Oh where, Oh where do I start?
Since this is a diabetes site, guess that a logical place.
I had a diabetes scare when I was 14. I was told in the hospital I would end up on shots, well I TOLD THEM, what they could do with their needles. I got better Wooppie!
I got in the Navy, Was admitted to sick bay, had another D scare at age 22. One morning they said if I could pass a urine sugar test, I could return to active duty, and "forget it ever happened", and I was very happy to forget it happened,at the time.
Then I hit my 30s....Got a sore throat, went thru HELL for a couple weeks. MY fam doc refused to see me for follow up on the sore throat. MY boss at work asked me to see a co doc, I needed to see someone. I saw the co doc in the morning, given a clean bill of health and taken to ER via ambulance that same evening and admitted for diabetes.
My diabetes TYPE is weird, sort of a cross between type-1b and 1.5. Today my diabetes is better than ever, far better than 25 or 30 years ago. After decades of NPH & R insulins, I was switched to MDI on Lantus and Humalog.
I have had MS (Multiple Sclerosis) symptoms since about age 12, l'hermittes since I was 13/14 and developed MS related diplopia at age 18. I refused to ship-over (stay/re-enlist) in the navy due to lack of proper medical care. Never got proper PRISM glasses for my diplopia while in. I had to go outside the navy to get proper glasses.
My MS was ignored by the VA for decades as well. I knew there was something amiss, just did not know the name for it. Even civilian docs ignored classic Dawson's fingers on my brain MRI, even tho they lit the MRI up like a Christmas tree. A new eye doc in 2009 at long last opened the MS Can-o-worms and thus began the push, backed by my fam doc for a complete formal MS work up and MS diagnosis. By the time I actually got my long delayed MS Dx I was already only a couple months from being Rx'd a power-chair. My MS is at long last being treated, very expensive, thousands of dollars per month worth of daily inject-able drug for my MS, makes expensive Lantus & Hemalog look cheap.
I have Chronic Kidney Disease, stage-3. Dipped close to stage-4 a couple years ago, but its improved a little with good BG control and meds. I did have a kidney scare back on Jan 12th. I had routine quarterly labs and that afternoon ordered to ER. I did not have to stay over-nite and returned home later that evening. Exactly A week later I fell in the driveway (I still can walk some, but limited) and broke 5 ribs. Two days later my kidneys went into acute failure. So yet another ambulance (meat wagon) ride to ER and admitted. After a few days of IV treatment my kidneys recovered. (till next time).
I have minor heart valve damage to my Mitral, Tricuspid and aortic valves, from rheumatic fever long ago. I have had issues with Afibs, but I am on Coreg and that is keeping things stable, preserving the valves as long as possable.
I am also hypo thyroid and have psoriasis, one might say I hot the Auto-immune lottery.
All in all, I am doing reasonably well, considering. MY diabetes is in good control, and much easier these days. I am slowly recovering from the broken ribs.
Gomer aka Sir Falls-A-Lot
