So Much More: #5 of the Matrix

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

#5 of the Matrix

#5 of the Matrix………Medical Miracles

I have never been a “pill taker”…. Honestly – I have always hated relying on medicines….. Even when an antibiotic was necessary, I couldn’t wait until the prescribed dose was finished. I have fought taking medicine all my life.

Imagine my horror when after my heart attack, I was immediately put on a blood thinner, a cholesterol pill, an asprin, and two blood pressure meds daily…. And told I HAD to take them - That’s five pills a day! Throw in a sleeping pill that was prescribed in the beginning, and a fish oil pill, then a couple of other suggested vitamins, and I felt like a down and out drug user!

I just had a blood test on Monday Nov. 30^th, and an a check up appointment with the heart doctor today, Dec. 2nd……. I am happy to report that my cholesterol level’s, trigyscerides, etc…..were all half of what they were one year ago. THE DRUGS ARE WORKING! Another medical miracle that would not have been possible very many years ago.

If this had happened to me say 20 years ago, I probably would not have survived. Consider the coated stent that holds my artery open, the balloon pump which allowed my heart to rest for 3 days following surgery, the emergency procedures, the remarkable moment by moment care I received through medicine and state of the art equipment…. A positive to be sure.

Medical techonolgy has advanced beyond what anyone could have imagined only a short time ago in so many fields. Transplants for vital organs, cancer, heart, cell and nerve repair, the vines are flourishing in the jungle. They are growing at a rapid rate for all of us to grab when we need them. As I just finished taking my handful of pills, I know I am living proof…..

1 comment:

Nina said...: How true you are about the miracles of modern medicine. Even in my field of medical imaging, I've seen numerous and beneficial changes over the past 30 years. And pharmaceuticals, well, we can dislike taking them, but they truly save lives. So just say cheers and down the hatch they go... Love and Light, Nina P; December 6, 2009 at 3:47 PM

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Tarzan?......why tarzan?

As noted in my profile, I was diagnosed with follicular non hodgkins lymphoma on November 30th, 2007. We were on a trip to the grand canyon area when I first became sick and noticed a lump on the side of my neck. Following an exam, many tests, and a surgical biopsy, I learned that for now I have a very slow growing lymphoma and over the years they have learned that immediate treatment will not change the outcome.

This is very different from when my Mother died of it in 1976. At the time hers was discovered in 1971, they saturated her with radiation over a 5 year period of time. Since then they now know that since it is not curable anyway, they would rather keep the patient off of treatment as long as possible. The modern terminology for this is "watch and wait".

At the time I have no further symptoms that I can not live with. I am low on energy, but part of that can be contributed to just age! Though I have some damaged veins in my neck due to the surgery, the nodes in that area come and go and have not caused any concern yet.

Watch and wait is NOT an easy way to live, we know the lymphoma will flare up again some day, so that tends to keep one aware of any changes. Of course I worry and of course I have problems with stress. However; since I look to my oncologist for guidance and rely on his wisdom, I am following his suggestion of pretending to be like Tarzan....... Tarzan in the movies who, while swinging through the jungle, always had a vine to grab as he was going from tree to tree. My oncologist has assured me over and over again that the vine would be there when I need it. As I grab one vine, another will be growing for me as I move through the jungle.

He explained to me that research and improvements in treatments are growing at a rate that is nearly faster than the growth of my cancer.

The message for all FNHL cancer patients, is to become "tarzan" like..... go ahead and climb that tree, stay alert, live life, and when you to need to reach out for that vine it WILL be there! As will the next one, and the next one, and the next one. Go ahead and swing through life and do it with confidence..... As with everything, there is so much more to the story, and so much more to life than cancer.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

#5 of the Matrix

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