I am dooomed.... Okay anyway... just found out my uncle on my dad's side was diagnosed and treated for prostate AND bladder cancer earlier this year. Also found out that my paternal grandmother also had growths in her thyroid, like I do. This was before she was diagnosed with lupis later, which she died of related complications. So in addition to diabetes, sprue and lupis, there's now cancer and the thyroid weirdness. Also, the more I think about it, more than any of my cousins, I take after that paternal grandmother, both the appearance (tall, thin, red hair, big blue eyes) and the temperament. Apparently now it's the metabolism and the medical issues too. She was always my favorite grandmother and I always wanted to be more like her, but this is ridiculous. I need a drink or something...
Also... my uncle appears to be doing fine and has gone back to work and he didn't bother to tell me when he called on my birthday.
The positive side is that you now know of these "Potential" medical issues and can prepare and find work arounds...
True that. Talked to the uncle with the cancer and he did not let on at all that anything happened this year, said he was "great" and everything was fine. Which is typical Aldridge, playing it cool to avoid worrying your family. My grandmother never let on anything to her sons, but she'd fill my mom in and then my uncles would call her to ask "what's up with Mom?" So now, I'm getting the "need to know" thing from one uncle, while the other uncle is at least "letting slip" that something's up and keeping me in the loop. So yeah, I feel like part of the family more than ever. Oh well, my take away is to keep an eye out for such things and to make sure Madeline knows to start checking her thyroid at or by the age the 30. My grandmother was awesome. She was diagnosed with Lupis in her mid-sixties and in spite of that, lived another decade and a half before dying of complications, which is amazing for someone diagnosed with that. I never knew she had lupis until not long before she passed and I had no clue, because she was so strong and warm and full of grace and never let it get her down or let it show at least. I guess that's what I saw in Meister and why it tore me up so to hear of him suffering and of his passing. Really amazing, really tough/strong guy who still kept it all together and got a lot out of life in spite of such adversity and pain. When I was a little girl and ever since all I wanted was to be more like my grandmother in that way. I figure its the least I can do for my daughter now. Okay, I guess I'm not done crying. :doh:
Okay, I'm on track to get healthier and live longer, even if it means living long enough to develop lupus, dang it! Went to the doctor on Wednesday and she said that all my numbers look good with the exception of my cholesterol (still slightly elevated) and my blood sugars (getting higher). The cholesterol is most likely stress-related, while the blood sugar is something I'm now working on. Looks like the growth in my thyroid is stable and my thyroid function is within bounds, so I ain't dying of anything just yet. :muscle:
Great news. Now, STOP worrying about your stabilized health and go enjoy life. Stress can be managed with happy thoughts and doing things that you enjoy...
