Maryann stated in a message dated 1/18 :"I am also a proponent of homeopothy, natural medicine, herbs, minerals and vitamins. Try some of the natural health threads. I know this is not for all since we were raised with a mindset to take a drug for all that ails us."
Maryann, please forgive the belated response to your first message. Anyway, re: "natural medicines", Melissa has been hitting the books in earnest to find ways to improve my chances of fighting this thing. The "seed implant" is one thing we both agreed on because they have an impressive track record treating people in my little niche of cancer progression. Beyond that, she is pretty well steeped in a well rounded knowledge of nutrition, vitamins, etc. I am continually impressed at her powers of retention. I told her that she would soon be herbalist to the whole family, in-laws are calling her and asking for info on various problems. I watched her go through this when she decided to become a landscape designer....she knows more about plants than *anyone* I have ever met, and absolutely bores me to tears with it at times....my standard replies are: "I trust your judgement", and "No I don't think you are charging too much" Beyond that, I simply have no interest in it other than to enjoy the fruits of her hard labor!
In return, I make an earnest effort not to bore her with computer related topics....I have only in the last few weeks managed to convince her of the benefits of e-mail. All her friends are giving her e-mail addresses and she finally asked me "what do I do with these?" But then, we're the "odd couple" anyway, I'm 6'2" tall, and she is 5'1" tall, and both of us said we'd never date anyone as short/tall as we are!<g> Ah, but I ramble, that is only because I am enjoying a break from the anxiety of this.
I broke down and started taking my "brain fuel" tabs again today. I have not been taking them because they contain gingko biloba and I was not wanting to thin my blood too much. But I decided today there would be no harm. I am feeling *MUCH* better, high state of mental acuity, almost "buzzed". I can only speak for myself, but this particular vitamin/herb/mineral supplement works very well. I am considering ditching the paxil altogether at some point after I recover from all of this. Supposedly I am "bi-polar", I dunno, I have mood swings, rather dramatic ones at times, witness today as a sign of the "upward curve". Like the weather in Maine, if you don't like my mood just stick around for a day or two!
>>>>However, we can only educate ourselves and then come to a decision as to what is best for us. I really beleive we are going to play a bigger part in our own care in the future. I was reading on another thread where the wife had breast cancer. When she was sent home, she and the family had to learn how to do nursing care for her recovery.<<<<
Signs of the times I suppose....(sigh), I have heard some surprisingly frank statements from several doctors about the power that HMO's are starting to exert on the medical industry, I guess the "easy money" is going out the window. One thing that is particularly irksome is the amount of money needlessly expended on radical prostatectomies for medicare patients who are 70+ years old. A 70 year old man has no business having that procedure, for *ANY* reason IMHO, but the government continues to shell out millions of dollars for them, along with diagnostic tools like bone scans which are needed in only about 2% of *ALL* prostate cancer patients....but let's not go there right now, I don't want to blow my mood!
Cheers, thanks, and many happy returns,
Hubert |
