I'm Linda Vermey from New Zealand (Lin to my friends). My stories on the quilt, so I won't bore you with it.
I knew I had adhesions, but did not really know the significance of that fact. Now I've come to the realisation that I definitely have a reason for the excruciating pain I've been having for so long, day in day out, without hardly any good days.... I am also glad that I found the IAS! For the first time in a very long time I am making friends. I lost 99.5% of my friends after I got sick (yeah - I know now they weren't really friends - but it did hurt so badly in the beginning). I also am of the opinion that in regards to my own body and health issues that I could teach some doctors a few things - thankfully my health professionals now respect my opinion and have encouraged me to educate myself about my health problems, the last couple of times I've been in hospital I've been amused because my nurses consult me first as to how best they can look after me, and they come to me if they're not sure about things like my medication.
I was amused to hear the other day when my surgeon told me that every time he comes onto the surgical ward that the nurses ask him how Linda is doing - they don't even use my surname anymore - I'm so well known - and I think it is so sweet of those ladies (and men) to think about me when I'm not even there. (My husband jokes to everyone that we're on a first name bases with everyone in the hospital - I'm not sure if that's a good thing....)
I'm glad that this website exists - because I have nothing like it available to me here in NZ - I haven't been able to join a support group - as none exists. It's a real pity! Sometimes I think to myself that maybe I could set something up - but before I can do that I first need to get a whole lot stronger! I've only just started fighting again - and I've got a long way to go still.
Look after yourself,
Greetings from
Lin (the Kiwi)