Your story, and others, keep making me think we have to do something about ARD sufferers being fired and finding it nearly impossible to qualify for SSI disability, which is often a pre-condition to the longterm disability insurance that many companies offer as part of their benefits. We have the Americans with Disability Act to protect from being fired, which at least should guide employers to support the disability process.
Nabisco denied me consideration under ADA for severe peri-menopause because it wasn't "permanent." That was Christmas, 1995. ADA has accumulated a lot of defining precedents since then. So, by April 96, menopause started. I took estrogen solo for 30 months to lessen the hot flashes in order to keep working. Still had a very bad menopause for 3-1/2 years, ending in endometrial cancer, radical hysterectomy with severe, dense adhesions. My left ovary was being slowly strangled by adhesions - don't you think my endocrine system was disrupted by one gland under constant assault for years? So, how do you define "permanent"? It's been almost 5 years if you count the peri-menopause. And, I get two menopause (what's the plural?). I read about people on SSI disability often - with serious back problems usually. But you do have to be "unable to engage in any meaningful work"
Those are my thoughts - Karen
Original Message ----- From: KIM M. <BLONDEZDAZE@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS <adhesions@forum.obgyn.net> Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2000 8:38 AM Subject: ANOTHER NEWBIE TO FORUM!
> HI EVERYONE! FINALLY!!!!! I FOUND THIS WEBSITE AND AM ULTIMATELY
> THRILLED TO KNOW IM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH
> THE ADHESION PROBLEMS. MY STORY IS I HAVE HAD 2 MAJOR SURGERYS FOR
> TUBAL PREGNANCIES W/BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS. 3 LAPAROSCOPIES FOR ADHESIONS,
> 1 COMPLETE HYSTERECTOMY W/APPENDIX FOR ADHESIONS AND SENT HOME IN 3 DAYS
> ONLY TO RETURN W/INFECTION AND BOWEL OBSTRUCTION.THE LAST LAP I HAD WAS
> IN MARCH OF 1999. TWO WEEKS AFTER I HAD THE LAP I CAME DOWN W/103
> DEGREE FEVER. I WAS RUSHED TO EMERGENCY ROOM &
> WAS PUT ON AGGRESSIVE ANTIBIOTICS TO NO AVAIL. I WAS RUSHED TO
> EMERGENCY SURGERY, W/ME CRYING..TELLING THE DOCTOR.."NO, NO MORE SURGERY
> PLEASE!" HIS REPLY WAS.."YOU MUST GO OR YOU WILL DIE...AND THATS FINAL"
> I DIDNT UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON!?! WHEN I AWOKE FROM
> SURGERY..EVERYONE WAS JUST GLAD THAT I MADE IT THRU SURGERY. I DIDNT
> REALIZE HOW SERIOUSLY ILL I HAD BECOME..(probably because i didnt have
> time thank God!) THE END RESULTS WERE..OF COURSE THE STAPH INFECTION,
> BOWEL BLOCKAGE..PARTIAL BOWEL REMOVED AND RESECTIONED DUE TO
> INFECTION..AND THEN THE REST OF THE ADHESIONS THAT WERE
> FOUND..(which--due to the lap..only 50% of the adhesions were
> removed..thats all the doc could get)ALSO MORE BLOOD TRANFUSIONS.
> AFTER I WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL AFTER 15 DAYS..I RETURNED FOR
> ANOTHER BOWEL BLOCKAGE..IT HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY LONG ROAD FOR ME..AS I
> HAVE LOST MY JOB DUE TO MY ILLNESS WHICH WAS REALLY A KICK IN THE FACE
> WHEN I WAS AT MY LOWEST IN MY LIFE. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO WORK..DUE TO
> THE CONTINIOUS PAIN I STILL HAVE..ONLY NOW ITS WORSE THAN EVER!
> MY DOCTORS ARE TRYING TO GET ME IN PAIN MANAGEMENT..AND IM
> PAIN MEDS WHICH DO NOT HELP THE PAIN. IM ALSO ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND AM
> SEEING A PHYSCHOLOGIST AS WELL AS A
> PHYSICHIATRIST. I FEEL LIKE I LIVE AT THE DOCTOR!!!!I ALSO NEVER
> REALIZED HOW DANGEROUS THAT LAST LAP WAS..OR WHY SOMEONE DIDNT MENTION
> THE FACT THAT MY BOWEL COULD BE BURNED AND I COULD DIE!!! I DID READ OF
> A CASE OF SOMEONE WHO DID DIE BECAUSE THEY WAITED A DAY OR TWO LONGER
> THAN I DID TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL..AND I WENT IMMEDIATELY WHEN I NOTICED
> THE FEVER AND CHILLS! PRETTY DARN SCAREY. ANYWAYS..I HAVE BEEN
> DISCRIMINATED AGAINST DUE TO MY PAIN..AND PEOPLE THINK IM CRAZY..AND
> WONDER..WELL..WHY CANT YOU JUST GET BETTER?
> I WISH!!! YOU JUST CANNOT IMAGINE MY EXCITEMENT WHEN I FOUND THIS FORUM
> AND THE ARTICLES FROM DR WISEMAN..FINALLY..SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS!!
> ANYONE IS WELCOME TO EMAIL ME AT BLONDEZDAZE@YAHOO.COM. I HAVE JOINED
> THE IDA AND AM READY TO GET AGGRESSIVE WITH THIS THING!
> I WILL KEEP IN CONTACT ALSO THRU THIS FORUM. IF I CAN HELP ANYONE
> PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
>