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Lupus at 50: Alone with the wolf
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| http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0...2730862,00.html
Lupus at 50: Alone with the wolf
By Danielle Steinfeld
Morrison
Age 50 is a watershed, no doubt about it. Some greet it with a new spouse
and a Mercedes. Some go for a dye job and a tummy tuck. For at least one
hoary moment during year 49 or year 50, we can't help but look back and
assess the damage. And take note that the noonday sun will cast a
different shadow on the other side of 50.
The deaths we know in our youth are tragedies: friends who died too young,
in wars or car crashes. Mistakes. Exceptions. After 50, the deaths speed
up considerably. Aunts, uncles, parents. A generation of important people
begins to take its leave.
Mixed in with the predictable endings are still a few surprises. Peers who
fell victim to cancer or AIDS. Those deaths are stunning because we have
lived with these people for years, shared humor and pain, and expected
them to keep us company for quite a while.
These deaths are not the accidents of youth. We see them as warnings and
begin to take vitamins and avoid egg yolks and swordfish. We investigate
our bone density and cholesterol. Heating pads and physical therapy become
our new friends.
After 50, sickness is no longer the alien curiosity it was in our youth,
although it may still be curious and interesting. Heart attacks, now that
they're less fatal, become fascinating. We ask questions, learn the
details about the buildup, the early symptoms, the indigestion, the
shooting arm pain - secretly preparing ourselves in case it happens to us.
We've become comfortable discussing the more obvious diseases. But
frequent and treatable though they are, they're still dramatic, so we know
their victims are willing to talk about the experience.
I suspect the more silent illnesses are slowly becoming less taboo.
Boulder author and psychologist Stephen White has given one of his main
characters multiple sclerosis, which actually afflicts him. As readers, we
learn it is a disease with bouts of debilitating fatigue and irritating
heat. I still can't bring myself to question my three acquaintances who
have it. At first I thought this reticence was because they are merely
acquaintances. But I also have a friend with tremors, and I can't bring
myself to ask her if she has Parkinson's, that dreadful disease Muhammad
Ali suffers from.
In August I was surprised by a phone call beckoning me into the club of
curious diseases. My entrée was a very low white blood cell count. Thus
began the journey of worry and discovery that many of us are embarking on
now that we're on the far side of 50.
The first discovery we make is that doctors don't say much. Maybe they
don't want to hazard a diagnosis this early. My doctor's first
communication was scary. White cells attack infections. Should I get an
infection, I should go directly to the hospital - no second-guessing. We
had my white blood cells counted daily for several days. While the lab
counted, I stayed away from anyone who had the flu.
In the era of the Internet, you can scare yourself silly pretty quickly. I
found out low white cells can be triggered by chemotherapy, radiation,
certain medications, bone marrow failure, malaria, a virus, AIDS.
Blood tests became three weeks apart, giving me time to forget in
-between, especially since I never even caught a cold. After several
months of minimal white cells, I finally got to see someone knowledgeable,
a hematologist. He now retests my blood every three months, and suspects I
might have lupus.
What a wonderful word "lupus" is. It means wolf in Latin. I learned from
the Internet that it is heterogeneous, which means it is not one disease
but probably many different diseases that masquerade with many different
clinical manifestations. My hematologist asks me if I have joint pain,
tingling, or a butterfly mask on my face. I have none of these, only blood
work that confirms the diagnosis.
We are embarking on a voyage of discovery, this wolf and I. My children
are just about out of the nest, my husband is all the way out the door,
yet I feel good. I feel unafraid. When you see me, go ahead and ask me
about it. I'm on the down side of 50, and I'm willing to talk.
Danielle Steinfeld lives in Morrison.
| |
| Chaos Hill 2005-03-19, 6:20 pm |
| Hello Danielle - havine just turned fifty this past year, your post brought
many tears to my eyes. Yes, I too have Lupus, but have had dx of such off
and on all my life - still it is a lonely place to be and I hear you loud
and clear!!!
welcom to the board and keep talking, we're listening!
Leslie
"alfie" <anon@anon.anon> wrote in message
news:422840BE.DC03D0F2@execulink.com...
> http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0...2730862,00.html
> Lupus at 50: Alone with the wolf
> By Danielle Steinfeld
> Morrison
>
> Age 50 is a watershed, no doubt about it. Some greet it with a new spouse
> and a Mercedes. Some go for a dye job and a tummy tuck. For at least one
> hoary moment during year 49 or year 50, we can't help but look back and
> assess the damage. And take note that the noonday sun will cast a
> different shadow on the other side of 50.
>
> The deaths we know in our youth are tragedies: friends who died too young,
> in wars or car crashes. Mistakes. Exceptions. After 50, the deaths speed
> up considerably. Aunts, uncles, parents. A generation of important people
> begins to take its leave.
>
> Mixed in with the predictable endings are still a few surprises. Peers who
> fell victim to cancer or AIDS. Those deaths are stunning because we have
> lived with these people for years, shared humor and pain, and expected
> them to keep us company for quite a while.
>
> These deaths are not the accidents of youth. We see them as warnings and
> begin to take vitamins and avoid egg yolks and swordfish. We investigate
> our bone density and cholesterol. Heating pads and physical therapy become
> our new friends.
>
> After 50, sickness is no longer the alien curiosity it was in our youth,
> although it may still be curious and interesting. Heart attacks, now that
> they're less fatal, become fascinating. We ask questions, learn the
> details about the buildup, the early symptoms, the indigestion, the
> shooting arm pain - secretly preparing ourselves in case it happens to us.
>
> We've become comfortable discussing the more obvious diseases. But
> frequent and treatable though they are, they're still dramatic, so we know
> their victims are willing to talk about the experience.
>
> I suspect the more silent illnesses are slowly becoming less taboo.
> Boulder author and psychologist Stephen White has given one of his main
> characters multiple sclerosis, which actually afflicts him. As readers, we
> learn it is a disease with bouts of debilitating fatigue and irritating
> heat. I still can't bring myself to question my three acquaintances who
> have it. At first I thought this reticence was because they are merely
> acquaintances. But I also have a friend with tremors, and I can't bring
> myself to ask her if she has Parkinson's, that dreadful disease Muhammad
> Ali suffers from.
>
> In August I was surprised by a phone call beckoning me into the club of
> curious diseases. My entrée was a very low white blood cell count. Thus
> began the journey of worry and discovery that many of us are embarking on
> now that we're on the far side of 50.
>
> The first discovery we make is that doctors don't say much. Maybe they
> don't want to hazard a diagnosis this early. My doctor's first
> communication was scary. White cells attack infections. Should I get an
> infection, I should go directly to the hospital - no second-guessing. We
> had my white blood cells counted daily for several days. While the lab
> counted, I stayed away from anyone who had the flu.
>
> In the era of the Internet, you can scare yourself silly pretty quickly. I
> found out low white cells can be triggered by chemotherapy, radiation,
> certain medications, bone marrow failure, malaria, a virus, AIDS.
>
> Blood tests became three weeks apart, giving me time to forget in
> -between, especially since I never even caught a cold. After several
> months of minimal white cells, I finally got to see someone knowledgeable,
> a hematologist. He now retests my blood every three months, and suspects I
> might have lupus.
>
> What a wonderful word "lupus" is. It means wolf in Latin. I learned from
> the Internet that it is heterogeneous, which means it is not one disease
> but probably many different diseases that masquerade with many different
> clinical manifestations. My hematologist asks me if I have joint pain,
> tingling, or a butterfly mask on my face. I have none of these, only blood
> work that confirms the diagnosis.
>
> We are embarking on a voyage of discovery, this wolf and I. My children
> are just about out of the nest, my husband is all the way out the door,
> yet I feel good. I feel unafraid. When you see me, go ahead and ask me
> about it. I'm on the down side of 50, and I'm willing to talk.
>
> Danielle Steinfeld lives in Morrison.
>
| |
|
| Hi Leslie,
It is so good to see you here again. How are you doing? It has been a will
since we heard from you.
BJ-Sk. Canada
"Chaos Hill" <mrsmugly@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:r5udnXuoAZWiUbDfRVn-gg@centurytel.net...
> Hello Danielle - havine just turned fifty this past year, your post
brought
> many tears to my eyes. Yes, I too have Lupus, but have had dx of such off
> and on all my life - still it is a lonely place to be and I hear you loud
> and clear!!!
>
> welcom to the board and keep talking, we're listening!
> Leslie
>
> "alfie" <anon@anon.anon> wrote in message
> news:422840BE.DC03D0F2@execulink.com...
spouse[vbcol=seagreen]
young,[vbcol=seagreen]
people[vbcol=seagreen]
who[vbcol=seagreen]
become[vbcol=seagreen]
that[vbcol=seagreen]
us.[vbcol=seagreen]
know[vbcol=seagreen]
we[vbcol=seagreen]
on[vbcol=seagreen]
I[vbcol=seagreen]
knowledgeable,[vbcol=seagreen]
I[vbcol=seagreen]
blood[vbcol=seagreen]
>
>
| |
| Chaos Hill 2005-03-19, 6:20 pm |
| Hi BJ - I seem to lurk more than post, seems what I have to say.... well - I
get lonesome as an old hound dog....
I'm hanging in there - flaring today (way too much stress and have enjoyed
our spring-like weather to a faretheewell..... ) wore myself out.... among
other things...
How are you? Are you still frozen up there?
Leslie
"BJ" <Babs@sk.nojunk.ca> wrote in message
news:112rnarkuuiad6@corp.supernews.com...
> Hi Leslie,
> It is so good to see you here again. How are you doing? It has been a will
> since we heard from you.
> BJ-Sk. Canada
> "Chaos Hill" <mrsmugly@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:r5udnXuoAZWiUbDfRVn-gg@centurytel.net...
> brought
> spouse
> young,
> people
> who
> become
> that
> us.
> know
> we
> on
> I
> knowledgeable,
> I
> blood
>
>
| |
|
| Hi Leslie,
I have been lurking a lot this winter too. I am doing okay though. Yes, we
are still frozen. There has been the odd nice day thrown in lately, but then
it is back to cold. We had snow again overnight and into this morning. We
can usually count on another couple of months of this here in Sask.
BJ-Sk. Canada
"Chaos Hill" <mrsmugly@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:35GdnW0RS5EEd7DfRVn-uA@centurytel.net...
> Hi BJ - I seem to lurk more than post, seems what I have to say.... well -
I
> get lonesome as an old hound dog....
>
> I'm hanging in there - flaring today (way too much stress and have enjoyed
> our spring-like weather to a faretheewell..... ) wore myself out.... among
> other things...
>
> How are you? Are you still frozen up there?
>
> Leslie
>
> "BJ" <Babs@sk.nojunk.ca> wrote in message
> news:112rnarkuuiad6@corp.supernews.com...
will[vbcol=seagreen]
off[vbcol=seagreen]
loud[vbcol=seagreen]
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0...2730862,00.html[vbcol=seagreen]
and[vbcol=seagreen]
Peers[vbcol=seagreen]
expected[vbcol=seagreen]
to[vbcol=seagreen]
main[vbcol=seagreen]
readers,[vbcol=seagreen]
irritating[vbcol=seagreen]
who[vbcol=seagreen]
merely[vbcol=seagreen]
bring[vbcol=seagreen]
of[vbcol=seagreen]
Thus[vbcol=seagreen]
embarking[vbcol=seagreen]
they[vbcol=seagreen]
an[vbcol=seagreen]
lab[vbcol=seagreen]
radiation,[vbcol=seagreen]
pain,[vbcol=seagreen]
children[vbcol=seagreen]
door,[vbcol=seagreen]
me[vbcol=seagreen]
>
>
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