Actually, my health has been fairly good but my hubby has had a rough couple of years. First he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent 44 radiation treatments and then in December of 2013, he had triple bypass surgery. There really was no warning for his heart surgery and we were actually in Cuba when he started to feel a bit strange. My hubby is 15 years older than me but generally in very good health. Unlike me, he goes for regular checkups. While we were in Cuba, he started to get a bit winded and had terrible heartburn but other than that, he felt fine. We didn't think much of it. When we returned to Canada, he already had a doctor's appointment scheduled and thankfully he went. He was immediately sent for a stress test which he failed and then an angioplasty. He had his surgery within 1 week of our return. Its been over a year since his surgery and its like he's been reborn. Now he is healthier than I am..lol I guess the reason for this post is to let people know that even in their 70's people can recover from many serious ailments. Medicine has come a long way.
I am sorry to hear of your husband's problems, but pleased that he has recovered. During most of my life, I have always had low blood pressure and a very slow pulse rate. I was also diagnosed with prostate cancer a few years ago, and went through a few months of three radiation treatments per week. So far, my numbers are still good, so the cancer hasn't come back, but the treatments (or just the time of my life, perhaps) seems to have kicked off a succession of other problems. It still hurts for me to sit for long periods of time, yet sitting behind the computer is pretty much what I do for a living. Plus, now my blood pressure is high, my blood sugar is teetering on being high, and my cholesterol is at the point where my doctor would like me to take anti-cholesterol medications, but not insisting. I lost some weight a while ago, and was able to bring my cholesterol levels back to normal, yet my regular doctor still didn't want to take me off of the medication, Lipitor, which gave me restless leg syndrome. I found another doctor, without telling her that I had been taking Lipitor, and she didn't suggest it. However, I've gained some of the weight back, although not all of it, and my cholesterol is now at a level where she wants me to take Statin drugs. I really hate falling apart.
I hear you getting older is not easy. I too battle with the blood pressure, I have lost quite a bit of weight and try very hard to eat well and exercise. It certainly is not as easy as it used to be. I can totally identify with the sitting being painful part. I was in a car crash in 2008, hit from behind by some girls going to fast for the road conditions. I was at a light sitting still, kinetic energy is no joke- thank the graces I had my foot on the brake or I would have surely been killed by the traffic in the other lane. . Ended up with every vertebra in my neck either ruptured or bulging. One of the bulges sits on my spinal cord and it is far from pleasant. You would think that something like that would be considered a disability, but nope. It has taken a very long time but I finally have been able to do stuff again. It might sound crazy but weight training has been the best thing for me yet, I had a trainer tell me he could show me how to stop my back from hurting and he did! You just can't give up, when your told you have to use it or you'll lose it it's no joke. Do the things you love and be happy. Betty I am glad your husband was one of the lucky ones, the guy that was to be my husband died of a sudden heart attack at age 43. They can do so much these days with medicine. You hang in there and take care of yourself, I can't even begin to imagine the stress.
Your last line holds true for many of us, Ken. We all hate falling apart. As to the prostate cancer, I am glad to hear the cancer hasn't come back or spread and I know from my hubby that the side effects of radiation (or old age) are sometimes worse than the disease. He also has good numbers on his PSA but still suffers after affects of the radiation. ie: burning sensation, not as much control as he once had etc.Its a hard thing to handle when you no longer have control over bodily functions in your body. I won't say its at a really bad state but he has had accidents. The thing is the cancer center say part of it is the radiation, perhaps but getting older is also a factor. Sheesh, its no picnic to get older.
I am so sorry, Jenn about your loss. 43 is such a young age to die of a heart attack. We were lucky, my hubby never suffered a heart attack.We were told if he had, his chances of survival were not good. I guess I am lucky in that he is very health conscious as far as having things checked with the doctor. He wishes I was more like him.. Because he checks things regularly, the blockage was found and dealt with. We never expected him to have heart trouble because he has always been an active man but I guess , some life choices have a lot to do with it. It has been a very stressful few years and I'm hoping he is through the worst of everything. Fingers crossed.
It is hard to make adjustments to life as we get older and our bodies want to have a say in what we do much louder that before. I find that I have more pain in my joints than before and some days the stairs are a little bit of a challenge. Last year was a difficult year for my family also, my daughter had colon cancer surgery which took the family by surprise. She has completed her treatment and will have a review of the progress of the medication she was given next month. It has been a long hard journey.
Yes I agree, our bodies do seem to scream out at times, don't they. I'm sorry to hear about your daughter and hope that the treatment was successful, Pat.Please take care and keep us up to date!