Hey Boomers, I just figured it out. We’re doomed!

Think about it. The more we learn the more dire our circumstances. A used-to-be good friend who is a Baby Boomer as well, once told me, “Dillon, there’s a book out there for every (creative language deleted) who can read.”

This was after a heated debate about some long since forgotten subject, where I used the latest written research as proof that my theory was the correct one. I never forgot that. She was right then, and it carries through to this day.

Don’t Believe Boomers are Doomed?

I’ve read books, magazines and articles that will explain in great detail how sugar, butter, tobacco, salt, tv, cell phones, laying down, sitting up, running, swimming, weight lifting, church, crowds, solitude, commuting, airplane seats, etc., will take you out.

Then I’ve read books, magazines and articles that will explain in great detail how, sugar, butter, tobacco, salt, tv, cell phones, laying down, sitting up, running, swimming, weight lifting, church, crowds, solitude, commuting, airplane seats, etc., are not harmful and as a matter of fact are good for you.

Okay, some of that was tongue in cheek, but you should get my drift.

Some Boomers abuse themselves daily with booze, tobacco, cholesterol-laden foods, illicit drugs, over-the-counter drugs and pretty much anything else they want to do, and will live to be 100.

Other Boomers . . . never took a drink of alcohol, watched what they ate, exercised daily, did all the so-called “right” things, and died of “natural causes” before they reached the age of 30. Go figure.

Now there is a study out (that aforementioned book) that says you can do all the right things like, exercise daily, eat right and get plenty of sleep, But guess what? You are still no doubt going to die of a heart attack, or as they stated, “clutching your chest.”.

You know why Boomers Get the Raw Deal?

Because we’ve had the nerve and tenacity to try to do the right thing and take care of business.Now, if you are lucky enough to be gainfully retired you can remember when . . .

You worked hard for your education, whether formal schooling or on the job. You did what it took to get a job and be gainfully employed. You went to work every day. You put in eight hours, six or more sitting at your desk, diligently performing your duties. If overtime was offered, you volunteered. More desk time.

So The Problem Is, We Gotta Do What It Takes To Get Off Our Asses!

Look at the normal routine. We’d get up in the morning and go sit (you know where.) We got dressed and grabbed something to eat. We sat in the car or in mass transit. We got to work and sat at the desk. We sat at lunch. Sat on the way home. Sat at home. Then went to bed and started all over again the next day.

Simple as that. You’re doing (or did) the “right” thing. Chasing the American Dream. Now I can tell you, ’cause I read the articles, (that aforementioned book, again) if you are still doing the same routine, and many of us are, you are Sitting yourself up for a heart attack.

Why Should Boomers Incorporate Exercise As A Lifestyle?

Because there’s that “book” out there now that proves it. If you sit at your desk (or just sit period) for hours on end, you are killing yourself slowly.

Here is the article.  http://bit.ly/BoomersStandTall and by the way, this excludes no one. Short, tall, skinny or fat . . . we are all in this.

Read it, follow the instructions, Stand Up, and let me know what you think.

Good Health and Success is a Lifestyle you deserve, Live Well.

CK Dillon

Charles@CreateVitality.Com

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By Contributing Author: Kyle Dillon a.k.a. (*Nado P.)

Wow! What a Difference

To my surprise I began to feel  different, less pain. Something was working. His adjustments immediately brought me temporary relief. For you who knock chiropractors, I say, try it before you pass judgment.

My Dilemma . . . Insurance or the Lack thereof

At the time I was attending school, unemployed and about to turn 22 years old. At 22 I’d no longer be covered by my parent’s health insurance; a remedy was needed.

My chiropractor suggested an MRI, because prior X-rays hadn’t shown any obvious causes. The MRI showed exactly what he expected, a disc herniation in my L5/S1 disc. In my opinion . . .

Until I was removed from my parent’s insurance, the chiropractic adjustments worked wonders. I was able to move around pain-free, but nothing lasts forever. I still needed a plan in case I, like too many Americans, ended up without insurance. And no, even though I have my feelings about it, I won’t get into the politics of national health care.

Fast Forward to Now

Several  years have passed and I’m still living with the disc herniation challenge, and basic health-care, which does not cover pre-existing conditions. Over that time I’ve had several employers, none of whom  provided full coverage insurance for pre- existing injuries.

Self Care #1: Relieve Stress

I had to make changes.  Some negative stresses have come and gone and I’m sure they have contributed to the ups and downs I’ve experienced with this injury.

Today I am happy to say that intensely stressful days are a part of my past. No longer do I worry myself silly about  little stressful  situations. And I try to mentally make them all “little.”

In an attempt to control stress I took things into my own hands. Number one, I moved to the North Carolina foothills, to meet and be around family. That was a great move. Being around family works!

Self Care #2: Do Something You Love

I’ve started my own independent record label, and yes it is stressful being in my own business, but the stress is different. I welcome it. I no longer work for someone else just to struggle to make ends meet. If I am going to struggle, I’ll do it for myself.

A much less stressful  life is what I live now, filled with health and wellness. I strive daily to keep negative stress to a minimum.

It is like the domino effect. I did one thing and others soon followed.

Self Care #3: Check the Nutrition

I take a daily liquid multivitamin provided by GBG, a company I market. It is amazing how much better I felt, almost immediately after my first sip. Next  I cut way back on the unhealthy foods I was eating. I called them “survival foods.” I read labels now.

Self Care #4: Exercise for the Health of it

And finally, I have gotten back to regularly exercising. What a difference a year makes!

The Moral of My Story

At one time I felt surgery was going to be my only option, however, once I changed my lifestyle and bad habits,  I rarely experience any pain or negative tension.

I’m not saying it is easy to change and it may not work for everyone. It is surely not a quick “fix,” but I can attest to the fact that due to the way I’m currently living, it’s working for me.

My suggestion? Consult with your doctors first. If they agree that you can go without immediate surgery, try improving your quality of living before opting for the last straw.

My research suggested that having a single back surgery won’t always solve the problem. Often a second and/or third surgery is needed. So I made a decision to . . .

“Try Nature’s Way First, ‘Cause You Never Know!”

See Part 1: Herniated Disc?

K. M. Dillon (Nado  P.)

Molten Rock Music

http://moltenrockmusic.com

This Article was Submitted by Contributing Author Kyle Dillon. Thanks Kyle.

CK Dillon

Support@CreateVitality.Com

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By Contributing Author: Kyle Dillon a.k.a. (*Nado P.)

Several years ago while playing basketball on an outdoor court I experienced a bad fall.

My Life Changed in an Instant

It all happened in an instant as I jumped up for a rebound, was undercut by another player,  and fell to the concrete, causing my ankle, knee, and hip to twist painfully. In that moment my life changed forever.

Over the next few days I sat around home applying home remedies with my leg raised, such as applying ice and using a heat pad. Within a few weeks my knee and ankle were pretty much healed, however, the worrisome pain in my hip had begun to migrate into my lower back and didn’t seem to be going away.

Home Remedies to the Rescue

In an effort to relieve that pain, I began to rest by laying down with both feet raised above my body; this technique helped to an extent and did relieve the tension at night, somewhat.

I have always been athletic so just as I had done in the past when dealing with minor injuries, I felt that icing, resting and stretching would help in the healing process.

Not This Time

I had never had an injury that didn’t heal in a matter of weeks, so this was a new experience for me.

Another month went by with no improvement. I became concerned that this was a bit more intense than I first suspected so I made an appointment with my physician.

Doc looked me over, prescribed pain pills, and said, “Continue what you’re doing and eventually proper rest will cause the pain to go away.”

But I’ve Got Things To Do!

At the time my life was moving full throttle and I was transferring  to a new school, relocating from the San Francisco Bay Area to Long Beach, CA. Suddenly my athletic future was, like San Francisco, a little bit foggy.

After settling in Long Beach, I was about 45 minutes from school on a good day. If you are unfamiliar with Los Angeles traffic, a 45 minute ride can instantly become a 2 or 3 hour nightmare commute.

Daily driving for several hours, pushing a clutch and brake, in stop-and-go traffic, caused more stiffness in my back muscles. The pain became worse by the day.

Stop What You’re Doing

On more than one occasion I experienced such excruciating pain that I literally fell to the floor where I had to lay for hours until the pain alleviated itself.

After one such event, I couldn’t take the pain and called for another appointment with a doctor.

This time I was referred to a physical therapist who basically did nothing for me, but charge my insurance. I went to him for a few weeks and came away with absolutely zero positive results.

Back to the doctor I went. This time I was referred to a chiropractor! Chiropractors have gotten such a bad rap, I immediately knew this too would be useless. But I had to try something. Anything.

The Prognosis

After describing the pain I was enduring to the chiropractor, he told me, “What you seem to be experiencing is known as [i]Sciatica.”

I asked, “How did I manage to get Sciatica?” He said, “It could be multiple reasons, but I think your  problem may be due to a disc herniation.”

I’m thinking, “I’m an athlete, a student, and I don’t have time for this.” This news to me was very discouraging.

After discussing my situation and helping me understand what was going on, the chiropractor convinced me that he could give me a few adjustments that might help.  With nothing to lose, I agreed.

See Part 2: Wow! What a Difference

This Article was Submitted by Contributing Author Kyle Dillon. Thanks Kyle.

CK Dillon

Support@CreateVitality.Com

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Hello Fellow Baby Boomers

Today I’m changing gears so to speak. I’m going to add something to my exercise routine that I have wanted to do for years, but never took the initiative to put into action.

I’ve always been active, sticking to a specific exercise regimen at every stage of life. Over the past few months, however, I have had some challenges that were totally unexpected.

Due to those challenges I spent the majority of the last six months rehabilitating my shoulder and not much else in the way of exercise.

Most of my life I have concentrated on strength training by lifting weights. Within the last few years, however, I’ve added swimming for the aerobics, which according to my doctor played a big part in my set-back not being as intense as it could have been.

So being in fairly good condition aided me in my rehabilitation and I consider myself at about 75% of where I was pre-November.

Hurry Up and Wait

In November, after I was diagnosed, my physician told me to lay off the weights for awhile. That was a bit of a shock.

You see, I began weight training around the age of 14 after earning my first-ever paycheck of $21.67 as a dishwasher at a local restaurant. With the proceeds I made an initial investment of $21.14 in my health; a 110 lb. Joe Weider weight set. Probably the best investment I ever made.

Until five years ago that set was still complete. I mistakenly loaned all but one 20 lb dumbbell to someone whom I considered a friend. To shorten the story, he was evicted and disappeared. So did my weights. Lesson learned.

For the next phase of life I want to take advantage of what I have heard referred to as the “life-enhancing benefits” of yoga?

Yoga Is Healthy Living

Since I write a blog about healthy living for baby boomers, I thought I’d, once again, practice what I write about. One of the aspects I research and write about is relieving stress and everyone I know who practices Yoga regularly seems to have their stress levels under control. They seem to be so at peace. I want to taste that.

My shoulder requires gentle stretching exercises for rehab and it appears Yoga is the key for me to create vitality, strength and flexibility.

Baby Boomers and Yoga

Baby Boomers, myself included, can benefit from Yoga as a well travelled path to health and vitality, by staying involved in life and taking action to stay healthy.

By making yoga part of my daily routine, I hope to develop and maintain fitness and a relaxed attitude that will have me enjoying every minute to the fullest.

I’ll keep you posted from time to time on my progress. Wish me luck.

Namaste,

CK Dillon

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Vitamin D

We have been told time and again that vitamin D, an immune enhancer, is essential to good health. So let the sun shine in!

Some Benefits of Vitamin D

Research has shown vitamin D appears to play an important role in the prevention of diseases, such as:

• breast cancer
• colon cancer
• prostate cancer
• chronic fatigue
• decline in cognitive function
• depression
• diabetes
• hypertension
• multiple sclerosis
• osteoporosis
• rheumatoid arthritis

There are also studies which have shown that Vitamin D increases the survival rate in people who suffer from malignant melanomas, a type of skin cancer.

Cholecalciferol

Cholecalciferol, a form of vitamin D found naturally in fish-liver oils (vitamin D₃₎ and egg yolks, is also the particular kind of vitamin D that’s formed by the action of sunlight, when our skin is exposed to the sun.

O.k, it’s settled. It’s common knowledge that we get vitamin D from the sun and certain foods. The challenge is, there are myriad influences that impact our body’s ability to produce enough vitamin D from the sun, such as the:

• angle of sunrays
• season of the year
• time of day
• body’s age
• use of proper sunscreen
• individual’s pigmentation

Other Sources of Vitamin D

Just as importantly, we can receive important sources of vitamin D from several sources such as oily fish, like salmon, sardines and mackerel. We can also benefit from drinking fortified orange juice and dairy products.

The Challenge

So even though it is established that we all need vitamin D, not everyone is alike. While soaking in the rays from the sun for equal amounts of time, our individual body’s consumption levels will be different.

Why? We all have different sensitivities to the sun’s rays. A darker skinned person may be able to absorb more exposure than a lighter skinned person with less harmful effects.

Even if we eat the recommended amounts of fish or juices, the nutrients in that food may be lacking. We just cannot know how much fish or how many oranges to eat to acquire sufficient levels of vitamin D.

The Solution

There is, however, a method of avoiding deficiencies due to an incorrect diet or lack of sufficient sun. That would be to fortify our diets with a nutritional supplement.

GBG’s 10-in-ONE Chewable Multivitamin

GBG’s 10-in-ONE Multivitamin is an exacting source of the correct daily intake recommended. Check out GBG’s 10-in-ONE today . . . or sooner. . . like, Right Now! It is an easy way to fulfill your daily intake requirements. You’ll be glad you did.

Thanks for reading.

Good Health and Success is a Lifestyle You Deserve, Live Well,

CK Dillon

Support@CreateVitality.Com

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Every day I realize and give thanks as to how fortunate I am. I’ve not been one to spend a lot of time in or around a hospital in my lifetime.

Healthy Boomers . . . Take Note  

I can count the times on one hand that I have had to go to the hospital and on that same hand I can count the days that I was a resident.

Those aforementioned days all came a few months ago when I was suddenly snatched out of my self-imposed euphoria of the excellent health myth.

I was the one healthy Boomer in my circle of Baby Boomer friends and relatives who took absolutely no prescribed medicines. And that was my brag.

I’ve got good genes evidently. My grandma lived to be 95 and was never in the hospital until she passed 93 years of age. My mom only recently spent her first days as a hospital resident and she is 79.

Prior to November 2010, I had never been admitted to a hospital. Initially it was quite unnerving when the lead doctor, after discussing my condition with his team who was screening me said, and I’m paraphrasing here, “you’ve got a few issues and they want to admit you.”

At first it was obvious to him I was stunned when, as my record of no hospital stays hung in the balance, I said nervously, “Do you mean now, like . . . today? Maybe I should go home and think about it.” I was thinking maybe I’d wait till the holidays were over and get a retest that would prove my conviction that I was, in fact, o.k.

He made eye contact with me and unsmilingly said, “Right now, today.” He had no way of knowing, but it was his no-nonsense, honest and straight-forward demeanor that got my attention.

I’ve never experienced chest pain, other than an attack of gas once or twice a year, and had learned to live with a slight shortness of breath that had become persistent over the last few months. So in my mind, I didn’t have any problems.

Well, despite my best efforts, my record came crashing down that day and I was admitted to Carolinas Medical Hospital, specifically the Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute.

It had to be the luckiest day of my life.      

Stress tests confirmed an erratic heartbeat, and still in denial, my thought was I would be prescribed a ‘magic pill’ and sent home by five o’clock. In hindsight I realize how naive I was trying to hang on to a record that meant nothing to anyone but me.

As for hospital stays, all I had to go on was comments of others who only seemed to have horror stories and negativity about their stay in other establishments.

If you ever have the unfortunate circumstance to spend a few days in the hospital, my hope is you will be fortunate enough to be admitted to Carolinas Medical.

Every person with whom I had contact, from the doctors, to the nurses, to the dietician, was professional and courteous. I am still amazed at the  lengths the staff went to in order to make my stay comfortable.

For my first, and hopefully only, stay in a hospital I could not have scripted it any better.

Since I was dismissed from Sanger on Thanksgiving day, I feel better, breathe easier and am getting back to exercising with regularity.

When I was in denial, I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

Carolinas Medical and Sanger Institute

If any of you reading this just happens to work for Carolinas Medical or the Sanger Institute, you can be proud of your organization.

They have what they call a WOW card that can be filled out to give recognition to certain people who gave excellent care.

This article is my WOW card to everyone who cared for me in my time of need.

Again I offer my sincere thanks for making my time of uncertainty less stressful. You all have proven yourselves to be professionals.

CK Dillon

createvitality2010@gmail.com

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Hey everybody. Thanks for dropping by.

As you all know, I tend to be open minded and will share my points of view freely. Today’s article will be about one of those opinionated subjects  that I am a bit more adamant about and somewhat inflexible.

This time, “It’s Personal.”

It has been a few months since my last publication appeared here on CreateVitality.Com and I have many reasons, but no excuses. During that time my life took some turns that were unforeseen. Those turns needless to say, got my attention.

My closest friends already know the intimate details so I won’t belabor them.

In that time, while still being very  good to me, life taught me a few lessons. I discovered some things about myself that I am especially proud of. Like the fact that I walk the talk.

By that I mean, I don’t promote ‘do as I say, not as I do’. If I promote something  in an article, you can bet I have tried it myself or know someone who has.

That being said, I had the opportunity last fall to follow my own advice. I had written an article last summer about it so, long story short, I went to my doctor’s office and had a complete physical.

I have always been a proponent of pro-activity, i.e., catch something early and you can do something about it, but like most men in my community, I put it off. I felt like I was o.k.

Well my wife, who is not one to let something slide said, over and over, until I got tired of hearing it,  ”you write about health, you need to follow your own advice.”

Studies have shown that when it comes to our health, we Black men are inclined to put off testing etc., until some minor condition, suddenly culminates  with us going to emergency. “Ignore it and it will go away”, is a common way of thinking.

Well, I got the physical and went home to await the results that would come in a few days. Surprisingly my doctor called that same afternoon and had already scheduled me for more tests at Sanger Heart and Vascular Clinic. He told me to back off my exercise routine until after the tests.

The Prognosis

Turns out I had (have) an irregular heartbeat, which explains why I was having shortness of breath at times. At the beginning of my workouts I would be short-winded, then it would level out and I could continue. Since I had not exercised as often as usual that month, I just ass-u-me-d I was out of shape.

During all of the stress tests at the clinic, the nurse kept asking me if I was ok. My heartbeat was all over the place. I was so used to working out that I worked through the discomfort and kept it moving. At one point the nurse asked how I got to the clinic and was there someone who could pick up my car. My heartbeat was so erratic she planned to have me admitted to the hospital, right then!

After conferring with my doctor she learned I have Sarcoidosis and it may be causing the problem. They decided it was alright for me to drive and not be admitted that day. Mind you, in all this time I never had any discomfort.  Nothing I would consider a ’symptom’ of anything more serious.

Fast-Forward to Now

Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to be admitted to a hospital (Sanger Heart and Vascular) for the first time in my life.

I say opportunity because due to that decision, and three-day stay, I am in better health than I was last fall, even though I had no knowledge that I had a health problem. My health problem was serious enough that I could not be here now. And I had no clue.

The Conclusion

So what am I advocating? Be pro-active. Get the check-ups. Get tested. You don’t know what you don’t know.

Imagine: I went to get the physical mostly to be a man of my word, and to appease my wife. I came away with an extension on my life.

If that is not a good reason to be pro-active, what is?

Good Health and Success is a Lifestyle You Deserve, Live Well.

CK Dillon

828-351-9770

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Boomers, Do You Know Your Blood Pressure?

The term blood pressure refers to the force which is applied by your blood, as it pushes against the walls of your arteries.

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Your particular blood pressure depends on several factors; the strength of the heartbeat, the thickness of your blood, the volume of your blood, the elasticity of your artery walls, and last but not least, your general health.

It’s Vital That We Know Our Blood Pressure

Why should we check our blood pressure regularly? Because frankly, if you’re like me, we don’t need any more surprises!

High blood pressure is sneaky. Often while displaying no symptoms at all, it can be the cause of serious health problems, including, but not limited to, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure and stroke.

Blood pressure normally rises with age and body size so this information applies to everyone.

We boomers have managed to have a pretty good time over the last 60 years, and many of us are now discovering that we could have taken better care of our bodies.

You’ve probably heard the statistics; with our diets heavy on the salt, and so on, we experience an above average incidence of high blood pressure (HBP) within our community.

Symptoms

Most of the time, there are no symptoms, but some symptoms that may occur include:

• Chest pain
• Confusion
• Ear noise or buzzing
• Irregular heartbeat
• Nosebleed
• Tiredness
• Vision changes

If you have a severe headache or any of the symptoms above, see your doctor right away. These may be signs of a complication of dangerously high blood pressure called malignant hypertension.

So Have Your Blood Pressure Tested ASAP!

A blood pressure test is normally done by your doctor’s office or a clinic and there are some precautions you can take before your test.

Steps you should take 30 minutes prior to the test:

• Don’t drink any coffee.
• Don’t smoke cigarettes or tobacco of any kind. This may cause a short-term rise in your blood pressure.
• Go to the bathroom, because if you have a full bladder it can alter your blood pressure reading.
• Sit for 5 minutes immediately before the test, because movement can cause short-term rises in blood pressure.

During the Blood Pressure Test

In order to measure your blood pressure, a health professional will use either some type of gauge, stethoscope or electronic sensor, and a blood pressure cuff.

Ordinarily you will be asked to sit or lie down and they will attach a blood pressure cuff around your arm. Your doctor or nurse will then check your blood pressure. Always ask the results of the test, even if they don’t offer you the information up front. You need to know your numbers.

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Diagnosing High Blood Pressure

The ranges for normal blood pressure and HBP are based on the average blood pressure numbers for age, gender, and height.

What Does a Diagnosis of High Blood Pressure Mean?

If you’re diagnosed with HBP, you will need treatment. You also will need to have your blood pressure tested again to see how treatment affects it.

Once your blood pressure is under control, you will need to stay on treatment. “Under control” means that your blood pressure numbers are normal. You also will need regular blood pressure tests. Your doctor can tell you how often you should be tested.

The sooner you find out about HBP and treat it, the better your chances to avoid problems like heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

Systolic Pressure

At each beat, your heart pumps blood into your arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, when it is pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure.

When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is the diastolic pressure.
condition of circulatory system: unusually high blood pressure in the arteries.
It encompasses atypical elevation of either the peak blood pressure at each heartbeat systolic pressure, or the running pressure between heart beats diastolic pressure, or both.

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Each time your heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats, pumping the blood. This is called systolic pressure. When your heart is at rest, between beats, your blood pressure falls. This is the diastolic pressure.

Your blood pressure reading uses two numbers, the systolic and diastolic pressures.

Usually they are written one above or before the other. A reading of:

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• 120/80 or Lower is Normal Blood Pressure  . . .
  
• 140/90 or higher is High Blood Pressure . . .
  
• 120 and 139 for the Top Number is Pre-Hypertension . . .
  
• 80 and 89 for the Bottom Number is Pre-Hypertension . . .
  

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High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, but it can cause serious problems such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure.

The good news is high blood pressure can be controlled through healthy lifestyle habits and, if needed, taking medication.

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For instant notification of new posts, join CreateVitality.Com’s “Better Health for Boomers” Free Newsletter by filling in the Sign Up Form on the right panel.

“Good Health and Success are a Lifestyle . . . Live Well,”

CK Dillon

Email: Charles@CreateVitality.Com

To Your Health: Http://LiquidVitaminsOnline.Net

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Living with a Hiatal Hernia … By: Kathy D, Contributing Author

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The “C” Word

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Cancer? Despite someone’s bed alarm going off at that precise moment, it got really quiet, an almost creepy calm. I was having a “not me” moment. “Ok, hold on a minute doc, you said cancer?”

I was in shock. Thoughts were racing. He said the “C” word. I’d been healthy all of my life. I ate right. I worked out regularly. I had to tell my husband. I was frightened. What about my son? My mom? My business? What about . . .

I barely heard doc when he said, “We’ll set up an appointment for your endoscopy; it will be an outpatient procedure, and the results of that will show us how to proceed.”

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My husband. “Oh my God!” As I tried to tell him the results of the test, tears of fear started flowing. I was no longer in control. He was strong until later, when he thought no one was watching.

“What if’s” violated my mind. I couldn’t dismiss the thought that there might be a possibility of cancer. I had seen people who had cancer. I have known people who had cancer. It can’t happen to me. I won’t let it. I’ll be alright . . . I’m not in control.

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The Endoscopy Results and Other Stuff

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After the procedure I was taken to the recovery room. Once I was coherent, I was taken to the waiting room and . . . you guessed it, I waited.

Finally the doctor came in with my results. He was upbeat. His first words were, “There are no signs of cancer.”

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My chest deflated. Until that moment I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath. He said, “Basically, we should be able to control your acid reflux with medication.”

“Thank you Jesus.”

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Several years have passed since, and I am happy to report I still have no signs of erosion and with the help of my good doctor, we’ve been able to control the acid reflux with medication. I take a 25mg. Proton Pump Inhibitor once a day for the acid reflux.

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I also have had to:

• avoid foods that contain acid like tomatoes, orange juice caffeinated coffee and beverages
• lose weight (oh yes),
• eat small, frequent meals (this one is hard, I’m not hungry all the time),
• avoid lying down for 3 hours after a meal

Believe me, this routine is not an easy task, being human, but I give it my best shot.

When I backslide, and sometimes I do, I can expect the possibility that I will be awakened in the middle of the night with the worst pain in my chest.

Just in case, I keep a stash of antacid tablets by the bed for relief.

So far, so good. By maintaining a strict regimen, I’ve been able to keep the reflux under control.

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Now comes today. As I did a little research for this article, I learned something. I found out that stomach exercises can cause acid to back up in your stomach. Me, who just got finished with doing my daily sit-up routine. “What the . . . is next?”

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So what have I learned?

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It takes sitting in a waiting room for hours to make us realize, no one is really in control.

We bounce from task to task doing the best we can with what we have. We eventually learn to control what we can and let God handle the rest.

What’s going to pop up next? Who knows.

What is a girl going to do? A girl is going to Live!!!

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Thanks for taking the time to read my story. Hope it helps you or someone you care for.

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Kathy D

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See Pt. 1-5: Living with a Hiatal Hernia and Acid Reflux

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Living with a Hiatal Hernia … By: Kathy D, Contributing Author

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It Was My Turn . . .

“See you when I get back,” I smiled and waved at my husband and mother-in-law as I walked through the door for the procedure. We all had on our game faces, although I was pretending not to be nervous, I failed miserably.

The procedure, surprisingly, wasn’t uncomfortable and didn’t seem to take too long. I don’t remember feeling a thing. After they wheeled me back to the recovery room, the nurse placed a weight on my incision area to keep pressure on it.

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“Ok,” I’m thinking, “I’m laying here in a hospital bed, with a heavy weight on an incision, on an empty stomach. How much more am I going to have to take? ” Hospital visits tend to make some people irritable. I am normally in control of emotions but I was beginning to understand their rationale.

After about an hour, an orderly, or somebody, came in with some juice for me to drink and a light snack to munch on while I continued to wait for my results from the testing.

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Crunch time (so to speak)

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As I sat up in the bed eating every drop, the doctor came in and said, “We have the results and you’re fine in that area, we’re giving you a clean bill of health. You don’t have any blockages.”

Relief flooded through me. Yes! Thank you God!

Feelings of anxiety returned within a half hour.  Even with the news of no blockage, to lift my spirits, I was still having major chest pains before I arrived home that day. I had to find out what was causing them.

After scheduling the earliest appointment I could get, a week later I went to see my regular doctor. I didn’t sit down because it hurt too much to get back up. I said, “We have to find out what’s going on with me. I can’t take much more of this.”

He could tell right away something was wrong and scheduled me immediately for more x-rays. Off to the hospital I went.

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The Prognosis

When Doc came into the waiting room, he was smiling. “Further testing has confirmed my suspicions, you have what is called a “Hiatal” hernia. “A what?” I asked.

Doc began to explain. Now this is not his exact explanation, but this is the gist of what he said.

“A Hiatal hernia is an anatomical abnormality, where part of your stomach protrudes through the diaphragm and up into your chest. Sometimes this condition causes acid reflux.”

I had heard of acid reflux.

“You see,” he continued, “your esophagus sits on top of your diaphragm. A Hiatal hernia is located between your esophagus and your diaphragm.

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Because of this, it causes acid to back up into the esophagus. Therefore you experience pain in the upper abdomen.

The pain can be in the form of heartburn, chest pain, regurgitation or nausea, some of the symptoms you were having.”

I’m a woman who likes to get to the point, so I said, “Ok, my question is, now that we know what’s causing the pain, how do we fix it?”

“We have to have an endoscopy done to see if there is any damage to your esophagus,” Doc went on to explain, “the acid could erode your stomach lining and cause cancer.”

“Cancer?”

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See Pt. 3 “For What?”

See Pt. 5 The “C” Word?!

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“Good Health and Success are a Lifestyle . . . Live Well,”

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CK Dillon

Contact: Charles@CreateVitality.Com

On the Web: Http://CreateVitality.Com

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