A Miracle or Common Sense

Like most of us in this day of modern medicine we tend to trust opinions of experts without question. Most of us forget to ask the right questions and may not be fully aware of the important questions to ask. Since it is our health and our body, it is only common sense to ask questions that concern our welfare and longevity.

In March of 2001 my mom went to the hospital for a pacemaker. Records show in 1997 she was taking synthroid, premarin, allopurinal and calcium. She was 74 years old then and it seemed logical that she should be taking some medications at that age.

By May of 2001 her diagnosis from a cardiac evaluation was; permanent pacemaker, mild coronary artery disease, hypothyroidism, hypertension, degenerative joint disease, left bundle branch block. She was now taking all of the above drugs plus norvasac and hydrochlorothiazide.

In May of 2002 her records show more drugs had been added to her repertoire. She was also taking lanoxin, docusate sodium and captopril. By July her symptoms had become so extreme that she was hospitalized and finally diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. She now had a host of drugs daily;allopurinol, captopril, sinemet, lanoxin, colace, hydrochlorothiazide, and Motrin. Comtan was added by a neurologist three weeks later.

By June of 2003 I moved mom from her home in Hemet to Frederika Manor to be closer to me. Frederika was a wonderful 24 acre facility with four levels of care. Independent living was first followed by assisted living. A specialist for every part of her body was the order of the day. From 2003 to 2006 she had every known test and with each new symptom a new drug was ordered. She was dizzy all the time with a blood pressure of 63/32, alarming the staff. Her legs were swollen and sometimes she hallucinated at night seeing people crawl on her floor. She saw neurologists, cardiologists, internal medicine and other physicians. By December 2004 she was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, Parkinson's, gout, pacemaker, congestive heart failure, C spine stenosis, hypothyroidism, Gout, and hypertension.

In June of 2006 she began having trouble swallowing and a barium swallow test indicated "risk for aspiration". The doctor put her on a liquid diet; she weighed 105 pounds. Assisted living could no longer care for her and she was transferred to the care center (nursing home). By all indications my mother didn't have long to live. She cried when I gave her the news of the impending move. I packed up her studio apartment, had a ramp built, put a hospital bed in my bedroom and eight days later brought her home to live with me. It was July 1, 2006. I told her when she came she would never have to do anything she didn't want to do. That meant no doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, tests or 911. The next week hospice was called in by the doctor and life was never the same.

A constant barrage of people; nurses, bathers, housekeepers, doctors, etc- She was taking 13 different drugs, scheduled eight times daily; DSS, Synthroid, Allopurinal, Lanoxin, Aldactone, Comtan, Carbidopa-Levodopa, Coreg, Centravite, Seroquel, Lasix 10 mg, Lasix 20 mg, Exelon, Tylenol, MSM, Digitek, Ducusate Sodium, Co-enzyme Q10 and Tylenol pm. Because of the size of the Parkinson's drugs she choked while taking them. A week after she arrived I took her off all the drugs. My thinking was; "if she is going to die, it isn't going to be choking on a pill!"

A week and a half later she asked for a piece of chicken. I didn't hesitate. I got some soft canned chicken, alfredo sauce and instant mashed potatoes. Her previous lack of appetite vanished as did the bowl of food. Gradually she regained strength and began using her walker to walk unassisted to the bathroom. Her liquid diet vanished as did the swelling in her legs. Her dizziness was gone as were her hallucinations. Everyone was astonished but hospice workers confessed they had seen this recovery before when drugs were removed from a patient. It is my belief that the drugs caused the majority of her symptoms.

Four months later in the Parkinson's specialist's office, he was visibly astounded. He tested her reactions, took her blood pressure, repeatedly saying, "She is not taking any Parkinson's medicine?" I told him no. Mom smiled at him, telling him she was eating anything she liked! He said he would see her in six months. That was 16 months ago.

Today she weighs 142 pounds, has outgrown all her clothes, and still eats what she wants. She no longer uses a walker but needs hands on assistance to ensure she won't fall. There are no signs of congestive heart failure with swollen legs but her hands and feet are always cold from lack of circulation. We let hospice go and she has not been to a doctor nor had any drugs since 2006. I give her purified water, herbal supplements, organic food, lots of fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken and a Burger King hamburger and chocolate shake every now and then! Oh, and she eats all the candy she wants after lunch which is NOT organic! Chocolate is her favorite! She is happy and content knowing she will die in a place of peace and quiet when it is her time. Her sense of humor is amazing and in April she will be 85!

What is the moral of the story? Doctors know about drugs and surgery. Some know about alternative methods of treatment. Ultimately it is up to each of us to research, listen to our bodies and use common sense in order to live more healthy harmonious lives. It also doesn't hurt to believe in miracles! I don't advocate you do what I did. It was clearly a choice of the "quality" of life rather than quantity, which is what she enjoys now. Yes, she still has Parkinson's but the bottom line is; she is happy and content.