Minding My Health

Minding my health

I have come to the conclusion that just about everyone has something that they just have to deal with. I have a neuromuscular condition for which there is no cure or even treatment. It will never get better and will slowly get worse. It will progress slowly enough that in all likelihood I will die of something else at a ripe old age. It is just something that I have to deal with.  

Yesterday I had my annual physical. Other than my neuromuscular problem, I am in very good health.  I got a pneumonia vaccine which is a one time vaccination and will not have to be repeated. The clinic did not have the high potency flu vaccine which is recommended for those over 65; it will probably be available in a week and I will go back and get it.  I don't like to be sick and if a vaccine will keep me well, that is 2 less problems to deal with. 

I had a bone density scan and my bones are fine. I have taken a calcium plus vitamin D supplement daily for 30+ years and I think that helps. 

Blood pressure was a bit high for me but I had been on the run all day and that may have contributed to it. I will have it checked again when I go back to get the flu shot. 

Blood work was drawn and results will be back in a day or so. 

I still have my gyn exam and mammogram due this year. I usually do this near my birthday. 

I do Weight Watchers to keep myself at a reasonable weight. Exercise is a problem because 1.  I would much rather read about exercise than actually do an exercise. 2. I can't walk much less do Zumba....However, I can do the exercise bike or a Sit and Be Fit DVD. 

Anyway, I do what I can to stay healthy because my neuromuscular condition is more than enough to deal with. 

What do you do to stay healthy?

Weight Watchers Report

Lost 0.8 lb.  Total lost 21.6 lb.  Weight 153 lb.  I am so looking forward to getting under 150 lb.

Hurdles ahead next week: Family birthday party for Aunt Liz's 89th birthday.
                                           Neighborhood Ice cream social

With proper prior planning I can keep to my 26 points per day!

A Trip to the ER

For 43 years DH's response to "Don't you think you should go to the doctor??" has always been an irritable,  "No, I don't need to go to the doctor!"  So when he was in bed groaning that he had hurt his back, hip, and leg while using the shovel to dig a hole to plant a tree, I was surprised that he answered in the affirmative that he indeed did need to see the doctor.  At 9am I made the appointment with the doctor for 3pm--6 hours to wait.  But at 11am he was in such pain that I suggested I take him in to the ER and he agreed.  He has never been in an ER in his 64 years.  I had to dress him and get his shoes on as he couldn't bend to put them on himself.  He was able to slowly hobble out to the van and off we went. They took him right in to an exam room and the ER doctor examined and questioned him carefully.  He determined that it was a nerve injury at the ileo-sacral joint.  60mg injection of Toradol, 5mg oral Valium and waited 30 minutes--some relief. 4mg injection of morphine--much relief.  I dropped the prescriptions off at the pharmacy on the way home, got him settled in the recliner, and went back for the prescription Naproxen, Valium, and Tylenol #3 and a new ice bag for his back.  By the time I got back, he was feeling much better and was very mellow from the Valium.  I made scrambled eggs and toast for dinner, got him in bed, cleaned up the mess in the kitchen, and collapsed into bed myself.  Today he has some numbness and tenderness in his right leg, but he is able to move slowly without pain.

We are both aware that the situation would have been much different if we were one of the 1 in 4 Texans without health insurance.  At least the president and the Democrats are trying to get health care for everyone.  Thanks a lot Republicans, I'll remember you at the polls.

Makin' my list, checking it twice

No, I'm not getting a head start on Christmas.  I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow for my annual physical and I want to be sure that I remember what needs to be discussed.  Fortunately it is a short list because other than my CMT, I'm in good health. 

I can't mention health care without thinking of the one in four Texans who have no health insurance.  I have insurance and can go in to see a doc to make sure I stay healthy.  But there are so many in this country who are sick and can't afford to see a doctor.  I had such hopes that we could have universal health care...Evidently we can't afford universal health care but we can afford perpetual warfare.  Got to keep our priorities straight...

Compassion

This past year has a difficult year for me physically. It has been a year that has made me ever more aware of suffering in the world. Around us every day there are people who are suffering physically and mentally; they go about their lives doing the best they can. This year has made me so very aware of the need for kindness, gentleness, and compassion.

I have insurance and a loving husband and daughter. But so many these days do not. How could I have paid my $35,000 hospital bill if I did not have insurance?? How would I have been treated if I had no job and no insurance? Even if I were to find a doctor to test, diagnose, and treat me, how much more worry and stress it would have been if I had to find a way to keep the bills paid. There must be a better way to provide healthcare.

Gastritis

I had an upper GI endoscopy Thursday morning which shows clearly that I have gastritis. The doctor took some biopsies and cultures and will have the results on Monday. It is most likely H. pylori causing the gastritis but we won't know for sure until Monday. In the mean time, I eat my tiny portions of food, take omeprazole and Maalox, and wait for Monday. Seems like I have been waiting for one test or another result for almost a year now.
In an odd turn of events, it looks like JMM is developing gastritis also. He has been miserably uncomfortable with bloating, nausea, and a feeling of a knot in the stomach. How well I know these lovely symptoms... We.ve got to get him to a GI doctor Monday.

Anxiety

For the first time in my life I am dealing with depression and anxiety attacks. Life being life, I have had my good times and my not so good times but this is different. The depression stems, I am pretty sure, from this year long ordeal of not knowing what is causing my GI problems. The anxiety attacks hit me like a wave and I don't know what triggers it. I feel a flush of heat and a feeling that I need to run away. I manage to keep my composure and go on with what I am doing but the feeling of anxiety lasts about 15-30 minutes and then I am calm again.

My family doctor gave me a prescription for Xanax 0.25mg to help get me through all the tests.
I have had several tests and I have an ultrasound scheduled for 11/2 and an EGD scheduled for 11/11. The Xanax puts me to sleep for 2 hours and I wake up feeling calm.

I am continuing to work 3 days a week and one weekend a month. Besides the money and insurance, it gives me some structure and distraction from all this.

I didn't intend for this blog to be a health blog but that is certainly what is going on in my life right now.

Taking care of those pearly whites

I had my twice a year routine dental cleaning done Tuesday morning. It got me thinking about how fortunate we are today to be able to take such good care of our teeth. My mother had a full upper set of dentures and partial lower dentures before I was born. It was very common for people of previous generations to have dentures. I’m sure my mother had dentures because when she was growing up they were too poor to see a dentist until it was too late to do anything but pull the tooth. My father must have been blessed with very strong teeth because as far as I know, he never once saw a dentist and had every tooth still intact when he died. His teeth were stained from coffee and cigarettes but still there and functional. I, on the other hand, have always been rather fanatical about taking care of my teeth—regular brushing & flossing and twice a year cleaning. I am convinced that good dental health promotes general good health. We are fortunate also to have dental insurance to help defray the cost of maintaining those pearly whites. (Speaking of which, I detest bleached white teeth.)

Healing, I think

My on-going GI problem has been decidedly better this week and with this improvement has been an improvement in my mood and outlook. After all the doctors, MRI, CAT scan, changes in diet, and medication, it seems that time is being the healer. I am convinced (although I have no proof at all) that all this was brought on by a long time food allergy. As soon as I stopped the food my allergy symptoms vanished but by the time I put the clues together, I am conveninced that my GI tract had been damaged. I doubt that things will ever go back to what they were before but there is enough improvement and I now know how to cope with the remaining symptoms. With this improvement and coping skills, I am not so paralyzed with depression. One day at a time.

My Niece

is 57 years old and is newly diagnosed with cancer. It is in her lungs and brain. She has started radiation and will follow with chemotherapy. She is being treated as an outpatient. What concerns me is that she lives far away from any of her family and there is no one to take care of her during the radiation and chemo and afterwards. Her husband has CHF and is in poor health himself. I suggested that she come to MD Anderson here in Houston for treatment but she adamantly opposed this. Since I can't go there and she won't come here, I am thinking of seeing if she will let me hire a home health assistant to come to her home a couple of hours a day.

Another day, another test

Abdominal ultrasound. If a CAT scan and an MRI hasn't told me what the heck is going on, I don't have much hope that an ultrasound will either. But then I have had my hopes up too many times only to realize that nope, that's not it either.

Frankly, I have been surprised how being ill and trying to find out what is causing it just takes over one's life. For one thing it is time consuming to go to multiple doctor's offices, find a parking place & go in, wait in the interminable waiting rooms and exam rooms, then drive home again or back to work. Then there is the time spent on the phone trying to get something scheduled or talk to the doctor's nurse or waiting for a call back.

And finally, there is the emotional toll. I have never been so depressed in all my life. I think I could deal with most anything if I just knew what it was.

I am extremely fortunate that I have excellent health insurance and access to medical care. I flat don't know how on earth people deal with serious illness and a financial nightmare of poor or no insurance at the same time.

Hope

I am beginning to have some hope that my GI problem might at long last be solved. I had an ERCP yesterday that cleared stones and stuff from my bile duct. So far, I have not had any abdominal pain or discomfort at all, even after eating. I have lost a 24 pounds since last December because of the discomfort. I'm glad to have lost the weight but it has been a pretty awful way to do it. So far, so good; just keeping my fingers crossed that the problem is solved.

Dangerous Words

When I was a young mother, I learned that it was tempting fate to utter the words, "No child of mine will ever..." because it was almost guaranteed that the child would whatever it was. Now I am learning that it is just as tempting to fate to say the words, "When I am old I will never..." I used to listen to my elders talking about their various ailments and doctors and I thought to myself "I will never sit around talking about my latest bodily malfunction." Well, I had no idea that falling apart really consumes a lot of your mental energy and time and that one spends so much time, thought, and effort in trying to figure out what is wrong and how to fix it. I will spare you the details of my 4 month GI adventure involving a trip to the ER, a colonoscopy, various over the counter medications, and an on-going relationship with the GI doc's nurse, Linda. I think in a previous life Linda was a defensive lineman for the Packers because absolutely nothing gets past Linda--you want to talk to the doc--you have to get past Linda, you want a prescription--Linda again. Anyway, I was so miserable Tuesday night I googled my symptoms and ouila, there it was: symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Since Wednesday morning I have been skirmishing with Linda for a prescription, I have met all her requirements but so far she has not deigned it necessary to call me back. However, in researching this on the Internet, I found that probiotics were helpful so yesterday I started on Phillips Colon Health capsules twice a day. I am amazed--it has relieved my symptoms by about 80%. I still want the prescription but at least I am not so miserable while I dance to Linda's tune. Life is looking better.

Sleep Study

I have an appointment tonight for a sleep study. I have used a CPAP for the past 4 years and it has helped me so much. Now it is time to do a re-titration to make sure that it is still at the correct setting and check out a couple of other sleep problems that I have. It is not as easy as hopping into bed at the sleep center for a good night's sleep. To begin with, there are all the wires attached to your scalp, chest, and legs. These are annoying enough on their own but, oh my, what a problem it is if you need to get up and go to the bathroom as I usually do in the night. The technician has to detach the wires from the monitor, bundle them up so that you can carry them with you, and then reattach them once you get back to bed. Then there is the not-sleeping-in-my-own-bed problem of pillows and temperature and light and someone watching you while you sleep. It's a wonder that anyone sleeps at all during a sleep study.

However, I must say that having the CPAP which allows me to get a good night's sleep is worth every bit of it!

What generous people!!

I have been reading recently about 2 open air medical clinics where people could go to get medical, dental, and eye treatment. One was in Kentucky and the other in Los Angeles. Thousands of people who needed treatment were provided with the needed treatment; no questions asked, no payment required. I can only imagine all the background work that must have gone into organizing these events. God bless them--all the doctors, nurses, dentists, optometrists--healing the sick, relieving pain, helping people see--Jesus work done by people here on earth. What generosity!! Makes me so proud of my fellow Americans. Kindness, gentleness, and generosity--we need more of them.

Healthcare Reform

There is a raging debate in the U.S. about reforming healthcare. I wish everyone had access to good medical care. Insurance is a very iffy thing—even when you have it, you probably don't have what you think you have and even if you have really good insurance, it is byzantine to actually get them to pay out. I don't know how people who are dealing with life threatening illnesses manage to cope with recalcitrant insurance companies also. There are countries with nationalized healthcare and it seems to work rather well for them. This is not being proposed for the U.S. though because the insurance industry has way too much politcal clout. What is being proposed is a requirement for everyone to have insurance and for those who can't afford it, government subsidies. It sounds to me like a rather mild requirement. I would think that the insurance companies would be ecstatic to have everyone required to buy their product and if they can't afford to pay for it, then they will have access to bottomless government coffers. My two questions are: Will requiring everyone in the U.S. to have health insurance actually make us healthier? For some, it probably will—people with chronic conditions will have access to keep the condition under controll. But will they? Will they stop smoking? Eating junk? Drinking in excess? Drugs? Will they drag their big butts away from the television and go for a walk? I rather doubt it. Most simply want a pill to make them well. The second question is: How will the insurance companies deal with 50 million or so new customers? Will they continue their abysmal customer service? I rather think so; if everyone is required to purchase insurance, what incentive do they have to provide excellent service to bring in new clients?
So what is the point of this rambling rumination? My bottom line is that you'd darn well look after your own health because you really are the only one you can depend on. If you smoke, stop now; if you eat Twinkies for breakfast, oatmeal is quick and cheap; if you can walk, just do it. Also, investigate alternatives—meditation, alternative meds such is niacin for cholesterol, bicarb for stomach acid, plain aspirin for headaches. Make friends with your local pharmacist, learn to use the internet for health information, check out books from the library on nutrition and first aid. And stop whining, count your blessings, and do something for someone less fortunate than yourself.

Much Ado about Flu

The H1N1 influenza virus is spreading like... well, influenza. This flu virus is different in that it really isn't flu season. Otherwise, it seems like it will turn out to be as serious as most flu viruses--it makes you miserably sick for a week and then you get well unless your immune system is weakened from some other reason.

The news people are paid to create hype but it seems to me that most people discount what comes from the news and just use common sense. (There is a minority that go from one fear driven news crisis to the next but most don't.) Some of the over-reaction is a defense against lawsuits in case something bad somewhere happens to someone.

This is another reminder of why I limit the amount of "news" I am exposed to.

Thought for the day:

"..Learn to be more compassionate company [for yourself], as if you were somebody you are fond of and wish to encourage."

Swine flu

While it is possible that this will turn into a pandemic catastrophe, I am definitely in wait and see column. There have been 149 deaths in Mexico attributed to swine flu but it is hard to know if that is accurate considering the state of medical infrastructure in Mexico. I wonder how the people in Mexico contracted it--do they work directly in pig meat production or processing? Why does it become less lethal as it has moved into the U.S. and Canada or is the difference that the U.S. and Canada have systems that are capable of locating and treating patients earlier in the course of the disease? It is surprising that with global air travel and global trade that there have been so few actual pandemics and those that have occured, such as SARS, have been contained with no where near the mortality rates of the 1918 influenza pandemic. The next two weeks will tell the tale: major pandemic with high mortality, major pandemic with lots of miserably sick people who eventually get well, or pandemic contained/averted.

Thought for the day:

It has been said that our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength. Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Medical Exams

I have such mixed feelings about routine medical exams. It isn’t the financial aspect that bothers me; I have good insurance and a flexible spending account for various deductibles and co-pays. And I certainly have no hesitations about going to a doctor when I am sick or hurt. It’s all the routine exams that I wonder about—yearly physical, gyn exam, dermatologist, colonoscopy, dentist, optometrist, neurologist, etc. All of this (other than my CMT which no one can do anything about anyway) even though I am perfectly healthy and happy.

I know that there is great benefit in catching things early but quite frankly one could make a career of going to various doctors for routine exams. What is the reasonable thing to do? I think I will see a doctor when I am sick or hurt, have dental cleaning done 2 times a year, and have one routine exam. 2009 will be the year for the routine dermatology exam.