Oy, the tsuris!

• By daviandsteve
• Posted September 21, 2008 at 10:47 am

Sanford,

I don't know how you do it, but you always maintain your sense of humor, no matter what happens. You made me laugh when I saw the title of your posting. Your're a mensch!

But seriously, though, what happened to you sounds downright scary. Please let us know what the cardiologist says.

Davi

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• By Sanford
• Posted September 21, 2008 at 7:55 pm

Daviandsteve, I can't tell you how disappointed I was when I looked closely at your screen name; I thought is was Davidandsteve, and I was soooo happy that there were more gay men here.

:-)


I will, of course, post updates here. Meanwhile, I managed to medicate my feelings last night without using drugs; I bought an IPHONE!!!!!!!!

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• By daviandsteve
• Posted September 28, 2008 at 10:20 pm

Well, I can understand your confusion. First of all, there aren't too many women named Davi - it's really Davria, but I was only called that (along with my middle and last names for emphasis) when my mother was mad at me for some transgression. Steve usually calls me "Dave", as in "Hey, Dave, have you seen my cell phone" (or wallet, or keys)? Also, my hairdo in the photo isn't very feminine; it was taken about four months post chemo when it was barely beginning to grow in.

Have you seen the cardio doc yet? How are you feeling?

Are you enjoying your iphone?

Davi
PS - Being the Child of the Fifties that I am, and with the name that was bestowed upon me, I was a big Davey Crockett fan. I still have my badge but the coonskin cap disintegrated years ago! I yearned to be a Nancy or Barbara or Susan, though. Like the Boy Named Sue, I went through a lot of teasing; come to think of it, maybe that's why I'm so tough!

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• By Frantik
• Posted September 30, 2008 at 1:03 pm

Hi Sanford:

I'm so sorry that you were in the hospital! Very scary, especially when you don't quite understand what happened. I'm pulling for you.

-F

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• By Sanford
• Posted October 1, 2008 at 10:16 pm

Oh, it gets better. This past Monday I was back in the hospital with a spiking fever up to 103.7. All tests were negative. Waiting on test results for celiac desease.

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• By Judi-1
• Posted October 2, 2008 at 11:56 am

Interesting that you mentioned a problem with anemia since I have been struggling with that since April, following a rather difficult surgical procedure. I have made it a practice to keep copies of all of my blood work results. Most of the time, if I don't request that blood work is done, nobody suggests it. It is just the way our health care system has become. After feeling much the way you described, I requested a CBC w. diff. and it came back w. all low readings. Nobody paid much attn to it. I req. that it be repeated in a month...same results. My health is failing so miserably but, once again, it is as if I'm invisible. I have to become the squeaky wheel and insist on some aggressive treatment. Had I not done so, the Venofer infusions (iron) would not have been ordered or administered. I have had a month of infusions with minimal chg. in my status, which should be a big red flag to my health care team, but they aren't paying much attention. Am I hemorrhaging? Do I have a problem with the production of blood cells from within my bone marrow, from which the red blood cells, platelets, and most while blood cells arise (the red marrow)? These are serious concerns and it is very frustrating, but I have to be the one to make the noise to get things done. I sometimes think that they just don't care and would just as soon that I die off so they can focus on their more interesting Bariatric patients (or whatever) that really pull in the big bucks. I know that I have become cynical, but not without cause. For the first time in my life, I have developed high BP and I am exhausted all of the time. I empathize with you, I know how frustrating it is when you feel like you are falling between the cracks in the health care system. Your story is not the first I have heard, regrettably. I have a dear friend who is hesitant abt confronting doctors and as a result of his timidity, the poor guy is barely functioning and his quality of life is deplorable. The health care system is in a shambles and those of us with serious, chronic health care issues are paying the price. I wish you well.

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• By Tani
• Posted October 2, 2008 at 2:52 pm

I don't understand this anemia and low blood counts thing. I have it too. I am not bleeding from anywhere, but I keep getting so low I need 2, 3, 4 units of blood transfusion. I don't understand it, if anyone has any ideas, I would be open to hearing them.

Sanford, I hope you are feeling and doing better. That is rough.

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• By Sanford
• Posted October 2, 2008 at 3:33 pm

I've had 4 transfusions in the last 3 1/2 years. No one (including my former Nutritionist, a rather well known specialist in the field, who first referred me to Oley) has ever suggested that I get tested for Celiac which was done yesterday. I have gastroparesis, low motility, and malabsorption, and the latter can be symptom of Celiac, as can the anemia. I've had numerous colonoscopies and endoscopies (this gay man's dream - screwed at both ends. :-) and, while I have bleeding hemorrhoids, I don't bleed enough to explain the anemia, nor am I bleeding from anywhere else. My hemoglobin is regularly down around 8 and I'm apparently spewing immature red blood cells, but no one has ever biopsied my marrow, though a doctor suggested it 2 weeks ago and was squashed.

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