Hope For Those Who Suffer From Adhesion Related Disorder.

Adhesions. It May Take Some Digging!

Being diagnosed and treated for an illness you do not have is not a desirable way to spend your life. When it comes to adhesions, or adhesion related disorder, many sufferers find themselves diagnosed with Crohn's disease, IBS, endometriosis, or...... No doubt, there are doctors who may devote hours to your case, gather all the test results, and then, based on those results, the symptoms, and perhaps gleaning off other cases, they make a determination. You have Crohn's disease. Or IBS. Or spastic colon. Or endometriosis. Or lupus. Or.... For the person who has debilitating symptoms, receiving a diagnosis is often a welcome relief. You feel you can breathe again, as your pain has finally been validated. Or has it? For the person who is actually suffering from adhesions, you may never know that this hidden disorder is the culprit behind the pain and symptoms in your body, because you have just been diagnosed with another condition. The suffering person goes home, mentally adjusting to the diagnosis that's been given, and likely succumbs to that diagnosis, as they fully trust the doctor's word. They begin the medications that were prescribed, and continue in pain.

Curious sufferers, however, begin studying their condition. This innocent curiosity about what is happening in your body is often met with hard resistance from your doctor. It's like rummaging through your mother's dresser drawers. Had she wanted you in her drawers, she would have opened them for you herself. Of course, you have no idea that dear old doc, whom you dearly adore, is going to go from Dr. Jekyl to Mr. Hyde mode at your next office visit when you begin questioning what he has told you against something you have read. Uh-Oh. Hold on tight, because you could be preparing for the ride of your life! 

No doubt, some doctors appreciate the educated patient, but many others come forth as lions, fangs exposed, when their medical prowess is even slightly questioned. For the ill person, however, determination must be made: do you tuck tail, apologize for going where you had no business going, or do you rise up and say, "wait a minute....this is my life that hangs in the balance. I need to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I have been diagnosed correctly." 

I know this: I watched my daughter swallow prednisone for "Crohn's disease" day after mindless day, yet she continued to live in horrific pain, was often unable to eat, walked doubled-over, and was always hovering over the toilet due to nausea and vomiting. So, I chose the latter. I studied. I questioned. I met the resistance. My daughter met the resistance. We tossed doctors left and right. They tossed us. We lost doctors, we fired doctors, we screamed at doctors. They screamed at us. We cried, begged, pleaded, and prayed without ceasing. And, thanks be to God: we finally won.

YOU-The Doctor!

Mary is 42 years old, married, with four children. Mary's husband, Jack, is an avid golf player. Mary has bouts of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and back pain. In the last six years Mary has seen 32 doctors. Eleven of those doctors were doctors of internal medicine. Thirteen of those doctors were gastroenterologists, and eight of those doctors were OB/GYN's. Out of 32 doctors, eight surmised that Mary was pregnant. A pregnancy test was performed eight out of eight times, even though Mary knew, and insisted, that she was not pregnant. Eight out of eight times, Mary learned that she was not pregnant. She did not learn, however, what was causing her abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and back pain. Out of 32 doctors, 24 suggested that she see a psychologist. Each of those same 24 doctors wrote Mary a prescription for an antidepressant. Mary told each doctor, "I am not depressed. I am sick." To which 21 of the doctors replied equal versions of, "Of course you're not depressed. But antidepressants also counteract pain." (Real or imagined.)

In the course of six years, Mary has had 4 endoscopy procedures, countless x-rays and CT scans, 12 small bowel series, and 3 colonoscopies. Mary has visited the emergency room 16 times due to excruciating abdominal pain. Each time Mary has pain, vomiting, or ER visits, Mary's husband and children have to make their own meals, wash their own clothes, feed the dog, run the errands, and clean up their own messes. Mary's husband, though normally a patient man, is doubting that Mary is really sick. He has missed his last three golf tournaments due to Mary's "pain." (Real or imagined)

Mary's medical history reflects an appendectomy at age 35. Mary was fine prior to the appendectomy. Mary believes the appendectomy may have been the ground breaking event that has lead to her new pain and problems. Ten doctors have said, "That's a ridiculous theory." Eleven doctors have said, "Hmmmmmmm." Five doctors have said,"The appendix was removed, so that can't be the problem." Five doctors have said, "Mmmmmmmm?" (Equal to hmmmm, but said with raised, questioning brows, as in "you may be on to something.") One doctor said, "Why hasn't Jack been to the golf tournaments?"

You are the 33rd doctor.

Is Mary

A. Pregnant? And expecting a fifth child.
B. Depressed? And just doesn't know it.
C. Likes attention, therefore she "acts out" with crying and vomiting.
D. Wants her husband to stop playing golf.
E. Actually has an illness that doctors refuse to acknowledge.
F. Is a female who is always complaining.
G. All of the above.

Body Worlds.

Interested in anatomy? Make your way to Charlotte, North Carolina for the Body Worlds exhibit. Body Worlds Order Tickets

C-Section. Risk of Adhesions?

For more information: C-Section

Endometriosis. Adhesions.

Endometriosis.Org is the global platform for news and information in endometriosis. Collaborating between women with endometriosis, physicians, scientists, and others interested in the disease, Endometriosis. Org recognizes that endometriosis can cause inflammation which is a key factor in adhesion formation. More Information: Adhesions/Endometriosis This organization works tirelessly to promote awareness while providing the most up to date information about this illness. Thanks to Endometriosis. Org for recognizing the debilitating condition of adhesion related disorder Doctors: Bound By Secrecy? Victims: Bound By Pain!

The crippling illness of adhesions is often medically overshadowed as many physicians focus on the impact of endometriosis, while giving little heed to the impact of adhesion formation, which can be the actual disabling consequence in some cases that have been termed solely "endometriosis". Due to lack of awareness, many women rely heavily on physician recommended solutions to pain and are none the wiser to the crippling condition of adhesion related disorder. Left to suffer, their lives are reduced to nothingness as they are often ignored and left trapped in a web of endless agony.

Many women will find themselves undergoing medically induced menopause (Lupron Depot) as they are assured by their physician that their pain and symptoms will be reduced. Countless women are carted into the world of treatment of symptoms rather than finding the true answer to the cause of debilitating pain.

Doctors: Bound By Secrecy? Victims: Bound By Pain! is a portrayal of the hopelessness that one victim and her family encountered during a time of severe illness and the enormous effort required to find an answer to the cause of debilitating pain. The story takes the reader into the frustrating maze of modern medicine; a journey unlike any other, and one that no one should have to endure while trapped in the throes of pain and suffering. When the true cause of illness is finally uncovered, ADHESIONS!, the reader will be dismayed to learn that another journey of continuing pain and frustration still lies ahead. Undeterred, however, by each defeating blow from modern medicine, Doctors: Bound By Secrecy? Victims: Bound By Pain! gives new meaning to perseverance, hope, and the strength and love of family.

Me, Myself and I.

I never imagined all things were entwined,
Like life in general, most especially mine.
Oh yes, I had heard of heaven and hell,
And I laughed and I scoffed: do tell me the tale!

For I am my own; to no one I owe,
And I'll choose for myself the way I shall go!
And so that I did, and life was just fine,
Yes, sometimes I wondered...but...I was still mine!

And oh how I loved and adored all my ways,
I had little for you, most certainly no praise.
You were nothing more than a punching bag for me,
I delighted in harm, it brought me such glee.

Sometimes in the dark and deep of the night
My thoughts would cover the areas of my life.
And every now and then my thoughts shuddered me,
And now I know it was my heart that did plea.

But any fear that I had, left each morning when I woke.
Daylight adorned me in glory: my egocentric cloak.
And when I grew old, it was too late to see,
That I hated all others because I hated me.

One evening, all alone, and so sure of myself,
In the darkness, bony fingers suddenly rapped on a shelf,
I gasped and I fell--to his great delight,
The death angel roared: "The fun starts tonight."

I begged and I pleaded, "Just why are you here?"
But he laughed and he mocked as he pulled forth a spear.
Before I could scream, I was already dead,
And I watched as he pulled a book out and read:

"This was your life, you did it your way,
Day after day, you never once strayed.
And here is the story of your life as you planned,
Just as you began, you'll see there's no end.

You'll not find connection anywhere in your plan,
For me and myself is a web of no end.
I'm proud of the way that you scorned all the others,
Mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers.

You brought them great pain, oh yes, you succeeded,
My expectations of you, you always exceeded!"
Now, here, take my hand, I'll help you from the floor,
What's that you say? It's me you abhor?

Forgive me for laughing, but on this you can chew:
For you are me, and I...well, I'm YOU!
Now don't look so sad, we're on the same path,
Eternally bound, together in wrath!

For me and myself have always been banned,
When the great one commanded love for fellow man.
But we chose to walk a path all our own,
And our lives are the creator of our eternal home.
©Karen Steward July 4th 2007

Happy Fourth!

Controversy Continues Over HPV Vaccination.

Judicial Watch Link: HPV

Cell Phone In; Cell Phone Out.

There's a joke about a man who accidentally dropped a $20 bill into an outhouse toilet. He promptly reached into his pocket, drew out another $20 bill and threw it in as well. When asked why he would do such a thing, he replied: I wasn't about to go in there for a measly twenty dollars!

This bit of humor came to mind a few nights ago when I accidentally dropped my cell phone into the toilet. I realized later, much later, that had it been something else that I dropped, I would have made a complete and thorough plan about the retrieval process. But, being it was my cell phone, there was an immediate and instinctive reaction: my hand was in that toilet as quickly as the phone was falling to the bottom. Thankfully, the toilet water was clean, but still.....it is a toilet....Okay, in case you don't know, women, in general, will think long and hard before immersing their hand in a toilet, regardless of the fact that the water is clean. The toilet could be filled with Evian, but a woman doesn't care....she ain't going in there! However, all thoughts of the throne's purpose never entered my mind. It was my cellphone and I knew it was allergic to water!

Yes, I let out a loud disgusting groan as I went in, but my hand was as fast as lightning. As quickly as the phone made contact with the bottom--(clink)--it was out. Of course, my eyes immediately flashed to the control panel. (screen). Amazingly, my clock was on, and the sky blue background, complete with clouds, was still intact.

WHEW!

I grabbed a towel and began rubbing it off as if it were a long lost lover who had just stepped from my backyard pool, dripping wet. I opened it up. The light came on, though there were droplets of water across the screen. I wiped it dry and then slapped the phone onto the towel several times, just to make sure that any water that may have had time to seep inside would submit to the assault and surrender onto the towel.

My daughter and son-in-law walked into the house just in time to see me slapping the phone onto the towel.

"What'd you do? Drop it in the pool?" my daughter asked.

"No, the toilet...but I got it out in a snap. It's okay, all systems are go."

"No, if you dropped it in the toilet," my son-in-law said, "its got water in it. You better take it apart and let it dry out."

"Who got it out for you?" my daughter asked. (See, I told you we don't go in there.)

"I got it out!" I replied, which caused her to fall in the floor in laughter.

"Oh, my Lord. You put your hand in the TOILET?"

"It was clean water."

"Oh my Lord! You put your hand in the toilet!"

My son-in-law continued, "Let me see it."

I held it up to prove to him that it still worked.

"Naw," he said, "You better take it apart and let it dry out overnight. If it went in the toilet, its got water in it."

My daughter continued to howl.

"You don't understand," I protested, "As soon as it fell in, I had it out."

"But it went in," he argued. "It doesn't matter how fast you retrieved it. It got wet as soon as it went under."

"Look," I retorted, "see, clock is on, light is on...open it up...screen is on, menu is available..."

About that time, the entire phone went black.

"Lights out," my son-in-law snickered.

"Well crap!" I replied, "That makes me so mad! I got it out within seconds!"

I threw it down on the counter. The unfaithful traitor!

My son-in-law snatched it up and began taking it apart. "See, it's wet in here....oh yeah, it's really wet. The SIM card is wet too. But...it'll probably be okay if we let it dry overnight."

I watched as he placed all the parts across the counter one by one.

"Mom," my daughter guffawed, "you should've flushed it!"

Hog Blog.

Tonight when I spoke to my mom on the phone,
She wanted to know what I do all day long.
She complained that I never call anymore,
Reminding me she was someone I shouldn't ignore.

"Oh it's nothing, mom," I answered, "Nothing at all,
My gosh, I hadn't realized I'd forgotten to call.
I'll make myself a note; oh my, I'm ashamed-
This blog that I'm keeping is always calling my name!"

"The hog that you're keeping?! For the love of Pete!
I surmised it was a man, but with a hog I compete?!
You know honey, I've always worried about you,
Too long in the womb, you were way overdue...

I hope you're not keeping him in the house,
Oh God how I wish you'd gotten a spouse!
You know Roger Jenn is still available,
I know he's ugly, but I bet he's still able."

"Mom," I laughed, as I rolled in the floor,
"Listen to me, it's not a hog I adore!
If you'll give me a chance, I'll try to explain,
It's a blog mom~ a blog~ that's captured my brain."

"I heard you the first time," she said with a sigh,
"Luther Hanes is still single and a really great guy.
I know, I know....you call him a dork,
But my Lord honey...now, you're settling for pork?!"
© Karen Steward