Hiya From Crusoe

[Crusoe]

thanks guys :)

 

[Crusoe]

Just so you know... I am also a member on PTSD forum but my name on there is "mightsurvive". When I joined this site I decided to use a different name because "mightsurvive" no longer fits me. I'm more like "surviving and kicking ass" now lol.

 

[deer_in_headlights]

Hey Crusoe!
I have loved your posts here, and now I'm blown away - I've been spending the past couple of hours praying for you and your Dad (and sent a prayer request to a sacred place for additional prayers.)
You have my deepest respect, and care!
Want to write more (difficult via phone), but just know that you and your Dad are truly in my heart, and in my prayers during the night...
I hope you're feeling better from your awful cold.
Sending love,
Deer

 

[Crusoe]

Hiya Deer :wave:Bless you sweetie. It REALLY is appreciated. :thumbsup:I'm calling him this afternoon to find out how he is and to find out if he has been told what the next step will be. I'm guessing he won't know though as he didn't know yesterday when he left hospital. I'm off work today with this cold / bug / :vomit:whatever it is but it is the least of my concerns right now. Many thanks again sweetie xxxxx:thankyou:

PS can you tell I got a bit carried away with the smilies ???:insane::laughing::lmao::funnyfaces:

 

[Crusoe]

Update: I spoke to my dad and apparently it isn't blood clots!!! He has a blockage in his leg of what they thought was between 4 and 6 inches caused by calcification of one artery in his leg. When they opened his leg the blockage was MUCH larger and so they were unable to remove it. the doctors at the hospital he went to do not intend to do anything else to help him:stomp:. He has been told that it may get worse but it may not. Either way, it will not end up with his leg needing amputated. They have sent him home but have not advised him as to how he needs to change his lifestyle / diet / exercise regime to avoid it getting worse. I have suggested that he now contacts the Cleveland Clinic for an online second opinion as well as looking into being referred to a specialist hospital elsewhere in the UK (there is one about 2 hours from where he lives). As far as I am aware this blockage is not as serious as having (numerous) blood clots so that is a relief but the matter is still a serious issue so hopefully we will find him some decent help soon.

 

[deer_in_headlights]

Hi Sweetheart!

Fantastic news, Crusoe; mixed with aggravation - how can they NOT treat your father! Bleah!!

I love your use of the smilies (can't wait to smiley back to you)...

I think your next steps are fantastic: a consulation with The Cleveland Clinic, and going to the specialist hospital. That's fantastic!

That type of calcification in your Dad's leg is troubling... It might be indicative of some additional inflammatory / calcifications elsewhere in your father's body. His entire cardiovascular system should be evaluated and treated.

You might want to check out a form of dietary treatment that not only stops these calcifications and blockages, but can also help reverse them. I'll post this, and then try to get some site info for you. (We still can't post live links here, right?) I'm still on my phone, away from computer... But will try to get you witin Google distance of this treatment modality. I think it would be something to study, and try to incorporate into treatment after your father's initial consults, treatments, etc... What I'm thinking is a lifestyle change, and that takes a while to correct longstanding problems. Your Dad needs immediate evaluation and good care by people who will jump on this problem and help him. (Grr, I wish all hospitals were geared to manage situations like your Dad's. To just send him home? WHAT?!)

I'm sending you my love, and prayers continue.
Your updates are great!
Love and hugs,
Deer

 

[deer_in_headlights]

Hi Sweetheart,

O.K., got it. This is an amazing program. I've met with people who teach this, and their stories are so inspiring that I've incorporated a lot of what I've learned into my own life as a preventative. (PTSD weakens the immune system and tears apart body, mind and spirit so much, we need all the life-supportive help we can get, I think) My own cholesterol went from elevated to normal levels.

Anyway, I'm convinced there is great good in this, and rigorous studies have shown this to be a therapuetic treatment / lifestyle that can halt further formation of blockages, and if done well, can even reverse them!

If you google both:
Nathan Pritikin Research Foundation, and Dr. Nathan Pritikin, you'll find a wealth of information. He's also written several popular books, wanting to get this info. out to the general public, so they can do a lot to help themselves.

There is a lot of help out there!
Love,
Deer

 

[deer_in_headlights]

Hi Sweetie,

Another fantastic resource is Dr. Dean Ornish! I meant to tell you about him in the prev. post.
He's a wonderful Dr. Much like Dr. Pritikin, and has written really helpful books on lifestyle / dietary changes for healing. If you google him, you'll come up with a great deal of info. to help your Dad.
With love and prayers,
Deer

 

[Crusoe]

Excellent and thank you ever so much for all your support and suggestions. I'm just off to google them. I think however, that there are some alterations he can make to his lifestyle that are glaringly obvious to me and should be to him and his wife. He certainly needs to stop smoking, eat less fried foods, stop drinking (or at least cut back) and exercise more. Easier said than done but hopefully little by little he can make changes. I'm wondering about calcium intake though, maybe he needs to cut back on that sort of thing too, assuming that high calcium intake would cause calcification. This calcification of the artery thing...I take it that it isn't life threatening???

 

[Crusoe]

Oh and just for being you....:hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:

 

[deer_in_headlights]

Hi Sweetheart!

Wow, what great hugs! You're starting my morning with a big smile, and hugs right back to you!

It's amazing how we know deep inside so many answers to our dilemmas... Absolutely, the lifestyle changes that you see as glaringly obvious are just that!
Poor guy, he does have his work cut out for him - I really hope he can quit the smoking, stop the fried foods, exercise and adopt a very healthy lifestyle. It is very serious that his leg artery is clogged as much as it is... And if he's smoking, then I really cringe at what the rest of his cardiovascular system looks like.

Amazingly about the calcium...from what I've studied, dropping calcium intake (from good sources) is not recommended. What the body is doing is not taking excess calcium and depositing it on the arterial walls. The body has an amazing repair system, and it uses calcium (that it'll remove from bones if it needs to get it from there), to form quick (and effective) strong patches. It's hardwired to do that. That's why injured / inflammed tissues throughout the body can show calcifications on x-rays. Once the inflammation is quieted, the body quits laying down calcifications in the area. So the lifestyle changes you mention, along with doing anti-inflammatory changes (re: Drs. Dean Ornish, Nathan Pritikin, etc...) can calm, stabilize and even reverse all the damage going on in your Dad's body.

There is so much your Dad can do, I hope he will be inspired to make the changes necessary to work on reversing these blockages. I'm cheering you both on!!!

With my love, hugs and prayers!
Deer

 

[Crusoe]

Awww thank goodness I didn't suggest that he stop eating / drinking calcium. You see this is why he needs a specialist hospital who can either give him further treatment or at least advise him on what he should / shouldn't be doing. he does have a lot of hard work ahead of him regarding the lifestyle changes. I don't know if he is prepared to make those changes but maybe his wife will help him with that more than I can. Either way he will have to make changes one step at a time rather than suddenly. I'm hoping to hear within the next day or so if he has managed to get referred to a specialist hospital. Fingers crossed and I will keep you updated hun. xxxxx:affection: