> ----- Original Message -----
From: Hchalm@aol.com
To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 12:20 AM
Subject: Re: adhesion pain in the ER: a nurse's opinion
Firstly, many of us would not be in the ER if we were treated by understanding sympathetic and educated physicians that would give us the adequate pain medication to control the pain that we are suffering in. Many of us find ourselves in the ER for this very reason -- having to deal with uncaring, unknowledgable professionals (I hate categorizing you as a professional, as you certainly haven't acted as one). We would not be taking up space in your ER if you so-called professionals would educate yourself regarding adhesions and prescribe the pain medication that we need, not told to take motrin or advil and deal with it. Adhesions do cause pain because ADHESIONS are believed to cause pelvic pain by tethering down organs and tissues, causing traction (pulling) of nerves. Nerve endings may become entrapped within a developing adhesion. If the bowel becomes obstructed, distention will cause pain.
Secondly, Imagine lying in bed with your bowel adhered to your pelvic wall, adhesions pulling on your vaginal cuff, rectum, strangling your small and large intestines, imagine adhesions pulling on thousands of stitches from a hysterectomy. Imagine them pulling, tearing, burning causing searing agonizing pain ripping through your body. Imagine looking at one last pain pill that you have saved all day because your doctor only allows you one pain pill a day (so you won't become addicted). Imagine the tears, the anguish you are feeling looking at that pill, knowing it was only going to bring you only an ounce of relief. Now, taking that last pain pill and knowing what was going to happen to you when that pill wears off? Evidently you have never been in such excruciating pain that you wanted to die and have had to plead, beg, scream in order to get a tidily bit of pain medication. You have never had to sit and ponder where you were going to get the next pain pill from, and knowing if you couldn't get them, knew what horrible agonizing pain you were going to have to endure. Knowing you were going to end up in the ER with a person like you for 3 to 10 hours, having to plead, beg, scream and cry to get medication to perhaps get you through until you could find a caring doctor to take care of you -- and believe me that is no easy task. Did you know that some states, some of us cannot find one doctor to help us for our pain and must travel to another state in order to be taken care of. Do you know that surgery causes adhesions and some have had 10, 15, 20 surgeries trying to rid themselves of this disease only to have them return and not have anyone out there to treat you for the pain that you are enduring.
Who would you turn to? Who would you call? Who would help you? I hope you never have to feel so helpless in your life, so helpless and in so much pain that thoughts of killing yourself are your only thoughts left, as there is no one to help you.
I have never not gone to the ER without crying, screaming, writhing in agonizing pain, so I will give you that one. I can only say perhaps they took their last pain pill and it was working but had no more as they knew the next morning they would again wake up in pain as they hadn't found a physician to take care of them yet.
Yes, we are drug seekers because we must in order to try to live as comfortably as we can and deserve the right to live as comfortably as we can. WE DESERVE THE RIGHT TO ADEQUATE and ongoing Pain Medication as all chronic pain patients do.
Shame, shame on you. Educate yourself, please, and perhaps the next time someone walks in your ER with adhesions, you'll possibly understand what they may be going through-although I feel you are to far gone.
Sincerely,
Helen Chalmers