Health Related

[pete]

I've had a variety of major-ish health issues over the past few years. They mainly started 4 years ago when ....

* I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Cpap machine time!
* I was diagnosed with strep throat.
--> Strep became bronchitis
----> Bronchitis became double pneumonia
-----> Pneumonia became 1.5 collapsed lungs
-------> Collapsed lungs became 7 broken ribs
EDIT: they did a bone density scan after this. Diagnosed with osteopenia, which is being treated with drugs and diet.
---------> Broken ribs became an ulcer (from the pain meds)

I now have some nice scar tissue on my lungs (and had surgery to repair the ulcer). That means I have to tell the doctor, when he uses a stethoscope, that no, I don't have lung cancer. The rattle you hear is normal.

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At the beginning of last year, I was diagnosed with something called "cluster headaches". These are extremely intense headaches that last appx. 5 hours. The pain is allegedly worse than childbirth (according to Wikipedia, girls!) and are occasionally called "suicide headaches" -- i.e., "it hurts so bad, kill me now". So, I have four different drugs I can take, ranging from, "Acetominophen" to "heavy narcotic to knock you out".

I try to call boss-man and say I need to go home, NOW, if I have to take the heavy narcotic.

(BTB, I also found out that if the doctor says he wants to prescribe steroids to stop the cluster cycle -- "cluster headaches" are called that because they go on for awhile and then stop for awhile and then may or may not ever start again -- to say NO and run away. That treatment was NOT fun.)

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At the end of last year, I gave blood. The company that I donate through (United Blood Services; donate today, mmmkay?) just implemented cholesterol screening, but they don't contact you unless your cholesterol is abnormally high.

Mine is.

I went into my doctor for cholesterol-specific bloodwork. He got the results and asked me if, when I get cut, the blood oozes out of my arm like butter.

I went on a 1/3 normal fat content diet for two months. Then I got tested again.

My cholesterol level dropped ... one point. And my blood sugar level is also about 3x normal.

I have more drugs, I'm on a somewhat less restrictive diet (as the earlier one didn't do much) and will be retested in 6 weeks.

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During all this, I got two fun viral throat infections. My wife enjoyed the fact that I couldn't speak.

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Combining the above with some miscellaneous knee problems (don't ask me to stand for too long), my playing AND singing careers are effectively over. I'm not too heartbroken over the former, but a little disappointed in the latter. I was getting to be a fairly decent singer. *Deep sigh.*

However, if anyone wants to donate, say, a Selmer Mark VI baritone sax or an SML bass clarinet, I wouldn't terribly mind trying to make 'em work. Just to make y'all happy, of course.

 

[Carl H.]

How's the kid doing?

 

[pete]

The 5 year old (the kid in question) was borned 10 weeks early and weighed 3lbs 1oz.

She was borned with hydrocephalus.

After being fitted with a non-programmable shunt that failed, she was fitted with a programmable one that worked well enough that it was removed over 2 years ago.

After 3 or so years of physical therapy she's just fine. Does have glasses, tho, which is more because of genetics than anything else (I have glasses, the wife has glasses, my mom has glasses, my wife's mom has glasses, my wife's dad has glasses ...). She *may* have a hint of dyslexia, which would also be genetics more than anything else (me and my grandfather).

The 14 year old is starting to act like a 14-year-old, which may mean that I'll tell her mom to seal her in her room until she's 18 and can be kicked outta the house (she lives with my ex-wife).

 

[Al Stevens]

On the road with the Harry James ghost band a couple or years back. The band had a bunch of oldtimers and a bunch of young musicians. During off times, the oldtimers tended to gather together and the kids hung out elsewhere.

One day one of the young guys joined the old guys and just listened for a while. Then he said, "I thought maybe I'd hang with you guys and listen to your stories about the old days, playing with famous cats, being on the road, and all. When my buddies and I hang out we talk about cars, women, sports. But you guys just talk about doctors, illnesses, medicine, and operations."

 

[pete]

I'm younger than my life indicates, but I do understand your comment, Al.

I've gotten together with a couple of my co-workers that are in their 20's and I find that I don't relate well to their lives. Hey, I know Xbox is fun and all, but I really don't want to spend that much time on it.

When I've attended a couple of AZ SOTW get-togethers, I find that the people I meet are older than I am, but we also have pretty in-depth discussions about sax.

 

[Chris J]

Pete

What a set of health problems! As a doctor, I am tempted to chime in with all sorts of comments and advice, but I guess you have been through it all already over the last few years.

I just hope things brighten up in 2009!

Chris

 

[pete]

I could go for fewer drugs and more fatty foods.

Will kill for Kentucky Fried Chicken.

 

[Chris J]

Will kill for Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Just make sure it is not the other way around, please!.....

Your cholesterol level can only really be manipulated by diet by about 10% usually. That is not to say eating less animal fat (cholesterol only exists in animal fat) is a waste of time - just that a very high cholesterol is usually hereditary and best dealt with by drugs - so drugs it may have to be...

There is a good type of cholesterol in your blood too - High density lipoprotein (HDL) - but if the ratio of cholesterol to HDL is more than 6, in UK that means a mandatory prescribing of cholesterol lowering drugs (statins) whatever your age or other risk factors for heart disease.

Chris

 

[pete]

Allegedly, my "good" cholesterol is "good".

According to my mother, she had low cholesterol (like me) until she hit a specific age. I'm not as old, but close. I'd assume I'm about due.

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I completely forgot about another health issue I have, too. I have osteopenia. I'll write that in, later . More drugs for that!

 

[Chris J]

I hope the list is complete now!

I assume your medics are just looking at a short course of steroids for the cluster headaches. Steroids and osteopenia do not mix well with long term steroid use! I also assume you have tried beta blockers and pizotifen to try and control the headaches already. Worth noting is that sometimes the narcotic type of painkillers (codeines etc) can paradoxically make headaches worse and so should be used with caution.

Chris

 

[pete]

I assume your medics are just looking at a short course of steroids for the cluster headaches.

(BTB, I also found out that if the doctor says he wants to prescribe steroids to stop the cluster cycle -- "cluster headaches" are called that because they go on for awhile and then stop for awhile and then may or may not ever start again -- to say NO and run away. That treatment was NOT fun.)

Yah. It was a two-week course and I don't believe I've evar had a worse time. "Violently ill" would be a mild descriptor. When I called teh neurologist and told him, he said, "It'll do that." Thanks.

I haven't needed the "knock me out" pills in awhile. Generally, I can control the headaches with something called Zebutal and, if that doesn't work, Axxert (Imitrex, even the nasal version, bothers my stomach).

Hey, I only had one bad headache this month! So far. Yay, drugs!

Genetics. It's all genetics. My mother was diagnosed with osteoporosis a long while ago. She had migraines, too.

However, there was a time that I was being tested to see if I have parathyroid problems, re: osteopenia. The endocrinologist said my levels were off, but not enough to warrant surgery. Yet. I have to wait ... three or so more months before I'm tested on that.

I had a friend who said that if I was a horse, he'd shoot me .