• As a young kid, Gilbert writes that he was very active especially playing basketball and swimming.  It was extremely hard for him to just sit around without getting bored, as he was ful of energy and always on the move.  Sports were a major part of his life.
• His mother had a hard time giving birth to him, which later in life he feels played some major role in regards to some of his symptoms.
• His interactions with a diverse group of people helped not only develop his sometimes unique but reality based points of view but most importantly helped me be able to deal with different types of people in various sitautation and get positive results.

• Always follow your dreams and don't be afraid to take the steps to aceive your dreams whatever they may be.
• The only health cahnges that he was beginning to notice since moving north was his sinus problem was changing from wet mucus to dry mucus.
• There is nothing as painful as a migraine headache.  If you ever have one you will have no doubt what you just experienced. 

Deb

• Never take life for granted! Every single time you part from someone it could be the last time you see them so make sure you enjoy every  moment and never say anything that if you don't see them again, you will regret.
• When someone is grieving be careful what you say to him or her.   Don't say things you are not going to do like, "If there is anything you need just let me know", then when they ask for something you can't come through or if you do it is obvious you don't want to do what they asked (trust me they will be able to read it in your body language).  This does more harm than good and take it from someone who has had it happen to them by people they consider friends; it is something they will never forget, as Gilbert tells it. 
• Allow a person to grieve the way that is best for them, not for you.  You don't understand how they feel because you are not them and your advice is not always wanted.  I'm sure if they are truly your friend then they will let you know what they need, which might just be time alone. 
• Listening is the most important thing that you can do for anyone when they are grieving, dealing with a chronic health condition, or in any type of emotional pain.  Just listen!

• Several health changes started to occur over this time period aside from his migraines getting worse.  His skin started to change colors and what was described as skin poison startd to pop up regularly when he was in the sun.  Gilbert started throwing up mucus on a regular basis sometimes with blood and his weight was dropping.  He was very thirsty yet not sweating.  His crowns and caps on his teeth were starting to have problems and coming off.  "My life was now starting to be affected by these and other health changes; in other words I was starting to feel sick"
• No doctor seemed to be able to help with his health problems, especially the migraines.  It was always "sinus problems" which were "hard to treat" but "we will give you some tests and pain medicine" then send you the co-pay bill, then repeat the process over and over again.  Aside from the physical pain the mental frustration was starting to build and Gilbert talks about not being able to deal with it.

• Your health affects your social interactions with others whether in a personal or business relationship.  Gilbert talks about doing whatever you can to deal with the depression or it is destroying.  This is something much easier said than done but if you are aware of maybe you can overcome it. No matter how independent you are, everyone needs someone, especially in a health related situation.

• Basketball was becoming more difficult for Gilbert at this point, every time he played.  He mentions that basketball was his stress outlet and male bonding outlet. Some type of outlet is something we all need especially when you are sick.

   When I was able to sit up for periods of time, my PC became my lifeline.  My husbands sister would email me daily with a note...just a little note to let me know she was thinking of me.  It still brings tears to my eyes to think that she took a moment of her precious time to do this for me...as small as this may seem to someone healthy, to me it was a daily dose of something to look forward to.  Being ill teaches us much about compassion towards others 

Last edited on Sat Feb 20th, 2010 02:18 by Anthony D

• We as patients must remember it is our health at stake not the doctor's although at times you can feel so helpless.  Remember if you are not satisfied with the responses, then go to another doctor.  Don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to so that you understand your situation, if the doctor doesn't want to take the time to answer you, then leave them.  The only real power we as patients have is our money and the insurance money the doctor receives because of us.  There are good doctors out there, you just have to keep looking.
• You must trust your doctor!

For many of us, sleep is not even an option.  Gilbert also talks about this, only being able to get a couple hours of sleep a night.  I think that I have just started getting some deep sleep in the last few months.

• With all of the physical symptoms mounting on a daily basis and no relief in sight the one factor that weighed heaviest on me was the mental stress.  The mental stress involving a health condition that only continues to get worse is the hardest part to deal with.  You have got to dig deep inside your soul and trust your Faith in order to not go crazy.  Once you lose your mental ability to fight your physical situation then you are in trouble.  Find whatever works for you!

Last edited on Sun Feb 28th, 2010 08:49 by eClaire

Last edited on Tue Mar 2nd, 2010 05:14 by eClaire

You can know if it is your problem ... or someone else's problem ... depending on the answer to this question: "Can I do anything to fix this?"

If the car alarm going off is in your car, the answer is "yes".

If it's not your car and you break the window, yank out wires and stop the noise, that was a violation, not a solution.

• Keep an open mind and look at all of the options available to you from not only a medical perspective but in life period.  You never know where your answer will come from.

• Don't be afraid to talk money with a doctor or close an option just because of the cost unless you ask for your options first.  Usually something can be worked out especially if the doctor is in the profession to actually help people get over their illnesses.  If they aren't and only in it for the money then you are probably better off not trusting them with your health anyway.
• Overcome your fears any way you can.  If you had asked me earlier in life if I would ever let a person pop my spine I would have still been laughing.  However look what stopped the most painful experience I've ever endured.  You never know where the answer lies.
• If you get positive results ride the resource in every possible way you can.  If a doctor is good then it is a good chance he or she surrounds themselves with talented professionals.  In most professions whether it's sports, business or medical it takes a team environment to be successful and winners surround themselves with winners.  In today's medical environment with so many specialists this scenario has never been truer.

• Throwing up mucus and blood daily
• Sinus mucus was hard causing him to choke
• Spitting up mucus when he coughed
• Short of breath
• No energy
• Trouble talking without coughing
• Could not sleep more than two hours without a drink
• Very full after a couple bites of food
• Skin spotty
• Heels rough and cracking
• Extremely hot feeling inside but skin was cold
• Muscles getting smaller, especially legs
• Cramps becoming regular, hands, feet, legs
• Losing weight
• Facial hair thinning
• Erections had changed with less semen
• Testicles shrinking
• Hemmoroids

• One of the most important qualities a doctor or anyone for that matter can have, is the ability to listen and I mean truly listen.  In regards to a doctor/patient relationship this quality makes the doctor and the relationship results much  more positive than the doctor who thinks he already knows how you feel and what they need to do without hearing what you have to say, which is impossible. If the doctor really listens to you then the patient will feel comfortable telling the doctor what is wrong , which in many cases is extremely hard and personal.  A good doctor needs to release that powerful feeling of being in control  and allow the patient to express themselves.  As a patient we need not to be intimidated by not feeling in control of our situation and take control back.  After all we must not forget, it is our health and not our doctors.
• I now have three positive outlooks in my situation.  I am fortunate to have an employer who understands and allows me to do my job without hassles. This makes all the difference in the world when dealing with an unknown illness. I have MaShelle in my life who has become such a positive influence and companion.  It makes such a difference to have someone you can rely on when you are sick.  And I finally got to move to a home I had wanted for years.  Your living environment makes so much difference.  I went to a place that I didn't even open the shades to a place that has walls made of glass and bright sunshine and a beautiful view.  This changed my outlook although it didn't change the way I physically felt. 

It is very interesting to read of Gilbert throwing up blood and not rushing himself into the ER.  This is one symptom that I personally have never experienced with my sarc, although mine had found its way to my major organs, it seems seeing blood on such a regular basis would have been very frightening to deal with.  When I started one of the abx in the beginning of the MP I had regular nosebleeds out of the right side of my nose.  That was scary enough!

• Sometimes you don't understand or appreciate the little things in life until you can't do them anymore!
• I learned a very important lesson about people.  People don't want to tell you the truth when they think it might hurt your feelings or either they don't want to admit something might be seriously wrong with you.
• Don't be afraid to help those you love and care about in their time of need, you might only have one chance and your actions or non-actions will be in their memory forever!
• When you are at the bottom of the valley in regards to your health, Mother Nature takes over and survival become your number one instinct.  Trust your insticts and you will survive!
• Your most important body part is your mind so use it wisely.  Mental toughness is the most important asset you have when you are sick or in my case told you only have weeks if something is found out.  You must be strong mentally in order not to go crazy or fall into a deep depression, which could kill you.  Find any way possible to toughen your mental outlook because without it you are in trouble!