Russell Williams
Well-Known Member
The adventures and misadventures of Louise Wolfe.
(Louise said is was ok to tell people of her situation)
In the spring it started with Louise following the payment instructions given to her by representatives of her drug insurance company. Then, because she had faithfully followed the instructions given to her by two different representatives of the drug insurance company she was thrown off of the drug insurance plan.
Then, later in the spring, she had a pain in her side. The pain was analyzed and determined to be a kidney stone. After a while the kidney stone problem was eliminated and they told Louise that she had an enlarged ovary. Examination of the ovary suggested that there was no disease process going on but Louise did have a thickening of the uterus. A D&C of the uterus discovered cancer cells. The local expert in hysterectomies was reluctant to deal with Louise because she was old, fat, and diabetic. The local expert in hysterectomies shared an office with a weight loss surgery group. In reading the weight loss surgery literature it appeared that the conditions that made it inadvisable for Louise to have a hysterectomy also made it very advisable for Louise to have weight-loss surgery. Louise found this apparent contradiction to be interesting.
The expert in hysterectomies sent Louise to radiation specialist. The radiation specialist said that radiation was not the best option. He felt that a hysterectomy was the best option. On to Johns Hopkins. At Johns Hopkins the hysterectomy specialist saw no special problems. He said that, in order to make the reproductive organs more accessible he would like to have a plastic surgeon cut some of the fat out of the way. The plastic surgeon examined Louise and saw no problem.
It was suggested that the surgery could be done the last week of August or the first week of September. Then Louise had her heart attack.
Returning from a visit to her daughter Louise had a great deal of belching. Soon a headache and jaw pain were added to her difficulties. This was followed by a discomfort in her chest. Russell suggested that she go to the emergency room rather than go home and rest. In the emergency room, after many negative tests, it was suggested that Louise go home. Louise thought this was an excellent idea. Russell objected strongly and pointed out that Louise was not a hypochondriac and did not spend a lot of time dwelling on her real or imaginary pains. Louise was kept in the emergency room for further evaluation. Somewhat later Russell was looking at the electrocardiogram and realized that it had changed. He alerted a nurse and within five minutes Louise had a variety of people around her giving her various medical procedures.
Russell went home. Louise had four shunts placed in her heart. Louise was told that under normal circumstances it would be six months before anyone should try to do a hysterectomy, but, because of the cancer, a hysterectomy should be done sooner. The operations related to the heart severely weakened Louise and now she is in a nursing home. The hope is that she will quickly regain enough strength to be able to have a hysterectomy at the end of September.
After all, day by day and week by week the cancer keeps growing.
I hope your last five months have been much better than Louise's last five months.
Russell Williams Activist
(Louise said is was ok to tell people of her situation)
In the spring it started with Louise following the payment instructions given to her by representatives of her drug insurance company. Then, because she had faithfully followed the instructions given to her by two different representatives of the drug insurance company she was thrown off of the drug insurance plan.
Then, later in the spring, she had a pain in her side. The pain was analyzed and determined to be a kidney stone. After a while the kidney stone problem was eliminated and they told Louise that she had an enlarged ovary. Examination of the ovary suggested that there was no disease process going on but Louise did have a thickening of the uterus. A D&C of the uterus discovered cancer cells. The local expert in hysterectomies was reluctant to deal with Louise because she was old, fat, and diabetic. The local expert in hysterectomies shared an office with a weight loss surgery group. In reading the weight loss surgery literature it appeared that the conditions that made it inadvisable for Louise to have a hysterectomy also made it very advisable for Louise to have weight-loss surgery. Louise found this apparent contradiction to be interesting.
The expert in hysterectomies sent Louise to radiation specialist. The radiation specialist said that radiation was not the best option. He felt that a hysterectomy was the best option. On to Johns Hopkins. At Johns Hopkins the hysterectomy specialist saw no special problems. He said that, in order to make the reproductive organs more accessible he would like to have a plastic surgeon cut some of the fat out of the way. The plastic surgeon examined Louise and saw no problem.
It was suggested that the surgery could be done the last week of August or the first week of September. Then Louise had her heart attack.
Returning from a visit to her daughter Louise had a great deal of belching. Soon a headache and jaw pain were added to her difficulties. This was followed by a discomfort in her chest. Russell suggested that she go to the emergency room rather than go home and rest. In the emergency room, after many negative tests, it was suggested that Louise go home. Louise thought this was an excellent idea. Russell objected strongly and pointed out that Louise was not a hypochondriac and did not spend a lot of time dwelling on her real or imaginary pains. Louise was kept in the emergency room for further evaluation. Somewhat later Russell was looking at the electrocardiogram and realized that it had changed. He alerted a nurse and within five minutes Louise had a variety of people around her giving her various medical procedures.
Russell went home. Louise had four shunts placed in her heart. Louise was told that under normal circumstances it would be six months before anyone should try to do a hysterectomy, but, because of the cancer, a hysterectomy should be done sooner. The operations related to the heart severely weakened Louise and now she is in a nursing home. The hope is that she will quickly regain enough strength to be able to have a hysterectomy at the end of September.
After all, day by day and week by week the cancer keeps growing.
I hope your last five months have been much better than Louise's last five months.
Russell Williams Activist
