re: FUS support & sensitivity with inquiry

[Guest guest]

Hi Carla and Others~

Thanks very much for your words of support. I think Carla, that you are right

when you say I am feeling isolated, except that when a few of us met in NY state

a few weeks back, there happened to be another woman who had FUS about a year

ago. To meet her and hear that she's had positive results was very reassuring to

me, especially because I had just gone through the procedure less than a week

earlier.

I admit I am a fairly sensitive person and when reading some of the posts felt

like the over-riding tone of some of the letters was negative. Statements such

as, " They are using women as guinea pigs, and how dare they risk our uterus' to

try out this procedure, " left me feeling a bit unsettled. It was my choice to

participate in the study and I felt I did so with full knowledge of possible

side effects.

I don't find that kind of inquiry constructive, though I realize everyone is

entitled to their own opinion.

For instance, I am amazed that women would endure UAE. I would not want foreign

particles in my arteries and would not like to feel the pain that follows that

procedure. Just the idea of someone injecting a needle into my groin area makes

me weak in the knees. But I respect a women's right to choose this option for

treatment...and even congratulate her if that was her treatment of choice.

As many of you know, I struggled for two years trying to figure out what to do

about my growing fibroid. I remember one woman on the list suggesting I had a

mental problem because I backed out of having a myo several times. That may have

been true that my fear of surgery, left over from a bad experience 20 yrs. ago,

did greatly steer me towards something less invasive.

I think what was missing from some of the posts was an acknowledgement that I

had chosen this option, actually followed through for a change & perhaps a bit

of support along with the " constructive criticism " .

I am quick to forgive and forget and thank you for letting me know I am still

welcome on the list. I will be having three more MRI's to check for progress and

will gladly post the results. Meanwhile, I wondered if you would mind me

mentioning this group to the coordinator of the clinical trial. Perhaps she

could mention it to women being treated as a source for connecting with other

women who have had the procedure. I know 2 women every week are chosing

FUS...and there are bound to be others willing to share their experiences.

Thanks again for your support and letting me know my experiences are valuable to

women on this board who may be considering FUS.

Sincerely,

P.S. I come from a very large family. I have 8 sisters and 3 brothers. Some of

us are liberal, some conservative. Some are republicans and some are democrats.

Still, we all sit down to a holiday table and are able to speak openly...knowing

that blood is thicker than water. I think the fact that we all are dealing with

fibroids, gives us a common thread and a sense of comradeship, and reminds us

that we are all on the same team.