And we have each other.
I just talked with Kathy - she sounds great & has already fallen for New York dill pickles! Her surgery with Dr. Reich is tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. I'll let you know how it goes as soon as I know.
Karen
>----- Original Message -----
From: Tara S <eirelin@hotmail.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS <adhesions@forum.obgyn.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2000 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: My name is Tara and.........
> Hi, Tara. I only discovered this forum myself about 1 1/2 months ago. I
know
> how you feel - we all do - and I just want to let you know how supportive
> and helpful everyone here is. I'm looking at another operation in the next
2
> weeks (only my 4th, which around here is apparently not all that much, but
> it's been more than enough for me!) for adhesions, rectocele, enterocele,
> and a partial bowel obstruction. I know what you mean about how other
people
> react to your illness. All the doctors have told me for the past 4 1/2
> years, "You're constipated - take laxatives!" Which can not be good for
that
> length of time! Then there's the doctor who, without bothering to even
> examine me AT ALL told me, when I had an ectopic pregnancy, that I had bad
> cramps, then doped me up and sent me home! I nearly died the next night!
And
> of course, my favorite, the female ob/gyn from some Middle Eastern country
> who informed me that chronic abdominal/pelvic pain in women is often due
to
> having had multiple sexual partners and left it at that!
>
> Then there is your family, and your friends. They try - but it's hard for
> them to understand. And you know they want you to just "Snap out of it!" -
> sometimes they even say it and imply it can't be as bad as you say,
> especially when the doctors don't seem to think you should feel that bad.
>
> As for getting married, my husband is a wonderful person who has stuck
right
> by me, does all the housework, takes care of our son, takes care of me,
and
> has been supportive in everything, including the times I've lost jobs
> because of this, resulting in us nearly having the power shut off or even
> losing our apartment or house. I will admit, we are separating sometime in
> the future when this latest episode is over, but it has nothing to do with
> him giving up on me or anything like that. We are still very close. Not
only
> is he my best friend, he always will be.
>
> I guess the point I'm trying to make here is, you have to take the risk of
> losing people to find the one who will really be there for you. And don't
> give up - those few people who do stay are the best things in the world to
> help you keep your sanity.
>
> Take care - and come back often. It's a good place to vent when you need
to.
>
> Tara S.
>
> My name is Tara and I am suffering from this problem since I am 20 years
> old. My original surgery was for a very large ovarian cyst and 8 years
> and 7 surgeries later, I no longer have a gall bladder, an appendix, my
> left fallopian tube, my left ovary, and a few sections of my small
> intestine. I have not gone one year in the 8 without at least a month
> in the hospital and hyperal and lipids and portacaths and central lines
> and nasogastric tubes and lots of pain medication, etc. etc. You know
> the deal. I completely relate to everything you have all said on this
> forum and it is great to know that I am not alone. I, too, have felt
> like I wish it would just stop and I could just lay down to sleep and
> not wake up. I have days where I have only twinges of pain (twinges in
> my eyes, probably excruciating to the average person) and other days
> where I get pains that could make me suicidal or even homicidal. I am
> afraid 90% of the time that the next day will be spent in a hospital and
> I never plan too far in advance for anything. I am lonely because I
> feel as if nobody understands me or what I have been through. I have
> experienced emotions from people ranging from disenchantment to a
> complete fear that I have the "cooties" or something because I am ill
> all of the time. My doctors look sad and frustrated everytime they see
> me again in the hospital. I rarely see them in their offices because I
> am somewhat well when I am not hospitalized. My finances have suffered
> greatly and I feel as if I will never marry and find someone who is
> willing to stick with someone who spends as much time sick as she does
> healthy and cannot say that she will be well ever. I guess it is just
> nice to know that I am not alone. Who is Dr. Wiseman and why did he
> start this forum? Thank you all for your comments. I have found them
> both informative and helpful.
>