Share your health battles

[Noeleter]

Thought it might be good to have a thread where people can share their stories of their battles with illness and provide support to each other. As for my story I was relatively healthy until about 4 years ago when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I was scheduled to go in and have my prostate removed. In the meantime I got a hernia and went in to have it treated.

Whilst operating they found that I was suffering from a rare cancer called PMP. Only about 1 in a million people get this cancer. The cancer starts in the appendix but spreads throughout the body which mine had done. It is often described as the worst cancer you can have and is incurable. So went back in to have the appendix removed and clean up what they could. As this was much more serious that the prostate cancer and they thought I would not survive for long with the PMP, the prostate operation was put on hold.

When PMP gets advanced they undertake what is referred to as MOAS (mother of all surgeries). It is normally about an 18 hour operation where all affected organs are removed. The body cavity is then filled with hot chemo for several hours. Luckily my PMP has not got to this stage yet. I have to undergo 6 monthly surgeries where they remove what tumors and Mucin (jelly like substance that PMP produces) they can.

Early last year they decided that as I had survived the PMP for about 3 years they would proceed with the Prostate surgery. So far it seems to have been successful although I am getting blood in my urine so have to go back into hospital for more investigations.

Have to have another PMP operation in about a week so hopefully it has not progressed too far.

It has been a tough few years medically and financially but it does make you appreciate what is important in life. Would love to hear about other peoples battles.

 

[Sheldon Cooper]

beat me to it! i'll post more later... looking forward to this thread!

 

[vc commodore]

While I have minor health issues, ie stuffed back, knees, elbows, wrists, use glasses and am booked in for hearing aids, it is nothing life threatening. Just minor uncomfortable things which are manageable.

Having had family members and friends that have gone through various cancers, some passed on, some still living, I do feel very sorry for people that have to go through the struggles associated with cancer....So to the OP.....Keep your chin up, which you seem to have and keep going with the fight. Hopefully old age will put you in your grave, rather than the cancer...(And I mean no malice by suggesting you ending up in your grave).

 

[Drewie]

I have had a bit of a bad run the past couple of months, 8 years ago I was diagnosed with a heart problem called Cardiomyopathy (weakening of the heart muscle) heart does not pump as well as it should, a few months back I started getting mildly breathless and sensed the heart sort of missing beats and an irregular beat, went to hospital and they said the heart was very erratic and that the electrical impulses were firing in the wrong order, so they had to stop my heart with an electrical shock and restarted it with another shock and it fired up in the correct order and it all settled into a nice idle (sounds like I am talking about the firing order on a car engine). Whilst in hospital they altered my medication, and 3 weeks later I was getting extremely breathless and I was back in hospital with fluid in the lungs, due to the change of medication, so now I am back on what I was on previously and am just starting to feel pretty good again, not quite as good as I was but a lot lot better and feeling better each day,

 

[Ian Johnston]

I had an irregular heart beat back in 2002, had a pacemaker installed, and when doing the Echo they found a faulty aortic valve,
which at the time wasnt a major issue. Over the years the valve got worse, and in 2011, I had to have open heart surgery to put in a new valve.
All good untill about 5 months after, then depression set in real bad, had to give up my job, eventually getting back to work in a lesser job, mainly because of my age, and health.
Still going OK, cant run a marathon(never could), but am happy to still be here. Always someone who has more problems than you, so just think positive, and do what your body will let you, not what your mind tells you.

 

[gossie]

Never felt better. I was born pre WW2.

Walk, jog, swim most days.

Eat well as in fresh vegetables and fruit, with very little meat, but we did have fish for dinner with salad.
Steel cut oats is very good for breakfast with nuts and fruit mixed into it.......Purchase 1/2 kilo, cook it slowly in a large saucepan, then into the fridge and use what you want over the next few days......Heat it in the microwave.
Never ever eat trash, no takeaway stuff ever or those chain places doing 'burgers and chook. Don't eat chook after having lived in the USA a couple of times in the '90s. Very bad stuff and how they raise those things to go into your mouth is a disgrace.
We make our own pizza using flat bread with whatever toppings we want and into the oven.
When eating out I choose carefully. Love middle eastern food.....In fact all family will be together for a Lebanese feast for Christmas day that we shall purchase on Saturday 24th to share.....Super healthy and truly delicious.
Good wines and beer will be flowing...I love a drink.

I wear glasses for reading, and being of an age that the doctor has to approve me driving he decided I should have my eyes checked.
I did this and was told I was marginal on needing glasses for driving, so I decided to buy a nice pair of transitions with the reading bit in the bottom.
My readers that I've had for years did not need to be changed.

Have no aches or pains, and sleep well. What more can I say???
Holiday regularly, both in Australia and overseas....One needs to travel to see other places and how interesting they can be.

Fantastic first wife...Think about that.....Great kids and grand children, nice home in a nice place.

We all pass on sooner or later, but best to make the best of what time you have.

 

[Dayvo]

Up untill two years and one week ago to the day i have never had any health issues. The worst i ever had was a cold and the last time i was in hospital was when i was born. At 58 y.o i had a seriously big heart attack. One artery was completely blocked and my blood pressure was almost non existent . I was lucky my family was home to call an ambulance . My heart attack wasn't like you see in the movies where people grab their chest in agony and fall to the ground.Mine felt like indigestion which turned to chest pain and trouble breathing and then unconsiousness. I had a stent inserted up my arm from my wrist into my heart which brought instant relief . The side effects of the medication i was on plus thinking of all the what ifs if i didn't make it really messes with your head . One tablet i was on gave me mild asthma another made all my joints ache another made me forgetful . But now 2 years later i feel fitter than i have for ages plus medication has been cut right down . And if i do start to feel a bit depressed i think of the people that had a heart attack didn't make it then i realise how lucky i am

 

[Noeleter]

Thanks guys. Some inspiring stories. It's amazing what can be done these days and there are more developments all the time. I have two amazing surgeons and the prostectomy was done with the help of a robot. However, I probably have the most respect for the nurses who do a great job, have to put up with a lot and still manage to keep smiling. Have had a few real angels while I have been ill.

 

[commodore665]

No physical health issues , mine are more mental health problems , but these are much better since I took early retirement from the NZ Police , much less stress , but I'll probably be on meds for depression forever , physically I'm in good nick , apart from taking cholesterol tablets daily and a low dose coated asprin , I keep active go to the gym daily and run twice a week and still teach youths boxing at a local sports club , I like going a few rounds myself when I can .

 

[Wats_in_a_name]

I have eczema and diabetes. At one stage my eczema was so bad that my whole forearms and stomach were red and constantly itching. I couldn't even turn the heater on without it itching my skin and I had trouble sleeping. To top it off I had diabetes that caused me to feel dizzy whenever I bent down, I had puss in various parts of my body and one leg was swollen to one and a half times the other one.

I started drinking kangen water which is alkaline ionized water (I bought a machine that turns tap water into kangen water). Since then my condition has improved dramatically. I not longer feel dizzy when I bend down, my legs are no longer swollen (and I don't have to limp to get around) and my arms are normal again. The kangen water machine is expensive but totally worth it. Kangen water can also treat conditions such as cancer. It is miracle stuff..