PDA

View Full Version : Another man on the site


buckream
05-16-2005, 11:54 PM
Greetings all,

I would like to join the party!

I am a 49 year old male with SLE.

I was diagnosed with APS in 1991, MS in 1995, Bi-polar disorder in 1995 and Lupus in 1998. I have kinda ran the route as far as being "under the weather". Some of my symtomatic problems have been a major stroke, TIA, heart attack and sleep apnea.

The last few months have been sort of rough... in the hospital with heart problems, the kidney complications. We worked at getting my protime on the straight and narrow but lost the war... even tried the chromogenic factor X route so they canned the coumadin and put me on Lovenox. The blood worry is gone but now I have a shot twice a day. My wife says the boat-load of drugs I'm on is complete now, the same formula as they used to preserve the great Pharos of Egypt. She forbids me to croak for at least 30 years, then she won't have to have me embalmed. I tell her she should feel lucky I'm gonna stick around another 30 cause it's gonna take her that long to get my pyramid built!

I'm just a wore out old Indian (Chickasaw) that still likes to have fun and joke around (sometimes sick... well, my friends are that way. Last time I was in the hospital my best friend came to see me. Sober and serious he looked at me, trying to keep a straight face, he says, "So, if ya croak can I have your watch?" I looked at my wife, she says, "Okay by me, I think you paid 6 bucks for it at Walmart." Then this dude smiles and says, "Thats okay, I don't really want your watch... but your deer rifle would be nice!" What a guy, eh.) I am a recovering addict - alcoholic (21 years clean and straight) former smoker (5 years clean). I've got hearing aids, glasses, false teeth and braces on both legs. Shoot man, there ain't much left on me that can go to pot, I should be good to go!

My loves are my family (4 kids and 4 grandkids), writing, reading and woodworking in that order. I can't tolerate abuse of another person in any way, shape, or form.(I was physically abused until I was 15) As for the dislikes... broccoli kinda tops the chart.

That's me, just a plain, simple, humble old fun-lover with some life-setbacks. Every minute I have fun is a minute I don't have to bother being sick.

May I be part of your family?

Buck :)

Anisah
05-17-2005, 03:26 AM
Hi Buck,

:welcome:

I'm glad you found us and of course you can join the family! Eating broccoli is not a requirement, hehe.

Curious...is the MS still considered a confirmed dx, along with the APS and Lupus? Just wondering if your MS symptoms could be explained by the other dx's (although I have heard of some who do have it all!)? I have a lot of neurological involvement myself.

take care,
Anisah
:flowers:

Tom
05-17-2005, 03:36 AM
Welcome Buck :shake:

You have definately joined an elite group here! :lol: This party has lots going on. You can read through something like a million posts, make your own, or go into the chat room and bother the ladies. ;) I'll warn you now, don't dish it out if you can't take it! :P Seriously, there are many here from all over the world, and most of us have been there and done that. I have learned many things here about this disease, and how to cope with it. Hope you find it as beneficial as I have.

Thanks for making me smile today. I'm always happy to see someone like us in good spirits. It sure beats the alternative, and I have had plenty of that.

Take care and see ya around B)

Lily
05-17-2005, 06:27 AM
Welcome Buck, :welcome:

Of course you can join the party!!- the only pre-requisite is that you bring chocolate :hehe: and hold the broccoli ;) We are open all hours,this party never ends and dont forget to join us in chat sometimes - Tom gets a bit outnumbered in there :lol: although I've never seen him overwhelmed :D

I'm from Australia btw, Lupus Sjogrens & a nice side kick of CNS Vasculitis. I'm 21 with 26 years experience and I have a pretty special husband and two children who some days pass for adults (20 & 18) .

Glad you found us :)

love
Lily

buckream
05-17-2005, 07:06 PM
Thanks so much for all the great replies and the hearty welcome.

Anisah, Unfortunately the dx for the MS stands (ish). I told my Rhumy that I wanted to be reevaluated. The Neuro-doc said the dx stands. I was kinda desperate at that point to ash-can some of my ills so I went to another neuro-doc. He said the thing that got my braces on my legs wasn't APS or SLE. The MRI and spinal tap were the scale tippers along with the imbalance and limb weakness... I still have to hear things from a couple of doctors before I believe them.

For me, I have to be careful about taking for granted that "this" or "That" is a symptom of my myriad of problems. 2 years ago I began to have speech problems. They got worse... I could speak less and less (stuttering). Seeking an answer I went to the doctor repeatedly looking for relief. "We believe it to be psychologically based! You know, with all your problems... the strss and all." What a profound statement that was! He was with me ten minutes and told me it was all in my head. I went to a second doc... not to be out-dx'ed he said it was the Lupus. I went to a third, at least he didn't know (and said so)... he refered me to a, dare I say, woman Neuro-doc. She set me up with an MRI (first one that did that) and in the meantime had me see a speech pathologist... again, another she, she said it was a neuro problem, no doubt. The next day they did an MRI. It showed a grape-sized lipoma in the center of my brain, it is pressing against the pineal gland, screwing up my ability to talk. She called me in later that day... she said, "It's in your head!! but it has nothing to do with you being off your trolly (little did she know, my driveway hadn't quite met the county road for some time) she showed me the scans and said we would start on some anti-seizure meds (Lamictal) I started with 25mg x 2 and increased till it produced results. Now I take 300mg x 2 and am just as windy as I always was... the speech is the only reason to remove it for now (it stopped growing) ... let sleeping dogs lie! Besides, now I can fashionably say, "I have a lipoma making time with my pineal gland... a small brain tumor... so, I have a brain and I have the pictures to prove it! (I have MRI scans of it, I'll post it on my website later today... www.buckream.com)

Sorry I am so windy... thanks for the thumbs up to join you all.

Buck

Anisah
05-17-2005, 10:42 PM
Wow Buck, you truly do have more to deal with than anyone should have to deal with! I'm sorry. Your positive attitude shines through, that's wonderful. :goodvibes:

I'm glad you found us and I'm sure your experiences and knowledge will help us all. And I can somewhat relate to your doctor experiences - so glad that one neuro was on the ball! :rolleyes:

take care,
Anisah
:flowers:

hurley
05-18-2005, 05:31 AM
Hi Buck! Just wanted to say I enjoyed reading your posts and am looking forward to hearing more from you!!

....hugs from New Mexico.

:flowers:

Julie

here
05-18-2005, 05:53 AM
I really enjoyed your humor about it all.. I will have to remember the embalming part next time someone asks me about all my meds.

You are too funny!

Welcome to the site.

rsmurphy
05-21-2005, 02:23 AM
Hi! Buck,
And welcome.. it is good to hear from you. Please tell your wife I would like to help her build your pyramid. I found a great rock in my garden I would be happy to contribute. Hugs, and keep posting, sue m.

smiley
05-23-2005, 05:06 PM
:welcome: Greetngs Buck... it is good to meet you... and welcome.. ok i have to say it~~i'll take the broccoli~ love the stuff....your list of medications makes mine look insignificant... am taking zocor too an was started on plaquenil.. but have stopped it~why might you ask?~ cos mylupus is not too bad and the flareups do not warrant me taking the plaquenil.. was making me grouchy.. n i dont like feeling that way.. crossing fingers that when a flare up hits i dont moan and whine bout it.. but.. if I do this is where you will find me doing it lol..... keep smiling keep cracking jokes nice to see you....... :D smiley xx