Wellness

[hckynutjohn]

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@conlt wrote:

I am sorry this happened to you. That just happend to a friend and she was diagnosed with heart failure. I am a RN and always interested in medicine. Were you seeing your doctor every 6 months or so? I am wondering why the extreme hypertension was not detected before things went out of control.

I have a personal story about access to healthcare. We have to follow with our doctors. 3 years ago, I was told by my brothers friend that he had been passing out and was incoherent at times. My brother was afraid of doctors and did not have a regular MD. No labs were ever done. I convinced him to let me take him to the ER. That night, his blood sugar was over 400 and he had 3 strokes. He had uncontrolled hypertension too. 

He was hospitalized at this time, put on insulin, etc. I was teaching him how to take his blood sugar, and draw and give his insulin. He passed out another time and back to the ER we went and he had an additional 2 strokes. He was smoking and I did not know it. 

He ended up in rehabilitation and today is wheelchair bound, in a skilled nursing facility.

My family and I often talk about the fact, that had he gone to the doctor on a regular basis, his diabetes and hypertension would have been found early and he would have potentially had a much better outcome.

The lesson here is to see your doctor, tell him or her what is going on. Follow the plan.

I see my regular MD, Endocrinologist, Ophthalmologist, OB/GYN. My diabetes was found very early. My hypertension is in control etc. etc and I am 7 years older than my brother. I still live independently and work full time. 

We can have sad outcomes when we do not take care of ourselves. 

I pray that you do well. I just posted my brothers story as an example of the types of things that can happen to people when they don't see a MD. My brother's condition was way bad before he knew that he was sick. Then it took a lot of coaxing to get him into the ER. 

@conlt 

Sad to read what happened to your brother and how he ended up wheelchair bound. I am however glad you told his story here. 

His story is not unusual for men when it comes to doctors and preventative health care. Many say "I ain't sick, why would I see a doctor"? I worked with many, and a big percentage of them, are dead.

If you read the very first post in this thread, by the author, you would be surprised what that author said in a subsequent post. Your brother was "afraid of doctors", thus did not have a doctor. That, I kinda understand.

The author of this thread, which I did not know till a much later post they put up! Had the same occupation as you, an RN for 46 years. Needless to say I was surprised, no shocked, when I read this.

Your brother's story I can personally relate to from many male friends I have met over decades. But someone working in the medical field for decades, I could/can never comprehend.

I hope those reading your brothers story might pass this info on to someone they may know.  Several deadly illnesses can be prevented by seeing a doctor. Of those same illnesses, several cannot be cured by any doctor when it is diagnosed too late.

hckynut 🇺🇸

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[smoochy]

And I thought last week was bad... I just came home today from another hospital stay, another emergency ambulance ride. Only six days after the last one. In the ER they hooked me up to am AED "just in case" as the ER doc said. That scared me!

This time I was kept for four days and more cardiac tests. I went in because my heart rate dropped into the low 30s, I nearly fainted. Long story short, I was diagnosed with a serious cardiac arrhythmia on top of the other new diagnosis of Chronic CHF with preserved ejection fraction. Anyhow I had a team of excellent cardiologists. I had a heart catheterization done which fortunately showed no blockages, ie no coronary artery disease. That was fantastic news! It was not a fun time. The next day, yesterday, I had a cardiac ablation which was even less fun. Both procedures required general anesthesia which caused problems for me. Between that and having to lie completely flat for six hours. On top of the two hours for the procedure. Nausea and vomiting, horrible back spasms. Thank God for Percocet and Zofran and a wonderful care team. 
Happily, the ablation was successful. My heart no longer produces extra beats. Normal rate and rhythm. I'm blessed to have access to this level of medical care. Feeling weak and wobbly but with rest and adherence to my two week restrictions, I'll get back to my usual self. Poor hubby and daughter. This was so traumatic for them. 
I must say, I had a lot more fun IN '71 than I am having BEING 71. Lol. Humor and following doctors orders will prevail. 

[smoochy]

@conlt   I do see my internist every six months. BP has been fine in the office. Between that and taking BP medication, I figured no need to check it at home. Now I'm required to check it daily and weigh myself daily. As you probably know, nurses can be notorious for denial of signs and symptoms. We tell ourselves it was a fluke, no big deal. Many hospital staff told me yep, we get it. 

[colleena]

@smoochy  Sorry to hear of your last hospital stay & what they found/did - not fun but sounds like they're getting you on the right track.  Take good care,

[smoochy]

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@colleena wrote:

@smoochy  Sorry to hear of your last hospital stay & what they found/did - not fun but sounds like they're getting you on the right track.  Take good care,

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Thanks so much! So grateful for amazing, sophisticated medical technology. 

[conlt]

@smoochy  Nurses and Doctors make the worst patients. We tend to self diagnosis and treat. Sometimes it is hard to see our own illness. I am happy you are on the right track. 

[conlt]

@hckynutjohn Yes, I agree, many men especially are fearful of going to the doctors. Woman too. Heck, nurses and therapists that I work with are the same way. I am 64 and have been going to the doctors regularly since I was in my early 30's. Recently, a couple of my doctors retired and I actually have some new fantastic doctors.

Last year my new Ophthalmologist found a Melanoma suspicious spot in my eye. He gave me the choice of going to see him every 2 months to "watch it" or have it taken out and biopsied. I chose to have the growth removed and thankfully it was biopsied. 

Many would have been afraid of that procedure, but I trust him to my care and the procedure was not a big deal. He excised the mole from the white of my eye and attached an amniotic graft. My eye actually feels a lot better because before it felt like sandpaper.

Anyway, many people, like my brother are fearful of doctors, and that is their choice. However, my brothers siblings are suffering to because we are shocked that he ended up like this. I visited him yesterday and it is really difficult for me to see him as a shadow of the fun- loving, smart, articulate man that he was. 

Unfortunately, I see many patients whose lifestyle and lack of medical care shortened their lives. However, due to financial constraints, there are people who cannot access adequate medical care.