At Mon, 2 Jun 2008, Donna Johansen wrote:
>
>Hi Debbie,
>The more I hear from people who suffer from this the more I think all
>doctors need to be tied by their noses and drug to Germany to see what is
>going on there. What the hell is wrong here? I have a theory. This is
for
>the most part a woman's issue. It isn't so very long ago that breast cancer
>wasn't taken seriously. A woman's issue.
>I am scheduled for knee replacement in the summer but it has taken me a
long
>time and in the end I had to insist. In addition to the adhesion nightmare
>I am dealing with end stage arthritis throughout my spine and knees. A
>study in my area (Vancouver, BC) found that men were taken more seriously
>and given their needed replacement before women were. Women were and are
>made to suffer more.
>
>Debbie, I have started writing to the local papers (no success getting them
>published yet) as this needs to be heard about. We need to stand up for
>others so they can get the help too. I am leaving here for Germany on the
>6th of June to the great thanks of my family. It wasn't a piece of cake
for
>them as they had to mortgage a house. The fact they would do that for me
>just makes me stand in awe of them all. But, what about those who can't do
>this with family funding? I know that should I be left on my own much
>longer I would go downhill. I have gone one year with very little solid
>food. The nutritional drink is my buddy but most of the time I cannot even
>take that. I am vomiting violently at any hour of the day and night.
>Sometimes nothing comes out but the heaves go on anyway. I made rhubarb
>crisp this weekend as I thought my family would enjoy it. I couldn't
resist
>and had a few spoonfuls. Just craving food is such a rare thing for me. I
>was sick so sick that I spent the night regretting every mouthful.
>
>All the tests have turned up negative but I wonder why I cannot have a
>regular bowel movement? My doctor says "you sure have a slow bowel"!!! I
>have lost over 65 lbs in one year and the barium they forced me to have is
>still sitting in my bowel. That was over 6 weeks ago!
>
>They know I have an adhesion problem as they went in to see, in March. My
>adhesions have melded with my bowel, urethra, liver, and abdominal
sidewall.
>It was so bad that the OB_GYN wouldn't attempt it. But ever since then
they
>tell me I have to live with it and everything I tell them they don't
>attribute it to adhesions - it's something else! The thing that really bugs
>me to hell is that they won't find someone else who can do it so the work
>can be paid for.
>
>I am sorry for the long book here. Just living with this awful illness is
>slow torture. I would love to be involved in helping others when I get
back
>on my feet. We need to put fire under the asses of the governing boards
>that are not approving medical substances such as SprayGel.
>
>More surgeons need to train in this method.
>
>I will say good bye. Thanks for writing and all the best in your search
for
>truth.
>