>----- Original Message -----
From: "J-M & Deborah Leclerc" <dasjejm@home.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS"
<adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 1:45 AM
Subject: Fw: Reply to me from Real Simple Magazine........
> Hello everyone,
> Please let me know if I have offended anyone in any of the following
emails.
> What you read below is exactly what I have been trying to send to the
board
> all day. I really was excited when I first contacted the magazine, and
then
> when they replied. I just wanted to share it with everybody and see if
> maybe more of you could write to this magazine, I thought that they might
> then do a feature article on Adhesions. I have to go to bed now. It is
> 3:45AM and I am now seeing double.
> Let me know what you think.
> Sincerely,
> Deborah
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
> From: J-M & Deborah Leclerc <dasjejm@home.com>
> To: <adhesions@adhesions.org>
> Sent: April 26, 2001 12:03 AM
> Subject: Reply to me from Real Simple Magazine........
>
> > 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.
> >
>