“Brutally Honest Bev”
Get used to this, as this is what you get when you visit this section!

I say this now before you continue, if anyone thinks that MY opinions will offend them, then do NOT read things that I write and place in this area of this web site as they express MY opinion only!

“ADHESION Support Groups”

 Victims of ARD will not secure health by being limited to ONE group’s point of view, by limiting themselves to learn of only ONE surgeon’s ability or skill!
To deny “respect and freedom” to any victim of ARD who feels the need to do what is necessary as they seek resolutions to their suffering of ARD, will hampered any success they might have in that quest if they are impacted by to many rules and controls in any given
"Support" group.
If any group or person “supports” you without respecting your needs, taking away your freedom to be or denying you access to information, your securing about as much “support” as you did before "support" groups existed,
as what they offer you in "support,” is nothing!
It is a tragedy in the word of ARD when you, the victim of ARD, suffer anxiety and stress when seeking “support” from your peers in the world of ARD!
There is no “greater” tragedy in the world of ARD then when we are suppressed and disrespected by our own peers in the world of ARD!

" I Pledge Allegiance"
If we feel that we have to "pledge an allegiance" to be part of a specific ARD Support group, 
and fear ramifications by "the founder or friends” within that group, if we are found to be committing these acts of "treason:"

 

Other then the above list, we should be able to enjoy our time surfing for material in any group we wish to visit, if not, we need to think about why we would allow ourselves to be controlled
 in this way. 
WE who suffer ARD seek respect, recognition and support, as heaven knows we are denied that many times over in our lives, but, when we choose to "allow ourselves" to be disrespected, and from fellow ARD sufferers, maybe we are best served by going to counseling and staying away from a "support" group that does those things, as how upbeat can a group like that be for us?
 Isn't it enough to have to live with the sufferings of ARD every minute of everyday without?
 adding insult to injury by "choosing" to allow it into our lives from within the world of support groups?

  When we, the victims of ARD, discovered the truth surrounding why many of us suffer as we do today...many of us lost trust in the medical community, and as that door closed on us another door was opening, but little did we know then that door would give us the opportunity, the "gift," if I may, of discovering each other! 
To me this was the most pivotal turning point in the history of the world of 
Victims of ARD!

With a new found sense of relief and strength we turned to one another seeking justice for the wrongs done to us, wanting changes that would pave the way for ALL victims of ARD to find peace within our pain!  We sought ways to gain respect by those within the medical community who all but shunned us before, and by those within our own circle of family and friends, who misunderstood our suffering through no fault of their own. Through each other we also sought to secure effective medical interventions so that our wounds could be healed. We had hopes of changing things done to us so we might spare others from the same fate we suffered at the hands of the medical/surgical community!

  We sought support so that we could find strength to get through another day, hour or minute. We sought ways that would hopefully stop us from being victimized again and again, as most of us had already experienced in our days when we were alone!  We sought ways that would hopefully stop others from becoming victims of ARD! We seek solace, strength and 
support from one another looking to secure any semblance of healing and peace we might be able to bring into our days, already so impacted with suffering and pain. 
We sought education and awareness hoping to help ourselves recover parts of our lives that were interrupted by this affliction and we hoped that together, we would be able spread the word to all corners of the world by promoting education 
and awareness of
 "Adhesion Related Disorder!"

In the very beginning of public awareness of ARD, there was that first time many of us knew that we were not alone in our struggles with adhesions, for most, that was before there was even a name for our affliction, and before there were hundreds of informational and promotional web sites on adhesions appearing out of no where from a world of silence that surrounded what appeared to be an "unknown" affliction!  Appear they did, and more are yet to come! But no matter their agenda, they ALL spread the word about OUR affliction, and that cannot be seen as a wrong thing!

“Yes, ALL OF IT!” Dr. David Wiseman was compelled to reach out to those suffering from adhesions when they started to reach out to him. He is not a victim of this affliction, but a scientist who was among the very few who were working diligently on our behalf because they knew of our suffering first hand being surgeons and scientists, in an attempt to find effective resolutions that might benefit us. Dr. Wiseman’s heart was in the right place back then as it is today!

Among, but not limited to, are some within the medical community who stepped up to the task of bringing this affliction to the public along with Dr. Wiseman and I applaud them: 
Dr. Mike Diamond, Dr. Lena Holmdahl, Dr. Harry Reich, Dr. Glen Bradley, Dr.Harold Ellis, 
Dr. Mathias Korell, Dr. Donald Menzies, Dr. Togas Tulandi. 
(I owe my life to Dr. Wiseman, Dr. Glen Bradley and Dr. Harry Reich in that order as that was my path to getting as well as I am today, and pain free for five years now!)

To follow came other organizations willing to take on the cause of ARD, and there was plenty of room for them too, in fact, we need more of them, and from all over the world and all with their own special agendas!   Within two years of the formation of the "International Adhesion Society," we saw the formation of the " UK Adhesion Society,""ARDchat" "The World Adhesion Foundation," "Adhesionrelateddisorder.com" all founded by victims of ARD! 
"Applause, applause, standing ovations here for starting these support groups!!"

   Their claims to be for the victims of ARD by the victims of ARD were a sure indication that we might very well be on the way to realizing the goals set forth in the beginning. Quite an accomplishment to say the least! 
   These groups offered support to the ARD sufferer in many ways, from inter-personal communication and assistance, to education and awareness, to campaigns promoting education and awareness of ARD to the far corners of the world, chat lines and message boards that allow for interaction and support of the ARD sufferer, as well as family and friends.

  Some support groups lean to the medical issues more then others, some lean to only advocacy and "pal" type stuff, recipes and prayers, another might not. Some support groups will not "name names," and some will, some do not fear controversial issues, yet another might fear controversial issues, thus have so many "rules" that you need an attorney to help you decide if you can or cannot post, or if you should post or what you can or cannot do without checking the group "rules" each time you enter there! It is just a support group, not the Congress! 
  Some groups have so control on their sites then our bowels have over poop when we are constipated by pain meds! In a support group like this, you must tread like you’re walking on egg shells for fear you will light a fuse and be kicked off it!  So much for offering "support" for the victims who those groups are they’re for!

   To me, it makes no difference what group or web sites offers what, as it would be an injustice to the victims of ARD if all supporting web sites and groups were the same, as to be different means different people can have different needs met, make choices and compare services offered and learn from a variety of perspective. Being "different" is a good thing!  Some of these groups have gained the support of government agencies and in that doors have been opened for victims of ARD to be able to apply for benefits that were otherwise unavailable to them or so difficult to apply for that they simply gave up or didn't even attempt it!

 If a specific web site offends you, guess what?   You don't HAVE to be in there! 
 All support group sites offer a great education base for anyone who is looking to be educated about the affliction called 
"Adhesion Related Disorder."      Today, we are seeing web sites regarding post surgical adhesions from all kinds of "special interest" groups ranging from surgeons to tealeaf readers, and all vying to be noticed by the victims of ARD! They offer their services in what has become a "shopping network" for ARD sufferers seeking to secure the highest quality of medical intervention they can secure, and today, you can be assured that the ARD sufferer is an educated person who will not be securing any information from these "special interest" groups without checking them out with a fine tooth comb. As it is in this that we will stop ourselves from becoming victims again! These groups, be they medical/surgical, therapeutic and homeopathic, are all trying to appeal to the patients who might be interested in their services, thus we see elaborate web sites filled with information on ARD, and filled with promises that at times, appear to good to be true! We see informational sites about ARD from adhesion barrier companies, from companies who sell surgical equipment to the surgeons who treat adhesions, we see just about everything that relates to adhesions in one way or the other, but we also know that these "hard sells" are for profit and for profit from the victims of ARD! 

   It is because of all of those types of web sites and promotions that the victims of ARD must be as educated as we can be about our affliction, we must be "Our Own best Dr.'s" and we must be able to turn to each other and the ARD organizations operated by our peers and through which we can connect with those peers for help with any issues that confront us in our quest for health.
  But again, I say that at least they ALL spread the word about OUR affliction, and that cannot be seen as a wrong thing! 

 "Knowledge gives you strength. Knowledge gives you courage. Without courage there can be no progress.  Without progress there is no solution."
Words shared by another ARD sufferer and myself a number of years ago, and words that are a must yet today for all victims of ARD if they are to disseminate high quality intervention from poor and potentially harmful intervention! 

  Today we see others within the medical community stepping up to the plate and, regardless of what anyone else thinks about them, they are among those who offer some form of intervention for the victims of ARD that was not available or recognized before they stepped up to the plate, for this I applaud them too!
Dr. Tom Lyons, Dr. CY Liu, Dr. Bruno Van Herendael, and Dr. Barry Richter

  We, the victims of ARD expect to see a competitiveness between groups that are seeking to capitalize off the suffering of others, but not all of that is a bad thing, as some of those groups do have much to offer those who are suffering symptoms of ARD, and thank-goodness for that as without them, we have no hope, and all the support from our peers will not bring relief in our physical symptoms. Recipes, chats, prayers and good will wishes or sympathy shared will not resolve my pain or constipation or need for medicine or medical intervention, it helps, be assured of that, while on is waiting to secure an effective intervention, but we will not secure health through support alone! Victims of ARD will not secure health by being limited to ONE group’s point of view, by limiting themselves to learn of only ONE surgeon’s ability or skill!

Honor and justice will live in all who are
Honest to their quest of helping their fellow man!

One man scorned and covered with scars, with his last ounce of courage, continued to reach for his unreachable star, will you?