Thank you so much for your kind e-mail, and your prayers - when I first I got sick so many years ago I lost about 95% of my friends - if you can call them friends - as looking back they can't have been my friends, can they? I don't know why, but for a very long time I hid the severity of my illness from my family, and from people at my church, and I never asked for help - but I've since learned that I need not be embarrased about having an illness. My parents, when they did find out how bad things were, were of course shocked - but I haven't had the support from them I would have liked. It's as if they want to sweep everything under a rug and forget that it's happening - they don't even tell their closest friends about my illness - I've come to the conclusion that they just can't handle me being sick. One of my sisters, who is married and has a family, has been very supportive, although it's mostly over the phone - as she's too busy to spend much time with me in the physical sense. My youngest sister, who is a veternerian, also married, (she lives in Ashburton, that is an hour's travel from Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand) so I don't have much contact with her - just the occassional phone call or an e-mail.
Still, my church, when they found out about how bad things were, have been very supportive, the Ladies Group have organised home help for me - I get two ladies (always different ones - of about my age) who come every fortnight, to help me with those chores I strugle with, and we talk too, which is great, for I can get some things of my chest so to speak.
It's great to talk to people finally - especially people who are going thru similar things as I am, and who can understand.
So thanks again! I appreciate it.
God bless,
Linda (NZ)
>----- Original Message -----
From: Hchalm@aol.com
To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
Sent: Friday, 23 November 2001 13:38
Subject: Re: Can anybody help me?
Dearest Linda:
God Bless you Linda. I can't even think of an answer to you my dear. I can only sit and shake my head at the horror that has gone on inside of your body. I can only offer prayers and let you know that you will find friends here if you decide to stay; we will offer you our unconditional love, support and let you know that you are not alone. I suffer from adhesions, but have not been through anything that you have been through and am in no way qualified to give you any medical advice, but will send you my love and prayers.
If you enter the IAS site you will find valuable information and can read the stories of others on the quilt. You may wish to forward your e-mail on to Dr. Wiseman, our President and Founder of the International Adhesion Society, to see if he has the names of any qualified surgeons in your area to see if perhaps another surgeon may have some suggestions for you to help you with your quality of life.
Love,
Helen Chalmers USA