Health Followup

Lessons for living.

Beach selfies with Bea | Sea air is the best medicine

Today, I saw an osteopath doctor for the first time in over 30 years paying for Kaiser health insurance. I didn’t know they provided this type of doctor. The angel on the phone Sunday suggested it! Did you know that in 2021 there were 117,000 practicing osteopath doctors in the U.S.? That’s not a lot considering the population. In a nutshell they are a “whole person” approach doctor. I have no idea why I didn’t know Kaiser provided this type of doctor or why someone like me wouldn’t be tracked over to one?

It took 30 minutes to tell me that three years ago, before the doors shut, I never needed a statin drug. I never needed to be told “you are at high risk for stroke or heart-attack.” I never needed an extremely high dose, or any dose at all. At the point of diagnosis, I wasn’t even asked about my family history, which spoke of no reason for me to have a statin… and, I was completely caught offguard with a pending world-wide pandemic. I am not alone.

My calls and questions to the doctor were brushed off and I gave up sometime in 2021 and found energy for “other symptoms” and new medical things.

I was also told today that if I had been high risk for strokes or heart-attacks inherently, my dose would have actually started out much smaller.. and if I had had diabetes, or a heart condition, to begin with, I would not be able to quit my statin cold-turkey… like I did today. Another scare tactic when I cried out and wanted to quit. I was also told I have excellent cholesteral and at my age (over 50) “hardening of the arteries” is a natural progression. Eating healthy and exercise are just common sense.

I am here to tell you that this three year health ride, clouded in emotional pain and grief, with no doctor willing to tell me I didn’t need this statin, has been real. I have absorbed this meeting all day long and have come to several conclusions:

• I thought I had lost all confidence and trust in the medical community. But for yesterday and today. I will keep hope alive.

• My long and extra painful walk is perhaps over. But is it? Let it go. Don’t let it go. How much have you had to let go?

• I’m beyond relieved and angry at the same time. Let it go. Do I sound like the original Frozen now?

• How on earth did I get swept up, through simple back xrays into this mess? How did I not take my mind back to a two-hour long lecture we attended on the state of prescription drugs and “statins” in 2015? The entire health lecture from a 40-year oncology nurse wreaked with this scenario.

• “Hey Deb, (God talking) you have dealt with a lot and with all of it, or most of it, you have managed to keep going. You are here!! and you are sooooo blessed! Maybe the fact that you “thought” you were high risk for heart issues saved you from making another decision to vaccinate?” Myocarditis is on the rise since the vaccines. A fact that many very well respected doctors and scientists are talking about. Deep thoughts.

Honestly, I am torn up but I have learned that in all seasons, we must walk right through them and allow space for healing and forgiveness. So I will take this to prayer and seek gratitude for what feels like a new beginning. Truly.

For many people, statin drugs and other drugs have been life saving. I respect that. I also respect that quality of life has more than likely improved because of them. For me and many others certain drugs have more than likely been completely unnecessary., taking quality years off of our lives. Also, for us “weird ones” drugs and vaccines have been detrimental to our health, even when needed or worked just fine for others. I am that person that got deathly ill from the flu shot 7 years straight, the person that got the 1% rash and had a “urachal cyst” as an adult (rare). How did I do three years on this statin? “high risk. heart attack. stroke.” key words.

What an excellent example of getting caught up in listening to a perfect stranger, despite the respect of their education and higher position in life? In the end I am the one living with myself - doesn’t that make me a bit more qualified in knowing how I feel? It was truly up to me to demand the energy of myself and the energy of the medical field. In turn, I needed their respect and energy as well. I failed, they failed and I accepted my quality of life. So yeah, I fought back with the vaccine I guess. I’m happy I did. For many it worked. But maybe not for me.

This leaves me with my last and most important thought. In a “normal” world we must look at the whole person and we must consider our individual health. I’ve had a saying lately, “there are 20 things to every thing.” The old-fashioned bed-side mannered healthcare worker is conscientiously (or not) fighting a heavy system. Rather than seeing the entire human being, something we apparently deeply value in our modern world, we are seen as cattle pushed through a field, by a working dog, inserted into our pens for generic slop. This is why many people made individual “choices” for themselves during the pandemic and this generic attitude is why many were shamed for their choice.

Individuality burned up at the side of the road.

I am not a symptom.

I am a whole person.

My questions are as valid as one’s expertise.

In all things.

I am uniquely wired.

and so are you.

Looking forward to opening up a *chat this Thursday and hope you join in! *Information on how to get the Substack app was sent in a prior email :)