Dear Bernie,
My thoughts and good wishes are being sent to you and your family. The stress
you and your family are under has to be through the roof. Endometriosis is a
very difficult thing to live with. I did and had surgery but I also had had my
two children by then. Keep in touch when you can and know that there are all
of us in your extended TM family thinking about you and wishing you well.
Heather in Calgary
----- Original Message -----
From: Bernard Pelow
To: Dad
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2007 9:00 AM
Subject: [TMIC] OT - need your prayers and help please
Hello family and friends,
I know I have not been on line in a long time, please forgive me my
absence. But things have not been going well in our family at all for quite a
while now. I wrote you a while back and told you briefly how both my daughters
are sick, well now I can tell you what seems to be the end story of all of it.
My youngest daughter Sara, has endometriosis, it took them almost 5 years
to figure it out. First they said it was all in her head, then that she was
just a 'drug seeker'; then a doctor had enough belief in her that he ordered
testing on her female reproductive parts. They found endometriosis, and since
then they have done surgery twice, to no avail. She is now in a pain
management program for life, or a complete radical hysterectomy... so sad. And
she did want to have children one day.... She has a month to decide whether she
wants to be on the pain medicines all her life or have the procedure done. It
is a hard decision for her to make, but she is an adult now, so it is hers and
hers alone. She is listening to all sides and will figure out which way she
wants to go, but she is leaning towards the procedure as she has watched me go
through all of this pain management crap most of her life. She was 3 when all
of my stuff started, so she has seen it all through me.
My oldest daughter Laurie, has hyperthyroidism and thyroidtoxicosis. They
finally figured it out after about 3 years, multiple emergency room visits,
etc. Initially they told her it was just "female problems" causing her
symptoms! When they found out 3 months ago (only after she had to be admitted
into the intensive care because of difficulty breathing and a very high heart
rate - over 200 beats per minute), they tested her and found the
hyperthyroidism and thyroidtoxicosis, then they decided to do radiation
treatment, they said because the thyroid was so large. So they put her on a
crap load of medicines, and day before yesterday we find out that one those
drugs has damaged her liver and she now has hepatitis (but only a mild form at
least). They told her not to take any more of that medicine, to stop
immediately, which totally freaked all of us out. Without that particular drug,
her thyroid would start producing mass amounts of the chemicals that could kill
her, in a matter of minutes if it were bad enough. So yesterday she had to go
to the ER again because of the migraine headaches and eye pressure pain, and an
ER doc got pissed as hell and got hold of her endocrinologist and endocrine
surgeon (who did not want to do surgery initially....because the thyroid was so
large.). Anyhow he got them in conference call, and he told them "if I send her
home she will be dead in a couple of days". So he finally forced them to get
their proverbial shit together, and she is scheduled for surgery to remove the
thyroid on May 1st... the surgery that is still so dangerous to do,, but it is
the only option left now. She will continue on her prescribed medicines,
including radiation stuff taken orally, and including the one that has caused
damage to her liver, but since it is only for 10 more days, the damage will be
minimal. This is a very very risky surgery, but it is the only option left for
her, so I am asking for all of your prayers, energy, or help from whatever
higher power you happen to believe in... I rule no one out!
And after the both of them have their respective surgeries, they will both
have to be on different hormone replacement supplements the rest of their
lives. So please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.... and me too, as I am
a complete basket case at this time. With Laurie not being able to work, what
little finances I get is not enough to pay for food, bills, my prescriptions,
her new ones, etc... My electric wheelchair broke, and is in the shop for at
least a month, so I am back in my manual chair. Which means my pain and
spasticity is through the roof, and all of this other on top of it. My brain is
overloaded and I am in a constant state of pain, anxiety, or depression;
sometimes all at once over all of this. I am taking Klonopin right now for the
anxiety, but it doesn't seem to be helping at all. I am taking everything one
second at a time, and keeping the faith... my faith in my belief system, but
like I said before I will rule nothing out right now... all help will be
greatly appreciated. Thank you all.
And I do hope that life is treating you better than it is us......
Blessings and Peace,
Bernie in Texas
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