Re: Class Action Lawsuit for Hysterectomy patients.

From: cathy:- (cafasano@aol.com)
Tue Jul 8 20:57:58 2003


Nina, I agree with everything you say, except that there is one other factor -- a HUGE fraction of hysterectomies are unnecessary. Doctors have this real attitude out there, "Well, let's try surgery. Can't hurt, and it just might help!" They really truly believe that there is no downside or danger to surgery beyond the immediate risks in the operating room, and they think that those things happen to other doctors, not to them. A lawsuit is a blunt instrument for sure, but somehow we need to get through to the doctors who think that they are God. Somehow we need to teach them that when a patient has adhesions it is the patient who is the victim. The doctors are like children who have broken some valuable object, and then they hide it to escape punishment. But in this case the doctors just desperately want the adhesion-sufferers to disappear. We are a constant reminder to them that they are not omnipotent, really bad outcomes can come without the doctor intending them to happen, and if you take a risk often enough the law of averages says that eventually you will end up with a disaster. They play "russian roulette" with a bunch of patients, and then when one goes bad it rubs their noses in the fact that they were taking big risks all along with many of their patients. They desperately want us to just go away. Sometimes I think that they deny painkillers because they are secretly hoping that their patients will do the ultimate "go away" by committing suicide.

A lawsuit is a lot of things, many of them bad in a philosophical sense. But a lawsuit surely is also simply a patient who refuses to go away quietly. I think that too many of us have been too "good" and too "quiet" for too long!

At Thu, 3 Jul 2003, Nina wrote: >
>Not sure I know what to think of this. After all, how can the surgeons
>know which of us will or will not develop adhesions. And even in those
>of us with adhesions, we have to look at what was the widely accepted
>practice for treatment of the disorder at the time. I don't think any
>doctor would knowingly "give us" adhesions. When I was 3 years old I
>was at Childrens Hospital and told (after a small biopsy) that I did not
>have Celiac Sprue (the Gold Standard test at the time). By the time I
>was 9 years old I was down to 35 lbs, and was given a month to live.
>Then they found I was misdiagnosed when I was 3, I really did have CS. I
>was slowly starving to death. The doctors told my parents I would never
>reach 4 feet tall, as I had starved through most of my necessary growth
>spurts (I am five even now thank you). I had to spend weeks in the
>hospital. I wore braces on my teeth for 12 years because my bones were
>so under developed. My GI tract was so permanently damaged and ravaged
>that I still have difficulty digesting foods. My parents had to
>mortgage and remortgage the house in order to pay for my bills. As I
>got older I become a chronic kidney stone developer (some relationship
>to the CS that is poorly understood). It is believed that the damage
>done decades ago is what exacerbates the growth of my adhesions. I had
>no childhood. The repurcutions have followed me throughout my life.
>
>We never once thought about suing the doctor that misdiagnosed me, and
>believe me we could have gotten a pretty penny for it. The doctor did
>not do anything wrong. He followed the standard protocol at the time.
>It's just the protocol that was not accuarate at that point in time for
>my individual case.
>
>I don't know if I would be the same person today if I had been correctly
>diagnosed at 3. I have learned how to be my own advocate. How to be
>empathetic and understanding to others who suffer because I too have
>been there. I doubt I would have gotten into the medical field. Most
>importantly I can say that it is because I was misdiagnosed at 3 that
>the Milwaukee CS Association was founded (by my mother and another
>patient), that the Wisconsin Bread Bill was passed into law guarenteeing
>that gluten free bread would not be pulled off the market because it
>weighed too much (again my mother and fellow patients), and that Cybros
>bread company would embark on a journey to forever revolutionize the
>quality of gluten free products.
>
>I am glad I was misdiagnosed. It has molded me into the strong and
>confidant person I am today (most of the time).
>
>Just my thought on the matter
>
>--
>Nina
>>
>>what about those of us that had a hyster in 1978, and have suffered since
>>THEN! with adhesions!.... thanks!
>>
>>I do not believe in something for nothing, or sueing drs ... but this HAS
>>CHANGED and ALTERED my life drastically!
>>
>>I will be looking for info!
>>
>>--
>>Sue R in Ohio
>>

>>>>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: <cookietish@earthlink.net>
>>To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS" <adhesions@dns.obgyn.net>
>>Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2003 9:08 AM
>>Subject: Class Action Lawsuit for Hysterectomy patients.
>>
>>> Hope this finds everyone at least somewhat comfy..
>>> I just wondered had anyone here heard anything about a class action
>>> lawsuit for people who have had hysterectomys and resulting with
>>> adhesions
>>> . A friend from Ca..called and told me that he is hearing about it on
>>> TV alot.
>>> He said if you had a hyst from 2000 to 2002 and have adhesions post
>>> op..call the number..i have the number and called and got my name on the
>>> list..if anyone would like the # you can email me at
>>> cookietish@earthlink.net.
>>> I havent recieved any paperwork yet so im not sure if i even qualify..
>>> But adhesions have altered my life so much that i feel i deserve
>>> something to compensate the loss of my life...
>>> God Bless You All..
>>> And God Bless America.
>>> Happy 4th.
>>> Much Love Tish
>>>

--
cathy :-)

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