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My buddy's dad is 75, his leukemia has made a return visit. After being told he's got around 3 months left, they decide they're going to do some new, aggressive treatment. Before he starts the new treatment, he fell and broke his hip. Treatment delayed until he heals, so his time is running out. While he's in rehab, he gets a bad bedsore. Treatment needs to be delayed further. The doc tells my friend, "If it were my own father, I'd look into hospice care". His dad is pretending that this will all blow over and won't have The Talk. My friend is taking it hard. 

My dad is 75, is in so-so health after almost dying a few years ago. His brother isn't doing well. Dad told me if his brother dies, He won't be able to travel to the funeral. He can't ride in a car for very long (back), he can't fly (eye problems from the Beetus). He didn't sound like he was too upset but I can tell it bothers him. 

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My dad is 75, is in so-so health after almost dying a few years ago. His brother isn't doing well. Dad told me if his brother dies, He won't be able to travel to the funeral. He can't ride in a car for very long (back), he can't fly (eye problems from the Beetus). He didn't sound like he was too upset but I can tell it bothers him. 


Had the same issues with my grandfather traveling any distance before he passed. We had an annual family reunion he really wanted to attend one last time. I rented a motor home so he could get up and move around or lay down, use the restroom, if he wanted to. Worked out fantastic! We didn’t get a giant one that was a bitch to drive in town, just big enough for all 5 of us to sit and still have room enough to stand up. Class C-22ft if I recall. Just a thought.
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9 hours ago, Sandman said:

My buddy's dad is 75, his leukemia has made a return visit. After being told he's got around 3 months left, they decide they're going to do some new, aggressive treatment. Before he starts the new treatment, he fell and broke his hip. Treatment delayed until he heals, so his time is running out. While he's in rehab, he gets a bad bedsore. Treatment needs to be delayed further. The doc tells my friend, "If it were my own father, I'd look into hospice care". His dad is pretending that this will all blow over and won't have The Talk. My friend is taking it hard. 

My dad is 75, is in so-so health after almost dying a few years ago. His brother isn't doing well. Dad told me if his brother dies, He won't be able to travel to the funeral. He can't ride in a car for very long (back), he can't fly (eye problems from the Beetus). He didn't sound like he was too upset but I can tell it bothers him. 

Stinks. I’m leaving later this morning to go to NM to lead my mom’s memorial service on Saturday. I’m re-using much of the material I wrote for my dad’s service 18 months ago. And have an uncle and cousin I will do in June. 

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3 hours ago, Dennis Taylor said:

Are they only mostly dead now?

Died in October and November. Cremated. No service yet. We have a family cemetery on our ranch in SE NM. We’re going to do a 3-part interment service in June. 
I’ll be the officiant. I’m in part time ministry as my retirement/second career gig. It will be an interesting service. Mom was a believing Christian who lived a life of service motivated by her faith. Uncle was a wonderful nice guy agnostic. Cousin was a very nice guy atheist. 
Crafting a memorial service for a Christian, an agnostic, and an atheist will be a new one. 

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7 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

The last time I thought I had really bad gas it turned out to be diverticulitis.  That shit is right up there with kidney stones and shingles 

Who knew peanuts would be my kryptonite?

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15 hours ago, tbone_ said:

Damn bro. Hang in there man.

Thanks, but I got no choice, gotta hang.

I guess, strictly speaking, there are choices still to be had. But they aren't attractive to me... yet. Just getting out and walking feels pretty damned good, so far.

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My buddy's dad is 75, his leukemia has made a return visit. After being told he's got around 3 months left, they decide they're going to do some new, aggressive treatment. Before he starts the new treatment, he fell and broke his hip. Treatment delayed until he heals, so his time is running out. While he's in rehab, he gets a bad bedsore. Treatment needs to be delayed further. The doc tells my friend, "If it were my own father, I'd look into hospice care". His dad is pretending that this will all blow over and won't have The Talk. My friend is taking it hard. 
My dad is 75, is in so-so health after almost dying a few years ago. His brother isn't doing well. Dad told me if his brother dies, He won't be able to travel to the funeral. He can't ride in a car for very long (back), he can't fly (eye problems from the Beetus). He didn't sound like he was too upset but I can tell it bothers him. 

Mom died from Leukemia 9 months from the day she was dx and 30 days after she went back in after it came back. It moves so fast.
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On 4/21/2023 at 6:49 AM, GoPokes83 said:

Why have I been burping up what seems to be hard boiled eggs all morning when I haven’t eaten them in months? Probably just something deadly… moving on.

Rotten egg burps can also indicate giardia (aka Beaver Fever) or criptosporidium, both waterborne diseases.  Get well quick, whatever it is.

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I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica yesterday. I have been stiff and sore for 3 weeks but I didn't go to the doc because I knew I had my usual diabetes checkup coming up. That was a mistake on my part. When our pharmacy opens I will get started with Prednisone pills.

https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/polymyalgia-rheumatica-giant-cell-arteritis

Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are closely linked inflammatory disorders that almost always occur in people older than age 50. Polymyalgia rheumatica causes muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulders, upper arms, hip area, and sometimes the neck. The ache and stiffness are usually worse in the morning or when you have not been moving for a while. They can sometimes be very debilitating and tend to improve with activity. 

People with polymyalgia rheumatica sometimes have another disorder called giant cell arteritis, which is associated with inflammation of arteries, especially those located on each side of the head, scalp, and the aorta (the large artery that carries blood from the heart) and its main branches. Headaches, scalp tenderness, and jaw pain are common features of giant cell arteritis. If the blood vessels that nourish the eyes are affected, there may be visual problems such as fleeting or permanent vision loss or double vision. It is important to seek treatment right away if you have visual symptoms, because if left untreated they may potentially lead to permanent blindness. Giant cell arteritis is also known as temporal arteritis and Horton disease.

Both disorders generally respond well to treatment, although it is common for symptoms to recur after decreasing or stopping therapy.

Additionally, my PSA number spiked and I now have an appointment with a specialist to discuss a prostate biopsy.

Tell me all of your biopsy horror stories, please.

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Yearly check up tomorrow. All the blood work came back early and I can view it online. Everything is great except for bilirubin and white blood cell count in the urine. After searching results on the internet I either have an infection, cirrhosis of the liver or pituitary gland cancer. The doctor will tell me different but I know the internet never lies.  

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4 minutes ago, Crapinon said:

Yearly check up tomorrow. All the blood work came back early and I can view it online. Everything is great except for bilirubin and white blood cell count in the urine. After searching results on the internet I either have an infection, cirrhosis of the liver or pituitary gland cancer. The doctor will tell me different but I know the internet never lies.  

Pouring Austin Powers GIF

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The doctor never sent the script to the pharmacy because the sed rate came back slightly elevated but not to the clinical standard. Her office also didn't get back to me until this morning. The Mayo Clinic link from my earlier post (that she directed me to) says this:

Blood tests. Besides checking your complete blood counts, your doctor will look for two indicators of inflammation — erythrocyte sedimentation rate (sed rate) and C-reactive protein. However, in some people with polymyalgia rheumatica, these tests are normal or only slightly high.

A little digging found this:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/corehtml/pmc/pmcgifs/wm-reumatol.gif

According to Step 3 it would be OK to go ahead with the Prednisone and see what happens.

Any Surly Docs want to chime in? I'm making another appointment with another Doctor this afternoon.

In the meantime, I'm hurting like a motherfucker.

 

Logo of reumatol

Table I

A four-point guidance on how to investigate PMR when normal ESR and CRP coexist

  • 1.
    In an older person complaining of chronic bilateral shoulder and hip girdle pain associated with inflammatory morning stiffness, a possible PMR can be considered (even if ESR and CRP are both normal) if the proposed therapies do not improve pain and self care
  • 2.
    An ultrasound examination of shoulder and hip girdle as well as the measurement of other biomarkers in adjunct to ESR and CRP can give additional information
  • 3.
    A fast and significant improvement after a few days (seven days, on average) of low-dosed prednisone can confirm the first diagnostic suspicion, but it should be kept in mind that a watchful follow-up is mandatory
  • 4.
    Several diseases can mimic PMR in some clinical features and in positive response to low-dose prednisone. They must be carefully excluded (not only at the beginning but also after follow-ups). The possibility of occult GCA should be investigated
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On 4/27/2023 at 11:21 PM, Crapinon said:

Yearly check up tomorrow. All the blood work came back early and I can view it online. Everything is great except for bilirubin and white blood cell count in the urine. After searching results on the internet I either have an infection, cirrhosis of the liver or pituitary gland cancer. The doctor will tell me different but I know the internet never lies.  

My white blood cell count is always “high”. Several years ago when it was first noticed they sent me to an oncologist as a follow up. Nothing else was noted.

As a side note I rarely get ill enough to miss work. Have missed 3 days of work in 34 years due to sickness. Maybe my white blood cells are always at work?!

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Just got a call from my doctor. It appears I have severe sleep apnea and he is pushing a CPAP. I've only read the negative stuff about them (noisy, uncomfortable, etc.) Anyone familiar with them have any suggestions on experiences and selection? 

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I did a sleep study about 20 years ago, and they said I needed a CPAP.  I used it twice and said fuck that shit.  I'm still alive, and I doubt it's going to be a sleep disorder that eventually kills me.  I'm still trying to recover from walking my dog.  I was walking him a couple of days ago, and he jerked the leash when he saw another dog.  I must have pulled a muscle in my ribcage because it has been extremely painful to breathe, much less sneeze or cough.

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2 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

I did a sleep study about 20 years ago, and they said I needed a CPAP.  I used it twice and said fuck that shit.  I'm still alive, and I doubt it's going to be a sleep disorder that eventually kills me.  I'm still trying to recover from walking my dog.  I was walking him a couple of days ago, and he jerked the leash when he saw another dog.  I must have pulled a muscle in my ribcage because it has been extremely painful to breathe, much less sneeze or cough.

Yep, those damned dogs. About 20 years ago when we still owned the motel we were up there and I took our 4 yo golden for his evening walk. I stopped at the office to check on things before going to bed. Just stepped out of the office when a cat came around the corner and all hell broke loose. I had Rockys leash up around my wrist when Rocky decided to play kill the cat. The action? Jerked me into and up and over the hood of my Eldorado.  The result? Torn rotator cuff on my left shoulder, 3 broken ribs on my right side. Lesson learned? Damned dogs be strong and fast, and never put leash up over your wrist where you can't let go.

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On 4/27/2023 at 7:36 AM, Shoxthemonkey said:

I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica yesterday. I have been stiff and sore for 3 weeks but I didn't go to the doc because I knew I had my usual diabetes checkup coming up. That was a mistake on my part. When our pharmacy opens I will get started with Prednisone pills.

https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/polymyalgia-rheumatica-giant-cell-arteritis

Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are closely linked inflammatory disorders that almost always occur in people older than age 50. Polymyalgia rheumatica causes muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulders, upper arms, hip area, and sometimes the neck. The ache and stiffness are usually worse in the morning or when you have not been moving for a while. They can sometimes be very debilitating and tend to improve with activity. 

People with polymyalgia rheumatica sometimes have another disorder called giant cell arteritis, which is associated with inflammation of arteries, especially those located on each side of the head, scalp, and the aorta (the large artery that carries blood from the heart) and its main branches. Headaches, scalp tenderness, and jaw pain are common features of giant cell arteritis. If the blood vessels that nourish the eyes are affected, there may be visual problems such as fleeting or permanent vision loss or double vision. It is important to seek treatment right away if you have visual symptoms, because if left untreated they may potentially lead to permanent blindness. Giant cell arteritis is also known as temporal arteritis and Horton disease.

Both disorders generally respond well to treatment, although it is common for symptoms to recur after decreasing or stopping therapy.

Additionally, my PSA number spiked and I now have an appointment with a specialist to discuss a prostate biopsy.

Tell me all of your biopsy horror stories, please.

You really want Prostate biopsy horror stories? Really?? OK...so I had 3 before they finally found the Big C. Biopsy is bad but not as bad as you're fearing. For me it was the trocar or whatever they call the instrument that introduces the needle gun that was the most painful part. Must not be much nerve sensitivity in the Prostate cause that part was minimal, but that rod up my ass was not good. Each time I was just about to tell him to abort the procedure when the last needle was shot. Is that what you were wanting? I could talk about the bleeding if you want more. Then I can talk about a catheter hanging out of your dick for two weeks after the surgery. Fucking catheter was my biggest fear, but like the biopsy it wasn't as bad as anticipated. Plus you don't have to get up and pee all the time so there's that. But actually, the worst part was in the hospital trying to get my bowels moving since that's the requirement to go home. Trying to take a shit with a catheter hanging out of your dick and an IV stuck in your hand, and trying to not dip your hospital gown in the toilet, that right there was probably the worst part. Oh, and trying to wipe your ass with IV and catheter and flowing hospital gown. Yeah. Fuck that. 

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5 hours ago, Not that Bob said:

You really want Prostate biopsy horror stories? Really?? OK...so I had 3 before they finally found the Big C. Biopsy is bad but not as bad as you're fearing. For me it was the trocar or whatever they call the instrument that introduces the needle gun that was the most painful part. Must not be much nerve sensitivity in the Prostate cause that part was minimal, but that rod up my ass was not good. Each time I was just about to tell him to abort the procedure when the last needle was shot. Is that what you were wanting? I could talk about the bleeding if you want more. Then I can talk about a catheter hanging out of your dick for two weeks after the surgery. Fucking catheter was my biggest fear, but like the biopsy it wasn't as bad as anticipated. Plus you don't have to get up and pee all the time so there's that. But actually, the worst part was in the hospital trying to get my bowels moving since that's the requirement to go home. Trying to take a shit with a catheter hanging out of your dick and an IV stuck in your hand, and trying to not dip your hospital gown in the toilet, that right there was probably the worst part. Oh, and trying to wipe your ass with IV and catheter and flowing hospital gown. Yeah. Fuck that. 

Yep. I asked for it. I’ve already done the catheter and IV so I know what I’m in for if it comes to that. The biopsy is the unknown portion. Thanks.

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On 4/27/2023 at 7:36 AM, Shoxthemonkey said:

I was diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica yesterday. I have been stiff and sore for 3 weeks but I didn't go to the doc because I knew I had my usual diabetes checkup coming up. That was a mistake on my part. When our pharmacy opens I will get started with Prednisone pills.

https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/polymyalgia-rheumatica-giant-cell-arteritis

Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are closely linked inflammatory disorders that almost always occur in people older than age 50. Polymyalgia rheumatica causes muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulders, upper arms, hip area, and sometimes the neck. The ache and stiffness are usually worse in the morning or when you have not been moving for a while. They can sometimes be very debilitating and tend to improve with activity. 

People with polymyalgia rheumatica sometimes have another disorder called giant cell arteritis, which is associated with inflammation of arteries, especially those located on each side of the head, scalp, and the aorta (the large artery that carries blood from the heart) and its main branches. Headaches, scalp tenderness, and jaw pain are common features of giant cell arteritis. If the blood vessels that nourish the eyes are affected, there may be visual problems such as fleeting or permanent vision loss or double vision. It is important to seek treatment right away if you have visual symptoms, because if left untreated they may potentially lead to permanent blindness. Giant cell arteritis is also known as temporal arteritis and Horton disease.

Both disorders generally respond well to treatment, although it is common for symptoms to recur after decreasing or stopping therapy.

Additionally, my PSA number spiked and I now have an appointment with a specialist to discuss a prostate biopsy.

Tell me all of your biopsy horror stories, please.

You really want to know? First let me say my PSA has been as high as 15.8 but I don't have cancer. Yearly checkups are a lifesaver. I've had 5 biopsies. The first one was fine. The second one put me in the hospital because of infection which my urologist was afraid was going to turn sepsis. When my PSA hit 8+ the first time she sent me to UTSW for an MRI targeted biopsy. First day they MRI your prostate. (That's when I found out I'm claustrophobic. It didn't help they shove a probe up your butt to get a better picture. I heard the doctor ask the MRI guy if he thought I was going to pull myself out of the machine.) The second trip they use the MRI as a map to take targeted samples. They stick a tube up your butt so they can guide the needle and use a 3D pic of your prostate to "target" the bad areas. I think it's like trying to hit a bullseye at 100 yards with a .22. Unfortunately for me, the guy doing mine was a bad shot. He stuck my prostate 38 times before he could get all the areas. This is without anesthetics of any kind and no warning what was going to happen. People think blood in the urine is scary? You don't want to see what it's like when you piss straight blood. I was in shock for 24 hours before I finally calmed down. But the good thing is they have a map of my prostate and a good base of info from which to make a diagnosis. 

My doctor then left town and gave me the name of another. She told me I had cancer 2 twice. The first time she told me I had cancer, she changed her mind when they found a data entry error. The second time she told me I had it, she told me she really wasn't into prostate cancer anymore and suggested I go to UTSW in Dallas. Which was the best decision I ever made. The doc I see there is world class and focuses strictly on prostate cancer. Everything was fine for a couple of years. Then 2 years ago my PSA hit 15.8. Back to the MRI, but this time loaded up on valium. When they did the biopsy the next day, it was just the standard 9 punch variety. When I told her of my 38 hit experience she said she couldn't believe they didn't knock me out and said it was standard procedure now. Turns out the number was high because of BPH and a month of ibuprofen cut it in 1/2. With all that being said, I would do it all over again for peace of mind, knowing I'm cancer free. And I travel almost 200 miles to see my doctor at UTSW Dallas. He's a world class specialist and can run circles around all the local quacks who couldn't treat me because they had their heads stuck up their own asses. Bottom line, biopsies are better than cancer no matter how discomforting they are. And don't let internet diagnosis scare you. PSA is just a number and mean nothing without context. Find a good doctor and listen to him/her. 

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Looking at the Jamie Foxx thread over there. We won't know for sure until if/when they release an autopsy. I wouldn't be surprised if blood pressure is a major culprit. Some folks whistle past the graveyard when it comes to hypertension. Go to the doctor. Take the damn pill. Don't forget, you're not a 6 year old leaving his lunch money on the table. Take the pill. Treat your damn blood pressure. If the pill gives you boner problems, try a different one. There are hundreds of options. Treat your damn blood pressure. 

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1 hour ago, Not that Bob said:

Looking at the Jamie Foxx thread over there. We won't know for sure until if/when they release an autopsy. I wouldn't be surprised if blood pressure is a major culprit. Some folks whistle past the graveyard when it comes to hypertension. Go to the doctor. Talke the damn pill. Don't forget, you're not a 6 year old leaving his lunch money on the table. Take the pill. Treat your damn blood pressure. If the pill gives you boner problems, try a different one. There are hundreds of options. Treat your damn blood pressure. 

My aunt, who was a true Matriarch in our family, had a stroke at 73 because she quit taking her BP meds when they were caused her to gain weight. She didn't tell anyone and lay on the floor for 2 days before they found her after she was hit.  She was a big wig at SW Bell and was over the entire panhandle region at one time. Totally senseless all in the name of vanity. 

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