed time resting and enjoying my daughter and her girls. Following that I will be leaving and spending the month of May in California....picking up on the vacation that I had started prior to Brayden's death. I am so fortunate to have some wonderful friends whom have given me these trips as gifts.....I need to spend time on myself. So does every adhesion sufferer....they also need to spend whatever money it takes to get the much needed respite from their pain and other ailments. Like others have said....we think nothing of spending thousands and thousands of dollars on new cars.....why would we even hesitate at spending money on feeling better? I don't care if I have to mortgage the farm...not that I own one! I will beg, borrow and steal to be able to have my surgery done by Dr. Reich and Redan. I know that, for me, they are my only hope.
-- Karla> ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Murray To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS Sent: Friday, March 30, 2001 9:17 PM Subject: Re: Help, It happened again..
Regina, I myself have insurance and have contacted Dr. Redan and am scheduled for surgery in May. I also have a lot of Dr. Bills that I have to pay. My insurance fortunately paid 'the famous clinic" for my visit and I did not get one thing out of the visit except was told that I had IBS. I called the Dr. after I went to an internist here in my home town and I told him that she said I had adhesions back and he said," Oh yes you probably do." I felt so low and helpless when I got back from this clinic until I went to the Internist. (I also have been to about every doc you can think of to help me with no results.) And I found this wonderful site. I am going to the pain clinic and am not where I want to be as far as pain control but the pain doc tries very hard to help me. I read your message for Drs. R & R earlier and I know that it is so frustrating for Drs. to want money up front but if there is a chance that they can help, isn't it worth putting money down until the insurance pays? I have to travel far to Pa. and leave my kids at home and take off of work, but if there is a chance that I will be pain free, I am willing to take it. I figure that I have paid so many other Drs. for nothing that if this is going to help me, it is well worth it. Even though I have to ask family members to help me with the expense. I will probably have to skip a vacation and my husband will have to work over-time to pay for this and we will have to go without but... So maybe you could give Drs. R & R a try. Do you have family members that could help you? or I know that the pain management docs can try a lot of different meds to help you. If the patch doesn't work, try something else, or keep going to Drs. until someone can help you. In fact I had given up going to docs when my dad suggested that I go to this internist here and I made myself go and she was a blessing!! And I am hoping that Dr. Redan can help me also.So maybe your "blessing" is out there. I hope you can get this resolved, I can feel your pain and frustration. Please don't give up. Kel