Reply to me from Real Simple Magazine........

From: J-M & Deborah Leclerc (dasjejm@home.com)
Tue May 1 00:38:24 2001


Hello everyone, I wrote an email to "Real Simple" magazine a couple of weeks ago. I have included the letter and their reply for you to read. I thought that maybe they would do an article if more of us wrote to them. I think it is worth a try. Let me know what you all think. Love, Deborah ( in Canada ) dasjejm@home.com

>----- Original Message -----
From: Letters@timeinc.com To: <dasjejm@home.com>

Sent: April 25, 2001 4:48 PM Subject: Your E-Mail to Real Simple Dear Deborah, Thank you for sending your story suggestion about 'adhesions'. We appreciate that you took the time to write to us to share your ideas. Your comments are important to us, and you can be assured that we will keep your e-mail in mind for future issues. Thanks again, The Editors Real Simple Magazine

This is the letter that I sent:

This is a "real" issue that is effecting "real" women from all around the globe. Here you will find women of "substance" and "strength" who are fighting for a life 'free of pain'. We are fighting for our lives, for our families, and for other women who given up or died without their stories being heard. WE NEED YOUR HELP to reach women who are suffering alone, in silence. I am writing on behalf of thousands of women around the world who suffer from ADHESIONS. WE need to be heard. Many women don't even know what "adhesions" are, so they suffer in silence because some doctor has told them that their pain isn't real or that the tests didn't show anything so it must be IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) which is just another way of saying "I don't know what is wrong with you". Until last January when I found the "International Adhesion Society" on the net, I too, suffered alone. My problems began when I was 21. I had re-occurring ovarian cysts and endometriosis. I was not given a choice when I had a full hysterectomy at the age of 24. They told me that I needed this operation in order to live a "normal" life. To date I have had 20 surgical procedures. The last 10 have been due to adhesions which formed because of the past surgeries. I suffer daily with excessive vomiting, and excruciating pain. All due to ADHESIONS that keep coming back and obstructing my bowel and digestive system. I have been on various narcotics for the past 10 years. I am only 34. I beg you to help "us" educate our doctors and reach out to those other women in the world who suffer daily in silence. We have heard of women that have taken or tried to take their own lives because they are fighting this disease alone and they can't live with their pain anymore. Please visit our web-site http://www.adhesions.org. and type in "adhesions" for more inf. When at the site click on "The Adhesion Quilt". There you will find stories just like mine from men, women, and children of all ages from around the world who suffer with this disease. A new clinic has opened in PA . I along with my surgeon (who is the head surgeon at our hospital) here in Calgary, Alberta, are trying to get down to this clinic to have surgery there and to learn these new procedures that the doctors are using with great success. Here is my story from the "Adhesion Quilt"...... My name is Deborah. I am 34 years old. I am the mother of three children ages 16, 14, 12. I live in Alberta, Canada in the foothills of the "Rocky Mountains". I love to hike, rock climb, telemark ski, and mountain bike. I studied "Fine Arts" in university and I currently have a studio where I design jewellery, sculpture, and paint. I have had 20 surgical procedures since the age of 21. The last 9 of 10 surgeries were due to bowel obstructions caused by adhesions(gallbladder also removed). In '99 I underwent 3 surgeries, the last one, for a bowel obstruction, was in Dec. I am now experiencing signs of a (partial) bowel obstruction, severe vomiting, lower abdominal cramping, and minor bloating. The only option presented to me thus far is yet another surgery, something I would, needless to say, like to avoid. In Jan 2000 I had to close my retail store/studio, due to poor health. The store had been open for only 2 1/2 years.I had saved and invested everything into it. It had been my life dream to have my own business, sharing with my clients my own work (pottery, paintings, and one-of-a-kind pieces of jewellery)French linens, giftware from all over the world, and antiques. We (my husband and I) had worked so hard to make that store a success. The last year was terribly difficult for myself and for my family. I had emergency surgery in June, which resulted in an 8 week hospital stay. In the operating room I was given an epidermal to be used for pain blocking for after I woke up from the surgery. During this procedure the doctor punctured the "Dhura", which resulted in severe 'spinal' head-aches when I awoke from surgery. The first week in hospital I had to stay in bed and under go a "blood patch" to stop the (spinal?) fluid from leaking. This resulted in having another partial obstruction, and having to have NG tubes to stop me from vomiting, then another tube to feed me. I left the hospital in late July, only to return again to emergency on August 28,'99 (My Wedding Day!!!) with incapacitating abdominal pain. I was given a 6 hour pass to get married. A couple of days later I had my Gall Bladder removed (another 3 weeks in hospital). November came and I was in hospital again with another partial bowel obstruction. My surgeon did not think I would be strong enough to have another surgery so soon, so I was in hospital with a NG tube and heavy narcotics for 2 weeks. On Dec 07 I returned to hospital. Surgery was performed but this time when I woke up my digestive system had stopped functioning and my bowel went into severe spasms. I stayed in hospital for almost 1 month, and was investigated by several "specialists". One so called GI "specialist" thought that I should have an IV put into my neck for 6 months to feed me. Another doctor suggested that a psychiatrist see me,..... my mental state was now being questioned for.. "it was not possible to have so much pain and require so many surgeries, just for adhesions... it must be in my head".That was the "last straw"...those words almost broke me. Some days I feel like I'm going crazy......I can't stand the idea of going back to hospital, to be cut open again...I don't want all of those horrible drugs put into my body. I want my life back! I want to be healthy for my children, my husband, and for me. In September my husband and I want to hike the "West Coast Trail", for our "honeymoon" that we missed last year, because of my being sick. I need to get strong and healthy for this! I am desperately searching for any alternative or advice that may be offered. Already, it is some psychological solace to have found this Society and to find out that I am not alone!! Thank you! UPDATE: May 3, 2000 Emergency Laparotomy In less than 4 months adhesions returned covering my abdominal wall. All loops of bowel twisted, and one loop, in the pelvis, of the small bowel was completely twisted around over 180 degrees. I am now 4 weeks post-op. I am in constant pain. The surgeon thinks the bowel has twisted again. Now what do I do????? UPDATE: March 2001 I underwent my 20th surgical procedure on November 18,2000. I am now, and have been since that last procedure, in extreme pain and constant discomfort. I have been in contact with DR. Gerhart in PA and I am presently trying to find a way to get to this clinic. I know that I am in for a fight with the Health Care system here in Canada.

P.S. Please visit these other sites for more inf. #1. http://www.generalsurgeryinfo.com #2. http://www.adlap.com The surgeons at the clinic in Scranton, PA are: DR.Gerhart, DR.Riche, and DR. Redan There is also a surgeon in Germany by the name of DR.Mathis Korell. He has been studing "Adhesion Related Diseases" for the past 15 years and many women from all over the world have travelled to him for surgery.


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