windsend

Health

It's a cliche that, as we age, we obsess more and more about our health.  I'm no exception, which, I guess, makes me boringly predictable, but that won't stop me from writing about it at least occasionally.  

Many years ago, when I started for the first time getting regular annual checkups, I tested as having high cholesterol so my doctor prescribed a statin.  Then a few years later I was diagnosed as 'prediabetic'.  I lost a lot of wait to forestall that eventuality, but eventually my doctor also put me on metformin to control my blood sugar.   Then I started having arthritis pain in my right hip, so I had that replace, and just last fall I had the other hip done, so now I have dual titanium and UHMWPE prostheses.

In the process of testing me before the hip operation I was discovered to have a high white blood cell count.  That lead to many more tests and an eventual diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.  I am in what they call 'stage 0 - watchful waiting'.  I guess this stage could continue for years, or this thing could rear up and do me in.

So I have diabetes, leukemia, two prosthetic hips and a drug regimen.

I should say here that I feel pretty good.  Occasional aches and pains and stiffness to be expected at my age, but nothing worth complaining about.  

But I am wondering if there is any connection between between the drugs I've taken and the ailments I suffer.  I have heard there are links from statins to muscle weakness and arthritis and to type 2 diabetes.  When is the cure worse than the disease?  

I'm Back

I'm sorry to have left this space in limbo for so long.  I am going to try to rectify that. As I approach retirement I hope to keep myself busy with more writing.  There is nothing like practice.  More soon.