Atreides keeps recovering, and the wounds are healing at a record speed thanks to the hyperbaric chamber! Even the nurses are positively surprised! He is stilll very tired with all the drugs they have given him, but at least the pain is much less sharp now.
For those of you who have this condition, I can only say that, based on Atreides' experience and that of the other patients that we met, surgery seems to be the ticket to full recovery, provided that it is well done and the glands removed. In the worst case, people experience a small recurrence in areas where the glands haven't been removed, in which case they immediately go to this surgeon, get the nodule removed with a small incision, and that's it. No more constant suffering. At most, one small surgery every three years.
This doctor is awesome, and I promised I would share his contact information here in case anybody here:
a) lives in Europe and wishes to consult with him.
b) knows a doctor who might be interested in knowing more about this condition. He is working on developing a network of surgeons all around France, and hopefully in other countries as well.
Doctor Philippe Guillem
Clinique du Val d'Ouest
29, chemin de la Vernique
69130 Ecully, France
(+33) (0)4 78 81 67 61
We met several of his patients and they all love him. Atreides was super glad to have met him too. He is very human, spends a long time with his patients before and after the surgery, and seems to be really dedicated to helping in all the ways he can, not just with the surgery, but also with any arrangements that make his patients' stay at the clinic easier.
The non-profit who recommended this doctor is called
Solidarité Verneuil, and the lady in charge is called Hélène Raynal. She has had a heck of a life, but her recovery is very inspiring. She works constantly toward bringing patients together, creating this network of doctors, and helping others psychologically. She went to visit Atreides every day at the clinic. It was really heart warming to meet all those people.
So, we cannot recommend this doctor and team enough, if you have any possibility of coming to France for a treatment, or of putting your own surgeon in touch with them.
It was a happy coincidence that just as we were researching about the hyperbaric chamber, Dr. Guillem prescribed it. He does it with all patients, and the results are trully amazing. So, that's something else you might need to talk to your doctors about, wherever you are in the world.
In short, there is hope, people! Even if it means having surgery today, with all the suffering that this implies. Atreides didn't hesitate to have everything removed at once, given the option. And it has been totally worth it so far. :D
Another key factor in the recovery seems to be for all patients to be surrounded by all their loved ones. Laura's and Andromeda's presence during the surgery and after made a world of a difference, as well as Laura and Perceval doing all that driving to meet us faster. It wasn't easy, but we all made it back home safely, and Atreides is now getting healthier and healthier by the day. Feeling there is hope is super important. Once we found out exactly what it was he had, all kinds of doors started to open up. So, let's hope that the same happens to each and every one of you who are suffering from HS.