When you are ready to write to one of the government officials (Senator or Representative from your District) in your state, you have my permission to make use of any of the information I have provided within this message. I have already removed information about my personal ARD experience.
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Dear Senator (or Representative) ________,
I am seeking your assistance in creating/preparing a state assembly petition for the state of _______ -- regarding the urgent need for increased awareness about Adhesions Related Disorder (ARD). The formation of adhesions is a completely natural/normal response by the human body. Adhesions result as the human body attempts to heal and protect itself following a surgery, trauma or infection.
Since I had never heard of adhesions, I realized I needed to learn more about adhesions.
The International Adhesions Society (IAS) is an Internet-based support and educational website for victims of ARD. The Home page of the IAS is found at:(http://www.adhesions.org).
Your experience with ARD
ARD is not unique to the United States. It is a world-wide problem!!
The IAS Message Board is a testament to the problems that ARD causes. The IAS Message Board is found at: (http://www.adhesions.org/forums/message.htm) .
As of __month/date/year__ the Adhesions Quilt represents ____ Years of suffering among ___ people (mostly women) before their adhesions diagnosis. This averages out to __ years of suffering before these people are correctly diagnosed as having adhesions!! I hope you will take a look at the stories on the Adhesions Quilt is at: (http://www.obgyn.net./cfm/adhesionsdisplay.cfm).
The only way to confirm the presence of adhesions is via a diagnostic laparoscopy.
ARD also affects relationships!!
In May 2001 one of our IAS members, went to Washington, D.C. to meet with government officials from her state to ask for their help in doing what they could to create awareness of Adhesion Related Disorder. She was told that each state in the United States needs to create/draft a petition - a petition that will be recognized as a legitimate state document - a document that can be submitted to the legislature of the state, where the adhesion-sufferer resides.
Adhesion-sufferers from Louisiana, New York and Wisconsin have already accomplished this. You can view all three documents at (http://www.adhesions.org/gov_recognition.htm).
Currently, ARD is not recognized by managed care and government insurance as being either a disease or disorder; consequently, when surgeons perform very difficult, time-consuming and risky adhesiolysis procedures, surgeons are reimbursed by insurance companies at the lowest rate. Unless surgeons are fairly reimbursed for their work, it's the ARD patients who suffer the consequences - the return of adhesions...with a vengeance...and increased adhesion-related pain.
Thank you for taking your valuable time to read my plea for your help in creating awareness about ARD. If you need more information, I have much more information about ARD issues that I'm willing to discuss with you - at your convenience and at a place convenient for you. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!!