Something's Not Right

[Andre98]

Since around Thanksgiving I've noticed a substantial shift in my general physical well being. Namely, my basic mobility is compromised. I think I know what it is like now to have Diabetes. Circulation is noticeably stiffer. Swelling in the ankles and knee joints are beyond the usual ebb and flo. A pronounced thickness had descended onto my thighs and calves. Climbing a flight of stairs is now an official son of a bitch.

I just had a battery of tests in Sept., but apparently something has developed. New tests and specialists are getting lined up for the New Year.

No shit, fam, I'm scared.

[lovely]

Dre. of course youve done the best thing in getting those appts right away and not waiting. a quick diagnosis is the whats going to help get you on the mend.

you will be in my prayers!

[Tastey]

Originally Posted by lovely

Dre. of course youve done the best thing in getting those appts right away and not waiting. a quick diagnosis is the whats going to help get you on the mend.

you will be in my prayers!

I agree with Lovely and will also keep you in prayer.

[Brightness]

Have you gotten an answer?

[Admin]

Dre, please update us man. Hope all is well.
Holla

[Andre98]

This is one of those things where I wonder if I reveal too much personal info, but I felt the need to unload and share the anxiety then, so I owe you guys an update.

Simply stated, I was on the verge of sudden death. I had gradually decreased my High Blood Pressure and Diabetes prescriptions regimen by way of laziness, thinking I’m feeling fine, not refilling on time or not at all until I was basically off them the better part of '09. My blood sugar number always read low, and my pressure number seems normal but that was because my heart was growing weaker.

I could tell when trying to keep up with the babies that I was panting like a dog and feeling like I was going to pass out. I ate whatever I wanted, and that was never a volume equation, it was the richness of the choices and no exercise what so ever.

It is textbook Congestive Heart Failure, a color by numbers blueprint to a heart attack. The heart is not strong enough to complete it's tasks, and the main one is the circulation of all the body's fluids, not just the blood. I was retaining water ,so though I have a sizeable belly to start, this mug was taking on a life of its own, had it's own double chin and I could feel where my thighs, as i felt downward, solidified in a very hard thickness, by the time it got down to the calves and ankles it felt dense like concrete, couldn't see where one stopped and the other started. There was one time I thought I was going to go down in Pathmark, I was sweating, and a big man knows sweat, but this was like someone had turned on a faucet. I was breathing fast, on purpose in deep inhales to try to keep up with the shortness of breath I felt but it wasn't like I had just run or anything. I was cursing Pathmark because there ain't a damn place a person can cop a squat, not even a food court in this location. I ended up sitting on the edge of a freezer case for a spell, and I felt a little better. I called my house because my sister in law was there with her car and I wanted her to come get me but changed my mind about asking. With wifey on the phone, puzzled about what I wanted her to do, I was on the verge of telling her I loved her, and I’m so sorry for leaving her this way. It was the day before Christmas Eve and all I could think was I was going to ruin Christmas and make my wife have to pick out a black dress as reward for putting up with my out of work bum ass for so long.

The existing info says millions live with it, and a fair number are not the elderly. But hey, many live with cancer and a lot of other ills... that doesn't make it any less serious.

I saw my Pulmonary Specialist - I say "my", but I had not had much contact with him since my Prostate days in '03. I am glad he's a brother because he spoke to me in plain language, he said "You're in deep do-do..." He's been over the house for a BBQ, so we can jaw like that. He referred me to another man that happened to also be a brother, an African brother, speaks with that accent that made me want to ask him if he is the one that calls out that yell at the start of the Lion King song.

He ordered a Cardiac Cauterization, the big procedure to see what’s up, up close and personal, literally taking a look inside the arteries and heart valves. That was the big test because if there was artery blockage I would be a candidate for a single, double, triple, or quadruple bypass right then and there like Letterman. There was no blockage, no evidence of heart damage, and the only cause must be that I am not getting anything that approaches proper sleep and nutrition, and dragging too much weight around, like another adult's worth, and not moving my ass to stimulate any strength building or weight loss. They had me out of there same day, home to rest. The next day, they brought in former President Clinton for the same procedure, and went on to give him a stent.

The normal healthy heart beats at 55% of it's capacity with no unusual physical stresses. They say aerobic exercise should target raising this to about 70% max. I was operating at about 15%. Both docs were amazed that I had not had a stroke or attack, and the supermarket thing was probably close. They put me on a whole new string of new meds, and a diuretic that is squeezing fluids out of me like a lemon juicer! The belly shrank, and folks are telling me I look like I lost weight (close to 30lbs gone, but that was after the swell up, so I am no where near out of the woods) My pants are falling off me, even beyond the last loop of the belt.

When we took that family portrait in Sept or Oct '09(?), I was alarmed at how thick I was. This serious stage of descent had started back then, maybe even before the summer. I have lost a lot of the jowls and heavy eye puffiness, but I am still very much in the danger zone, and in truth I have been for years. This was simply the body beginning it’s shutdown for checkout time.

I am able to climb stairs now without feeling like my legs are lead AND on fire. I wake up very refreshed and my basic gait when walking is not that labored padding like a bear that I used to see other big folks do that had thighs so thick they had to get out of their own way. I had noticed that I had started to do it too, like you're throwing your foot out there - hard to explain if you haven't been morbidly obese. A good night's sleep is essential ( as if I didn’t know that) , but I wasn’t getting more than a few hours, in snatches and it turned into during the day, feeling like an off switch was about to be flipped. Very dangerous when you get drowsy during a short daytime drive. Leading cause of death of Sleep Apnea is dying in car crashes after snoozing out behind the wheel.

Until further notice, they have me taking oxygen up the nose at home, when sleeping and as much as I can when in one place during waking hours. The Pulmonologist had said, forget the danger of sleep apnea by way of being obese - its a worry, but I was in danger of simply having my heart rate slow during sleep until it stopped, it was that weak.

Still, knowing what I know now, it has been a real bitch FOR REAL to avoid the drive thrus. Its so fucking convenient! I keep talking about the volume thing not being an issue, but the choices are just as detrimental in small doses. I cant even afford to take siestas with little back sliding perks or rewards for small victories. I'm dying for a good pizza and a good imported beer, and its daunting to realize that could be a literal statement. Yogurt, carrots and celery SUCKS!

Nearly everyone thinks they have to remind me about being there for the babies. Talk about having a firm grasp of the obvious! I got so tired of hearing it, I said once “WHAT? I have KIDS?“ Not to be flip, but dammit I KNOW, just like that cigarette smoker or drug abuser knows they have to save themselves. I have a cynical writing style but rest assured it’s not lost on me that my family needs me. I hug the babies and make them giggle every chance I get, so just in case, maybe they'll remember their "duddy" if I'm not there at their high school graduation. Hell, at their next birthday! I am optimistic, but being a realist is also a necessary part of my personality. If this climb back to health is to be successful, I feel I have to also keep in mind that it could fail so I’ll be ever vigilant and know I’ve tried all I can.

There's is still a lot of work to be done. It’s humbling to think I probably would not be here right now if my body had not given me some serious warning rather than flat lined right off. I’m not a particularly religious man, but I have to believe this is the work of a power higher than myself, and he is tryna tell me something.

[mystkev]

I'm glad to hear you are getting better. Don't ever stop taking your meds again

[lovely]

Dre..that brought tears to my eyes. thanks for your transparency. ive slacked on my diabeties medication cause my numbers are okay. and i stopped taking BP medicene because i dont have high BP, they were giving it to me just to protect my kidneys. ive been working out, but not really watching what im eating. your story could be me in ten years....

thanks for sharing and being so bruttaly honest with it! i wish you much success with what you are doing! ((((((((hushhug)))))))

[sistuhchey]

-------><------...Damn you!!! Dre...stop it..stop it!!!

We've got to hang in there.....I too have the weight problem...but I take my maintenance meds......got to..thyroid and BP....no diabetes yet..thank GOD......but I've yet to do the fast blood work-up for this year..Dr. ordered in Feb..but family problems, work, laziness & now bronchitis..

Come on dude..we do love life and our family..we gotta do better

{{{HUGS}}}

[Andre98]

Thanks guys... this has been years in the making. That time I had posted about having walked home about a mile from the car rental place back in '04 and felt like I was dying. The summer of '05 just before we got the girls, when we went to Six Flags and walked for hours in 90 degree heat, I knew I was pushing myself far beyond reasonable stress in my shape. Hard to believe that was 2 and half years ago!

[sistuhchey]

I do Tai-Chi everyday at 2PM..slowly it's helping with stress..and movement

renewed my curves membership, ..park far away, so I have to walk..I do the salad tip most days and a low calorie lunch...

once the weight is there...it takes forever to loose it...

[Juicey1]

Ok Dre', please start taking better care of yourself. I have never met you, but you would be greatly missed on this board........When I am praying for my diabetic children, I will pray for you also.

My son is causing me worry. He thinks he can eat whatever he wants. He takes his medicine, but he's not eating right. He passed out at work one night at work. Just last week, he was disoriented and didn't know what was going on. His blood sugar had dropped to 70. He walked away from the job and went to the gas station and didn't know how he got there.

Che' I have been saying I am going to take Tai Chi and still haven't joined. I will get around to it. I am afraid I am going to get in there and embarrass myself by falling or something...........LOL But I am going to give it a try.

[sistuhchey]

and definitely not as graceful..but I figure if I keep on doing it...by Christmas..I'll be flowing, turning, swaying like I know what I'm doing...lol,lol..it's more than a notion to turn, on a heel or toe while squatting just a little...and moving your arms....oh yea I look CRAZY I'm sure...lol,lol

Originally Posted by Juicey1

Che' I have been saying I am going to take Tai Chi and still haven't joined. I will get around to it. I am afraid I am going to get in there and embarrass myself by falling or something...........LOL But I am going to give it a try.

[CLSmooove]

Damn Dre Thanks for the Honesty... and Im glad you posted that thread it was an eye opener for me.... I really really need to go to the Dr and have a battery of test done... I swear sometimes i get out of breath just walkin across the street.... It does not feel good at all! Scares the crap outta me everytime it happens!

BTW i know what you mean when folks say you have to do it for the kids.... Ive heard it over and over again!

[SeaDuceme2]

Please take care of yourselves, you only get ONE life to live! Its so sad that in our community all the disease that we are plagued with 90% of its all PREVENTABLE!

CL, Im not going there with you right now!