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Dr. Hufnagel, Susan, and anyone else who posts here, who may have read my messages,
I hope you will read all of this, before it is deleted from this forum. I originally emailed you, Dr. Hufnagel, with questions
about ovarian cysts, one large, and one "suspicious" looking, because I believed that being a well known surgeon, and author,
you could give me information. I had been reading clinical studies at Pub/Med, and Medline, which are advocated at this
forum, as well. When I first talked with you on the phone, you said that if I were your patient, and were anxious, in other
words, if I was going to drive you crazy, you would take me in to surgery immediately. (I assumed that meant, to remove and
biopsy the cysts). I read your book. On page 197, under the subtitle, "Waiting Out the Cyst", you state, "If you are impatient,
regression can be encouraged by taking proper dosages of oral contraceptives (provided you are under 40), or natural
progesterone." I am 45. (In a later phone conversation, however, you harshly questioned why I had not been put on oral
contraceptives.) On the following page, 198, you break down the waiting out period even more, .. stating, "over 40 and have
an enlarged ovary, you need an immediate medical evaluation." The following paragraph is about surgical treatment, or the
laparascopy.
Someone called me while you were in Texas, and identified herself as your assistant. No name was given. When I told her
that I had scheduled the laparascopy, her reply was, "That is good." But, when you called me again, after I had tried to get in
touch with you, you were harsh, and instead of telling me then, which hormone tests you would recommend, you refused to give
them to me, and told me to go to the website, and find them, and call Susan. You made it sound like having the laparascopy
should be out of the question. I really felt like I was receiving mixed messages. I posted again at the PTLS forum, got the test
list, questioned my gyn. thoroughly, questioned myself, and decided that the bottom line was, that no one, not even you, could
be sure that I did not have any malignancy, (even though all things were pointing to a positive outcome), without the surgery.
And, we all know that ov cancer is a killer, without early detection, which is rare. Remembering that first conversation I had
with you, it did not make sense to me that having scheduled the surgery seemed to outrage you so.
Your response to my post was highly unprofessional. I am not stupid. I am an educated professional. I am strong. I do not
"trust" just any man. I am a single mother by my own choice. I sought out information to calm my own fears. No one tried to
trick me into believing I had cancer, as you stated. I was given a fact.......suspicious looking cyst. No one told me I needed a
hysterectomy, as you made it sound. I was told that "in the event of malignancy," a complete hysterectomy was recommended,
but that was unlikely. I said that in my post. My gyn. may have offered a tubal if I wanted one, but I declined. I didn't want
one after my children were born, and I didn't want one now.
You twisted my words, Dr. Hufnagel. I was never disrespectful to you or to Susan, or to your professional opinion. The statements you made about me in
several posts at the forum were at best, rude, and untrue. I did not have a complete work up of hormone testing before the
surgery, but my continued reading of clinical studies at Medline, indicate that the type of cysts I had, would not have responded
to hormonal intervention. (I do realize that there was no way to know this ahead of time.) They were paraovarian cysts, (or
hydatid cysts of Morgagni), on the fallopian tubes. The studies show that often these types of cysts cannot be determined with
ultrasound, because they appear to be in the ovaries. Granted, I am still trying to learn about this. But, the
cysts, which were larger than originally believed, were successfully removed, were benign, and I remain with all of my female
organs.
I realize that malpractice goes on everyday. It happens not only in medicine, but in government, in business, and in
education, (my field). I also believe that people must band together to try to make changes come about. Many of the women
here at this forum try to do that, beginning with their support of each other. I have always been an advocate of women's rights.
I believe that you, Dr. Hufnagel, have the knowledge, the skill, and maybe even the power, to make a difference in health care
for women. I also believe that you are right, that women, including me, need to be educated about their bodies and their health
care. In order to make changes come about, I believe you must not only be the feminist, who happens to be an MD, but you must also
be the teacher. I have never met a teacher, who lashed out her students, (in this case, the very women you are trying to help),
who ever made a difference. .....................But, I am only one person, and this is just my opinion.
CPTwomen members have testified in front of the IL and CA Court, the IL Gov. Task Force, the Sunset Review Committee, (Senator Liz Figueroa), NOW, and more. What occurred has been made a matter of public record. The CPTwomen are making public the issues which millions of other women have faced in silence. Issues such as women are not informed at the time of their tubal ligation that there is a risk of hormonal imbalance occurring. For the CPTwomen to continue its mission to move this issue to the forefront of government, we must ask for a small contribution/subscription fee from all those who wish to communicate with us and participate at the Coalition's Bulletin Board
