>----- Original Message -----
From: " Donna Nash" <rdnshdnnnsh1@netscape.net>
To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS"
<adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2001 11:34 PM
Subject: Adhesions & Surgeries
> Hi there, I just found you all today, and after reading so many emails
> regarding pain, surgeries, and adhesions, I can honestly say I never
> realised just how many people share so many of my problems. It's really
> hard reading all these stories, because there is so much pain , and not
> half as much understanding from many of the Surgeons that have been
> generous enough to give us this lifestyle and throw in all the
> complications that go with it, then have the nerve to tell many it is
> all in your head, or it's not that bad, ect. I feel your pain and share
> so much of what many of you have gone through, and it's places and
> people like you that make all the difference to me. My family have been
> great, but how can they understand what I'm going through and feeling ,
> when even I can't at times. I am very fortunate now because I finally
> found a Specialist who not only believes in me, but who has helped put
> me back together as best he could, so that I can have some type of life.
> After 20 surgeries , many I didn't think I was going to make it through,
> and many where the doctor did only enough to fix part of my problems ,
> but left my insides in such a mess that just kept snowballing into more
> problems for me. One surgeon had to cancel the surgery he was
> attempting to preform because I had over 50 adhesions to my bowels
> alone, and they were stuck to my bladder, pelvis and vaginal vault. So
> he spent 4 hours trying to undo as many as he could, the problem there
> was that adhesions come back and some worse that they were. After a
> hysterectomy, then radiation, another major surgery to remove what was
> left after the radiation had fried my insides together, ilea conduit,
> two bladder repairs, stints, two hernias, and finally a koch pouch, and
> many other surgeries I am finally as good as it will ever get. I have
> pain from the time I get up till I go to bed, nausea, trouble eating and
> finding food that will stay down,and a koch pouch that I have to empty
> every 3 hours, even through the night. I still consider myself lucky,
> and after reading so many of your stories , tell myself there are worse
> off than me. My motto is 365, one day at a time. There is not a day
> that goes by that I don't thank god that I am still here and seeing my
> sons grow up, and enjoying my grandson, who makes me feel so glad to be
> in his life and see him grow. So many of the stories I read had me
> sitting here crying over all the pain and lives that have been altered
> forever, and when I hear someone complaining over the littlest thing, I
> feel like telling them to be thankful that's all they have to deal with.
> I sit here happy that my koch pouch was successfull , and that I found a
> doctor who was determined to give me back my life , and though he cannot
> fix all the mistakes and screw ups by many other surgeons, he also does
> not make excuses for them either. In the end I cannot do any bending,
> lifting, or stretching of any kind, and my medication consists of
> Demerol, Ms Contin, Statex, Lectopam, Mobicox, Imovane & the Estraderm
> Patch . I will have to have more surgeries down the road, even though
> my doctor says that it will be very dangerous for me , due to all the
> mesh that I have inside of me makes it almost impossible for them to
> open me up. Anyways I just needed to get this off my chest, and if I
> can help anyone else in any way, please don't hesitate to email me . I
> think I will sleep a little better tonight because I know someone
> besides me knows what I am going through and actually understands too.
> Thank you again for that.
> Donna Nash
>