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You are viewing the most recent 18 entries December 9th, 200907:56 am: Wishes v
I am going to the post office today on my way to the Dr's.. I will be dropping off 26 Holiday Wishes envelopes.. So, at least another 26+ wishes.. making a total of 46 Wish envelopes sent out and I am guessing maybe 70 actual wishes granted :)
Not a bad number if I do say so myself.. With 25 more names on my list, not including those who haven't gotten back to me with address requests.. 10 still outstanding there.. But responses coming back in quick! 6 addresses still outstanding :)
Mailed!!!
I don't think she charged me for everything tho..
Current Mood:  mellow , email, give, holiday wishes, wish, wish list
March 9th, 200903:22 pm: MARCH IS ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH
MARCH IS ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH
Backed by Congressional legislation, the Endometriosis Research Center is again celebrating March as “Endometriosis Awareness Month” in honor of all those affected by the disease.
Endometriosis is a painful reproductive and immunological disease in which tissue similar to the uterine lining (endometrium) migrates outside the womb and implants in other areas of the body. The disorder, for which there is no absolute cure, affects over 5.5 million women and girls in the U.S. alone and more than 70 million globally. Often stigmatized as simply “killer cramps,” symptoms include painful periods, pelvic pain at any point in a woman or girl's cycle, infertility, pain with sexual activity, gastrointestinal and urinary tract difficulties and much more. The disease can even implant in areas like lungs, diaphragm, and in some cases, even the brain.
Moreover, research has shown an elevated risk of certain cancers and autoimmune disorders in those with Endometriosis, as well as malignant changes within the disease itself. Researchers remain unsure as to the definitive cause of Endometriosis, which can only be diagnosed through surgery, though studies indicate that genetics, immune dysfunction and exposure to environmental toxicants may be contributing factors. The economic impact of Endometriosis is staggering: American businesses lose billions of dollars each year in lost productivity and work time because of the disease.
The ERC maintains that Endometriosis is more than just painful periods. “We continue to find that the disease remains misdiagnosed, misunderstood and ineffectively treated, despite being one of the most prevalent causes of hysterectomy, infertility and pelvic pain in women and girls around the globe," said Michelle E. Marvel, ERC Founder & Executive Director. "Despite hallmark symptoms, the average delay in diagnosis remains an astounding 9 years, and a patient will seek the counsel of 5 or more physicians before her pain is adequately addressed," she added. Endometriosis can affect women from all walks of life ranging from adolescence to post-menopause, and be so painful as to render a woman or girl unable to go about her normal routine. “It is not unusual for a patient to undergo repeated surgeries and embark on different medical therapies; many carrying significantly negative side effects and none offering long-term relief,” noted Marvel.
A growing number of younger women are also being diagnosed annually, with studies indicating that as many as 70% of teenagers with chronic pelvic pain ultimately have Endometriosis proven by surgery. Studies have also shown that Endometriosis may have an even bigger impact on younger patients: in those under 22 years of age, the rate of recurrence was double that of older women (35% versus 19%). Studies have also revealed that the disease behaves differently in younger women, leading researchers to believe it may be a different form of Endometriosis altogether. “It is imperative that society begins to recognize the far-reaching impact this illness continues to have on patients of all ages, not just those trying to conceive, in order to ensure that our daughters do not continue to suffer as we have,” noted Heather Guidone, an ERC Executive Board Member and the Program Director of the Center for Endometriosis Care.
The ERC strongly advocates for early intervention, timely diagnosis and efficacy of treatment for the disease. Through their efforts to raise public awareness in the medical and lay communities, the organization hopes to facilitate better support of patients, increase physician understanding of the disease and raise research funding, which will hopefully lead to more effective treatments and ultimately, a cure. The ERC, unique in that it is a free organization, has traditionally celebrated the entire month of March as Awareness Month, coinciding with the organization’s annual anniversary.
The ERC is sponsoring various education and awareness initiatives throughout March across the nation this year, ranging from the annual offering of their Nancy Petersen, RN Nursing Scholarship to their “Adopt a Doctor” program to various fundraising for the cure events. To kick off Awareness Month, renowned Artist Audrey Fisher will be hosting “Art for Endometriosis,” an exciting event to be held at Taxi2 Gallery in Denver, CO. For more information on this and other awareness month endeavors, please visit http://www.endocenter.org/artforendo.htm or contact Denise Childs, ERC Director of Fundraising, at FundraisingDirector@EndoCenter.org.Tags: charity, chronic pain, disability, doctors, ea, endo, endometriosis, endometriosis association, endometriosis awareness, health, women's health
March 20th, 200802:03 pm: Strike & sleep
My Content strike starts at Thursday, March 20, 8:00 PM..
I did eventually fall asleep.. I'm guessing near or shortly after 8am.. & I get a call at 10.53.. Rob makin' sure I am up.. well, no.. I didn't get to sleep til around 8 & I had set my alarm fer 11.. so, no, I was still asleep.. But I was up & out the door at 11.15 fer my 11.30 Drs appointment... & now I am home.. & I shall have a nap.. I will set the alarm for 2 hours.. hopefully, I'll be functional at that point.. I'd like to wash the remaining dishes & vacuum the rest of the apartment..(living room/dining room/hallway) cuz I got the bedrooms done, both of them yesterday.. I'd also like to get the pull cord back on the light in the bedroom.. that requires extra balance so I might wait til Rob and/or Stephen are home.. I am hoping to get to sleep on time tonight. *sigh*
Edit [3.13pm] : Damn FB.. now I am going fer my nap.Current Mood:  Tired, but awake.. , content strike, doctors, health, kelli, real, sleep, stephen
January 24th, 200812:34 am: health update..
A real live post that actually means something.. I am currently staying at Rob's cuz I am feeling just WAY too shitty to go anywhere.. I'm tired, hurting, sore, achy, exhausted, weak, lethargic.. just generally really not able to do much.. Been highly drugged up.. Unable to sleep.. massive IBS issues... Specific abdominal pain in the area of my ovary where I typically get Endometriosis pain.. Missed my allergist.. Missed my counselor, twice ~ no, today made thrice..
Tomorrow's the GP.. I can't miss it - I gotta find out what's slowly killing me here.. to say nothing of the negative impact this having on my relationship with Rob..Current Mood:  See post. , chronic pain, doctors, drugs, endo, endometriosis, fatigue, fibromyalgia, fms, health, ibs, real, relationships, rob, sleep
November 30th, 200703:20 am:
In retrospect to my swan dive a week and a half ago.. ER doc said he thought I fractured my ankle.. I looked at the Xray at the fracture clinic last Friday.. I couldn't see a recent fracture in my ankle, but I could sure as well see one in my foot.. so I have a nasty fracture on the long outside bone in my left foot - no clue what it's called.. damn near close to a full break tho.. So I am in an air cast.. kinda the same idea a Nike Air's.. ya pump 'em up... Cast is on through Christmas & New Years til early January..
So that's that..Tags: christmas, doctors, er, health, holiday, new years
November 20th, 200707:11 pm: my foot
I took a swan dive off the stairs in the basement yesterday.. er today?? it's was like 12.05 to I guess it was today.. the last step at the bottom in half the height as the rest of them.. I thought I was on that last half step... I wasn't... I was on my way down in the basement to get my comforter, have a shower & go to bed..
INSTEAD, Mike, my new roomie, heared me scream ( he called it a squeal) as I went down & ask me if I was alright.. I hesitate, moved my foot & promptly told him now, that I needed to go to the er cuz something popped or did something when it landed & that i could no longer move it.. SO, off to the ER we go.. & Mike was so sweet about it.. (If I had any friends who were into redheads, I'd so introduce) he took me to the ER.. & of course, my fibro kicks in while I am there.. my back kept going in & out of spasm... fun fun fun.. & my leggs kept threatening to hit into charlie horses.. my back actually did once when I was trying to get outta the wheel chair to get onto the bed for my cast..
Cast? Ya.. actually a half cast, cuz the Er do wasn't sure if it was a fracture or not, so I have a cast just in case.. not that it immobilizes me *that* much.. I have to go the fracture clinic on Friday.. if the fracture doc says it's a fracture, I keep it on fer 4-6 weeks, if it's not a fracture, off it comes.. if it loosens up anymore, I'll ask for another one.. & ask it they can Please make it a little shorter.. so, I might be in a cast for Christmas.. that sucks..
So we get back.. since there's not alot of maneuver room, I just bummed & crawled in the house & up the stairs & into my room.. I had to them make my way to the bathroom by myself.. which was interesting..
by this time it's about 4am.. & I called Rob to let him know what was going on, cuz I'd called him before we hit the ER about what I'd done.. we talked fer a bit.. & that in itself is another post.
So, near 7 am, my right legg finally kicks in with all the charlie horses.. firts the shin, then the thigh, then the calf.. all, of course, connecting to the foot.. *sigh*.. I was not a happy camper.. trying to find a happy medium between a simultaneous shin/calf charlie horse was interesting & painful.. hurt more than my 'broken' foot did..
Got to sleep shortly after 9 am.. woke up about an hour ago..
& for the rest of the week.. I have an appointment with SS tomorrow morning, 9am.. I have my hearing in TO on Thursday, have to be ther by 9am.. and have *2* doc appointments on Friday.. one with my GP in Scarb on Friday & the other with the fracture clinic at 1.. I think I'm gonna postpone my appointment with my GP til next week.. I can't do 2 at once.. hard enough to do it with just the fibro.. can't do it with my foot f**ked up as well..
So needless to day last night was interesting.. now I need food.. substance.. it's been now over 24 hours since I ate something of nutritional value.
But I was impressed.. my shortest ER visit .. 12.30 til..3.30.. not bad.. 3hrsTags: christmas, doctors, er, fibromyalgia, fms, food, health, help, holiday, hunger, insomnia, real, rob, sleep, vent
August 23rd, 200708:27 pm: Update
OMG! It's been like.. 2 Whole weeks since I've been here.. Bloody hell.. Been spending time on facebook.. I'm only reading back three pages.. if ther's anything important I missed, let me know.. I can't sit her to read back 2 weeks..
What's been going on?? well, lessie..
We went to the CNE - God that was Exhausting.. a whole damn day.. We're hoping ot go next Thursday too.. it's $5 after 5pm.. so after work, that makes a 5 hour day for me at the ex, walking around - I'm cool with that.. Rob asked me why I wanted to go back.. I just wanna be able to look in the building with a little more leisure.. not having ot worry about his stepson.. AND to see the cannonball thingy Rob wanted to see.. :)
My GP's on vacation... I've been fighting off infections & a few stupid injuries..
Rob Suggested that when my ODSP comes in to get a cleaning lady to help with most of the regular household chores.. I still gotta do dinner & dishes & Laundry once of twice a week.. tho Rob can help with that .. :)
I've got a lawyer to help with my ODSP & other disability issues.. the last week we've started playing phone tag..
& my Bday's on Monday :)Tags: birthday, chores, disability, doctors, health, kelli, laundry, real, rob, stephen
July 31st, 200708:14 pm:
I am not a hoppy camper..
1. I had to make the bed again today.. from scratch..
2. I have to make the other bed tomorrow, including mattress cover & putting the duvet cover back on the duvet.. from scratch..
3. My favourite bra broke so it's in the trash
4. Not only did it break, it broke *on* me.. & I have the marks to prove it!
5. I no longer have my other half to snuggle with tonight.. he's house sitting..
Tomorrow I have:
1. Dr Appointment, talk, my back, cognitive assessment & drugs
2. Dr Appointment, hearing
3. Update/correct Rob's paperwork templates
4. & sumthing else.. *sigh* I hate forgetting - Duh! Make the other bed.
5. Dishes to wash
6. Damn it - I just had .. Rent .. Pay rent.. after 6pm..
And it seems most of the people I knew from high school, outside of the friends I still have from high school are happily married, with kids.. I just wish I could have.. *sigh*Current Mood:  Not Happy , doctors, drugs, fibro fog, home, kelli, real, rob, sadness, to do, vent, work
July 11th, 200709:07 pm: She Returns!
Hi all..
Just a quick note to let you know I got back home from our vacation in Quebec safe & sound last night..
I had my appointment this morning at the Environmental Health Clinic at Women's College Hospital with one of the top FMS docs (yet not a rheumatologist) in Canada.. spoke with her for about 3 hours & I have a follow up to book in a few months.. Gots lots of info & stuff to think about & changes to make..
I will post more info on vacation and the Drs appointment later this week.. :)
I will try & catch up on LJ posts as well..Current Mood: tired , doctors, family, fms, health, holiday, kelli, lj, montreal, real, sleep, treatment, vacation
June 26th, 200702:16 pm: Dr Apt.
Grrr... My Dr's appointment for Thursday has been canceled.. Something's come up for her & she's out of her office this Thursday.. so I have rescheduled for next Tuesday.. I really should write a list of what I need to talk to her about.. I'll prolly book again for after Rob & I get back from vacation.. Have a second 'counseling' appointment with her, bringing Rob with me while he's still on vacation.. On the 12th or 13th.. Not on the 11th cuz that's the day after we get back & I have an appointment at WHC, Enviro clinic that morning - 9am, ugh.
I wonder if I should do that now & not wait till I'm in the office next week..Current Mood:  Hurtin'.. Again.. Current Music: White noise of the fans cooling the air. , health, kelli, real, rob, vacation
June 4th, 200710:42 pm: Rate yer Doc..
If you are looking for a doc, or wish to share your experiences (good or bad) about a physician, there is a website that allows you to rate your doctors & see what others have to say about physicians if you are looking for a new one..
I have fun placing my opinion of some of the doctors I've experienced.. But you are responsible for what you say on this site.
While the main site is American, there is also a ready accessible Canadian side as well. Apparently they've just added, UK, AU & NZ docs as well (look at the bottom)..
http://www.ratemds.com/index.jspTags: doctors, health, women's health
May 1st, 200710:22 pm: Blech
I now have almost no voice from hacking up the congestion in my chest.. if you call me.. don't expect me to actually answer the phone, or if I do, expect a grump growly, barely-there voice on the other end..
Rob wants me to go see my GP cuz he thinks I have an infection.. I've been watching my goobers, no sign of infection, yet.. Plus I see her on Thursday anyways.. I just hope I'm starting to mend by then..
I did laundry today.. I was in the middle of folding stuff when Rob called & my time ran out on the damn phone - I wish I knew how to check the minutes.. *sigh* I still have that laundry to put away.. I guess I better go do it & then head to bed..
Not sure when Rob's gonna be home tonight & if he's sleeping in the same bed with me (cuz of my cold) cuz Stephen had his first lacrosse game of teh season tonight.. Rob went to watch & got immediately drafted as coach. so, I will be loosing Rob 2 nights a week until late June.. I hope to go & see a few games myself tho :) When I am feeling better tho..
Got a call from LifeMark Occupational Services, a company that does comprehensive management of employee health. So I have some forms to fill out & consent to give to allow them to contact my GP.. I am going to talk to my GP when I see her on Thursday & ensure she backs me that I can't work right now, but are aggressively pursuing adequate treatment.
Edit: Rob actually came in the door as I was finishing this entry, so he wasn't too late :)Tags: doctors, health, laundry, real, rob, sleep, stephen, work
April 10th, 200706:51 pm: Done & to do
Today's been a bit of a busy day for me.. this is what I've done:
Finished putting away last weeks laundry
Laundry (& I have to stay down there cuz stuff gets stolen)
Talked to the Environmental Clinic about my info (apt with clinic should be in about 4 months)
Document shredding
Contacted http://www.goodsearch.com about multiple charities
Made appointment with GP for tests for Environmental Clinic
Mailed off the info to the Environmental Clinic
Checked my mail & found my GST cheque
Went to the bank & deposited said GST cheque
Stopped at pharmacy to pick up meds
Went to grocery store & got some pop
Left to do:
Make dinner, but Rob's gonna be late so it'll be a late dinner
Foldup & put away the socks from laundry
Some dusting after I have a rest
Watch House
Tomorrow (Wednesday):
Finish dusting
Vacuum
Put up banner plaque for the original six in the spare bedroom (tentative)
Wash floors (tentative)
Watch Jericho & Crossing Jordan
Work on Rob's website (tentative)Tags: charity, doctors, drugs, goodsearch.com, laundry, real, rob, to do
March 16th, 200704:34 am:
I posted this last March.. but it is again March, Endometriosis Awareness Month - And it's imporant, so, No, I am Not going to cut it.
This article was written by ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) ripleyflutterby, for the Toronto Star Health Section
I know the pain of endometriosis (a.k.a. endo). For nearly twelve years it has been a part of me, and was part of my mother as well. I’ve only known its name for about a year now. I am living with a disease that continues to progress, intrude, and oppress me. It becomes more pervasive all the time. It chains me down and keeps me from living the life I wanted.
This disease is not new though it has only really come to light over the last twenty-five years. Celebrities like Susan Sarandon and Dolly Parton have spoken out about their experiences with endo. It even believed that Queen Victoria herself was victim to it. Marilyn Monroe had it and her subsequent addiction to painkillers because of it played a part in her death. It is not merely a physical disease, but an emotional and mental one as well. It is one of the most under researched diseases out there. There is no agreed upon cause so finding a cure is like fumbling around in the dark.
It is reaching millions of women who aren’t even aware that their debilitating pain is not normal, that it is a sign of something serious. Yet these women suffer in silence. Estimates range from ten to twenty percent of all women of childbearing age and it takes approximately 9 years on average to get diagnosed. Our voices are dismissed by ignorant doctors who have never heard of it, by family and friends who just cannot understand, by partners who are as frustrated as we are. We deal with ignorant doctors or doctors who have nothing to offer us except prescriptions for painkillers. They seem as helpless and we feel as sufferers.
It is a complex disease whereby the endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus and can spread affecting various organs such as the digestive tract, the reproductive system, the bladder and in rare cases it has gone to the lungs or brain. Every month the body tries to shed this tissue which causes internal bleeding leading to lesions of scar tissue penetrating other body parts and causing permanent tissue damage. The body tries to rid itself of this tissue through muscle contractions which cause immeasurable pain for some and for others they have relatively little pain. There is no correlation between the amount of scar tissue and the amount of pain. It is the number one cause of infertility in women of childbearing age.
Pelvic pain is by far the most common symptom which may be chronic or related to menstruation, changed menstrual pattern, heavier, longer and increasingly painful periods, premenstrual spotting, abdominal pain, sometimes related to the menstrual cycle with severe pain or cramps one week before menstruation, pelvic pain accompanied by abdominal bloating, pelvic masses, lower back pain, painful intercourse, noticeably worse before or during menstruation, painful bowel movements, rectal bleeding during menstruation, pain while urinating, and fatigue.
It is an incapacitating disease that eats away at our insides, confining us to bed for days at a time. For some we cannot have sex for the pain it causes. For others we lose our fertility. For some women it is a daily battle with pain and other symptoms. We undergo diagnostic surgeries where there is a chance we could wake up to find an organ removed because it has been so consumed by scar tissue that it is permanently damaged. For now our options are mostly symptom management, which is includes harsh narcotics where the side effects are often worse than the pain and hormonal treatments that leave us at risk for osteoperosis. Some women, at the end of their ropes have no other option but to have a full hysterectomy for the mere chance of pain relief. This leads to further complications such as surgically induced menopause. In many, even despite such drastic actions, the pain returns. It even has the potential to develop into cancer.
The quality of life is severely affected and the public costs are astronomical due to lost productivity, lost wages, the need to be on disability and the costs to the health care system because women are showing up in emergency rooms doubled over in pain and needing drugs just to get through the night, because of the endless operations women must undergo every few years to remove scar tissue.
For students, we are dealing with ignorant faculties, missed classes, compromised concentration and work quality, having to write exams in excruciating pain or in drugged hazes. We have to deal with weird stares as we sit next to outlets so we can plug our heating pads in. We lose our social lives because we are tired, and sick and can’t get out because we can’t walk or can’t pull our heads out of the toilets. Many women lose their relationships and many never get the opportunity to be mothers and if they do, they must worry about passing it on to their own daughters.
Pain is chronic but it is also chronically denied, and more often than not dismissed as “just “ cramps. It is under treated. It is assumed that we simply have a low threshold for pain or that it is normal. For those of us lucky enough to be taken seriously, the waiting list at a pain clinic in Toronto is over a year long.
March is endometriosis awareness month. Please educate yourselves and demand more from your health care providers. If you are having pain, speak up! Make some noise and make them listen. We deserve to live without pain. Let’s empower ourselves to take control of our health and our bodies.
Elizabeth Barry
(& Yes, I am still awake.. *sigh*)Tags: article, chronic pain, doctors, endo, endometriosis, endometriosis awareness, health
March 14th, 200711:17 pm: intensevist
What is an intensevist?
From the FOX Broadcasting website about the TV show House
An infectious disease specialist, House thrives on the challenge of solving medical puzzles in order to save lives. He has assembled an elite team of young experts to help him unravel these diagnostic mysteries: neurologist DR. ERIC FOREMAN (Omar Epps); immunologist DR. ALLISON CAMERON (Jennifer Morrison); and intensevist DR. ROBERT CHASE (Jesse Spencer). House has a good friend and confidant in oncology specialist DR. JAMES WILSON (Robert Sean Leonard), with whom he consults with on a regular basis
Of the nearly 170 results I found 8 non-House related..
A Physician at theUniversity of Saskatchewan, Department of Pediatrics
A Doctor, a intensivist, from India on a dating website
An article from The 9th International Congress on Nursing Informatics. Seoul, Korea June 2006, who has a responce about having an "intensevist on call to monitor everything so they can answer questions and an essentially the intensevist can be taking care of multiple patients at once"
A French-based Photo site that search engines can't read right, 2 words: intense & vist
Allnurses.com refers to an intensevist "we have one intensevist/pulmo who just pulls the tubes".. she refers to ETT tubes
A Stevens-Johnson syndrome support website which one woman says "The nurse called in the intensevist at the hospital and he immediately diagnosed the Stevens-Johnson syndrome."
A criticism by the New York Post - "..and "intensevist" (their spelling not ours!)"
A website that include several spellings of interworldwide.info, but turns out to be an advertisement for spyware
Wikipedia does not have a listing for this, nor does dictionary.com or wedmd.com..
The Colleges of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario/Saskatchewan/Alberta/NS/Manitoba/Quebec/Columbia University, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and The Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada do not have this term either.
So, I will email FOX..
EDIT: I was advised by FOX that "And its actually a term used in the medical profession... The term is used by the show. It's akin to an intensive care specialist."
I advised them that the word they are looking for it actually intensivistTags: doctors, entertainment
March 20th, 200602:08 am:
The article ripleyflutterby submitted -
THE TORONTO STAR IS CONSIDERING IT TO BE PUBLISHED UNDER THE HEALTH SECTION!!!!!
I know the pain of endometriosis (a.k.a. endo). For nearly twelve years it has been a part of me, and was part of my mother as well. I’ve only known its name for about a year now. I am living with a disease that continues to progress, intrude, and oppress me. It becomes more pervasive all the time. It chains me down and keeps me from living the life I wanted.
This disease is not new though it has only really come to light over the last twenty-five years. Celebrities like Susan Sarandon and Dolly Parton have spoken out about their experiences with endo. It even believed that Queen Victoria herself was victim to it. Marilyn Monroe had it and her subsequent addiction to painkillers because of it played a part in her death. It is not merely a physical disease, but an emotional and mental one as well. It is one of the most under researched diseases out there. There is no agreed upon cause so finding a cure is like fumbling around in the dark.
It is reaching millions of women who aren’t even aware that their debilitating pain is not normal, that it is a sign of something serious. Yet these women suffer in silence. Estimates range from ten to twenty percent of all women of childbearing age and it takes approximately 9 years on average to get diagnosed. Our voices are dismissed by ignorant doctors who have never heard of it, by family and friends who just cannot understand, by partners who are as frustrated as we are. We deal with ignorant doctors or doctors who have nothing to offer us except prescriptions for painkillers. They seem as helpless and we feel as sufferers.
It is a complex disease whereby the endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus and can spread affecting various organs such as the digestive tract, the reproductive system, the bladder and in rare cases it has gone to the lungs or brain. Every month the body tries to shed this tissue which causes internal bleeding leading to lesions of scar tissue penetrating other body parts and causing permanent tissue damage. The body tries to rid itself of this tissue through muscle contractions which cause immeasurable pain for some and for others they have relatively little pain. There is no correlation between the amount of scar tissue and the amount of pain. It is the number one cause of infertility in women of childbearing age.
Pelvic pain is by far the most common symptom which may be chronic or related to menstruation, changed menstrual pattern, heavier, longer and increasingly painful periods, premenstrual spotting, abdominal pain, sometimes related to the menstrual cycle with severe pain or cramps one week before menstruation, pelvic pain accompanied by abdominal bloating, pelvic masses, lower back pain, painful intercourse, noticeably worse before or during menstruation, painful bowel movements, rectal bleeding during menstruation, pain while urinating, and fatigue.
It is an incapacitating disease that eats away at our insides, confining us to bed for days at a time. For some we cannot have sex for the pain it causes. For others we lose our fertility. For some women it is a daily battle with pain and other symptoms. We undergo diagnostic surgeries where there is a chance we could wake up to find an organ removed because it has been so consumed by scar tissue that it is permanently damaged. For now our options are mostly symptom management, which is includes harsh narcotics where the side effects are often worse than the pain and hormonal treatments that leave us at risk for osteoperosis. Some women, at the end of their ropes have no other option but to have a full hysterectomy for the mere chance of pain relief. This leads to further complications such as surgically induced menopause. In many, even despite such drastic actions, the pain returns. It even has the potential to develop into cancer.
The quality of life is severely affected and the public costs are astronomical due to lost productivity, lost wages, the need to be on disability and the costs to the health care system because women are showing up in emergency rooms doubled over in pain and needing drugs just to get through the night, because of the endless operations women must undergo every few years to remove scar tissue.
For students, we are dealing with ignorant faculties, missed classes, compromised concentration and work quality, having to write exams in excruciating pain or in drugged hazes. We have to deal with weird stares as we sit next to outlets so we can plug our heating pads in. We lose our social lives because we are tired, and sick and can’t get out because we can’t walk or can’t pull our heads out of the toilets. Many women lose their relationships and many never get the opportunity to be mothers and if they do, they must worry about passing it on to their own daughters.
Pain is chronic but it is also chronically denied, and more often than not dismissed as “just “ cramps. It is under treated. It is assumed that we simply have a low threshold for pain or that it is normal. For those of us lucky enough to be taken seriously, the waiting list at a pain clinic in Toronto is over a year long.
March is endometriosis awareness month. Please educate yourselves and demand more from your health care providers. If you are having pain, speak up! Make some noise and make them listen. We deserve to live without pain. Let’s empower ourselves to take control of our health and our bodies.
Elizabeth BarryTags: article, chronic pain, doctors, endo, endometriosis, endometriosis awareness, health
January 23rd, 200612:38 am: Nine Inch Nails - in concert - again
I'm gonna go see NIN !! I'm gonna go see NIN !! I'm gonna go see NIN !!
I'm gonna go see NIN!! In London!!!
*ahem*
I had a good time at the cottage.. only snag was that while we were at there, Cath's Subpump malfunctiosn & we came home to a flood in the back basement bedroom.. Not good.. so I spent several hours helping her start cleaning up that mess.. & I'm gonna feel it tomorrow - I already do..
I just hope I'm functional to morrow for 2 reasons, my Rhumetologist appointment, & I told Lindsay I'd take her to the library.. OI.
But.. I'm gonna go see NIN !! I'm gonna go see NIN !!Current Mood:  Estatic!! , cottage, doctors, friends, health, lindsay, nin, vacation
January 18th, 200612:20 am:
Today was a pretty easy going day..
Had a Dr's appointment with my GP this afternoon.. I picked up Dad from work.. then, ended up over at Caths & missed my Yoga.. her & I went out to Business Depot & she got a new printer.. this ones's a 6-in-1 combo.. with fax & scanner & photocopier & stuff too..
I dunno if I coulda handled much more.. been sore & tender all day.. :(Tags: doctors, family, friends, health, yoga
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