Hi everybody. For over 10 years, I had what was medically categorized as lower right quadrant pain, a chronic and at times debilitating untreatable pain. I had visited over 20 doctors, medical specialists, alternative healers, and physical therapists. I have hopped on more examination table papers than I care to remember. Two surgical procedures, countless amounts of prescribed and over-the-counter medicines that temporarily treated the symptoms but not the source. I had so many diagnoses but my most memorable comment came after a doctor had performed a very serious surgery and a month later all my pain had returned. When I went to him, he suggested that I do some sit ups. I tried, it didn’t help. With more and more guesses with each professional appointment, after my check cleared, there was no followup. Each conclusion, on the outside I looked fine, I looked perfectly healthy but I thought whatever mystery was happening to me inside was going to be my slow demise. All along I obsessively tried to find my own cure. I looked at medical books, I looked at web sites, I desperately set up appointments with any recommendation or referral. I have had plenty of phone calls and letters with insurance company appealing for coverage. You know I lay awake most nights in a field position on the floor watching television and I notice the numerous amount of Viagra like erectile dysfunction commercials. I guess the male partner is a little more important. The guy is advised to immediately seek medical care after four hours. Four hours, find a doctor. Ten years, best of luck. Getting better was just not for me but it was for my family. I am a wife and I’m a mother, and I have friends that I adore and with this constant enigma of pain it affected everything in my life. It is not only physically, spiritually, and financially draining, tens of thousands of dollars of out of pocket expenses, I have missed out on job opportunities, I was unable to work and regretfully I have missed out on many, many special activities with my children and my family and my friends.
My condition was so difficult at times I was unable to stand up, I was unable to walk and I had learned to live by with very little sleep. Actually the pain was only stopped five days out of the month and only those closest to me were allowed to come to my home during my episodes. I tried to be brave, I tried to be strong. The martyrdom of mother and woman pain, it was isolating and it was private, until I was referred to Dr. Seckin. I canceled my first appointment with his office three times. I was reluctant and I was cynical and I was fearful. I didn’t want another expensive guess with a specialist but after meeting Dr. Seckin within 30 minutes of our meeting and the initial examination my pain had a name, and it was endometriosis. Weeks later, I had surgery and now I am on the road to recovery. I am so grateful to Dr. Seckin for being a doctor who is smart, who is curious, and who was persistent. He is equal hard physician and hard researcher. He never made any promises and he never gave up on trying to help me.
My heartfelt thanks to him and to my husband Mark for his unwavering support and for taking the wedding vows very seriously, in sickness and in health with great honor. He is my partner in life and in friendship. Thank you.
