Dr. Deb

My friend, Mike, is a great guy. Knows everyone, goes out of his way to do nice things, but Mike HATES doctors. I mean he really hates doctors. He hates waiting in the office, wearing that silly gown, talking to the doctor and certainly doesn’ t want to hear any recommendations that the doctor may have.

When Mike started having balance problems while running, the last thing that he wanted to do was go see a doctor. He HATES them. I am sure that he was also afraid that it might be something serious. And it was. Mike was diagnosed with MS in his 20s. This was not supposed to happen. But because Mike saw the doctor and received the proper medication, he has had little symptoms of MS and has continued to lead a productive and healthy life for almost 15 years.

Many men feel the same way Mike does about doctors. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, 55 percent of men hadn’t had a checkup in the last year and 29 percent said they wait “as long as possible” to get help when they were sick.

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They called my Grandfather, “THE DUKE.” That is because he always dressed liked royalty with a pencil thin mustache, spats and slicked back hair. He loved to dance, drink, smoke and have a good time.  When he walked down the street, people took notice.

Sadly, the only memories that I have of him, occurred after his stroke. His daughters and wife kept him impeccably groomed but he was confined to a chair and could only speak a few slurred words.  He kept his sense of humor as I recall one time we played the game, “I’ve got your nose” and he pretended to not only take my nose but chew it up and spit in the spittoon by his side.  This caused quite an uproar since we only saw glimpses of the larger than life man that he once was.

Stroke is the 3rd leading cause of death in the US stealing life but liveliness as it did to the Duke. Most people with a stroke wait over 24 hours before seeking medical help.  Acting quickly is critical to prevent permanent damage or death. Hopefully I’ll teach you some things so you can keep the Dukes in your life.

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My Grandmother found my Uncle face down in a bowl of cereal, sound to sleep, when he was in college.  That same Uncle took us to the Red’s game and fell asleep on the floor of the stadium restaurant right in the middle of the 5th inning. He would do laundry all night long and fall asleep mid conversation during the day. I’ve known that he has sleep apnea my whole life. What I didn’t know is that his sleep apnea would put him in the hospital with heart failure and a cardiac arrhythmia. Read about link between heart disease and sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that can also lead to hypertension, weight gain, impotence, headaches and memory problems. It is very common with 1 in 5 adults have some form of snoring or sleep obstructions yet 85% these go undiagnosed and untreated. People with sleep apnea are far more likely to get in car accidents and let us not forget about the bed partners whose own sleep (& sanity) are affected by the snoring.

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